Every 25th of April since 1927, Australia has taken a public holiday to celebrate its fallen in all wars. Doing so, it has placed a principal focus on its Anzac fighting force of World War 1 when Australia’s military claimed its right of independent command from Britain. Hence the holiday’s name: Anzac Day. Australia’s first commanding general was John Monash. A member of the Jewish faith, his name today graces a highway, an electorate and one of the nation’s most prestigious universities.

Anzac Day is not a sombre moment, though memorial services are held. Past and present military members and their descendants march in processions. The whole traditionally ends in pubs with games of Two-up thrown in honouring the Diggers of old.

That then, is the preamble. What follows now is controversial though not racist. All non-indigenous Australians are “immigrants” of sorts in their family trees. It is a statement of concern.

Australia’s policy of multiculturalism starting in the early 1970s sought to rightly infuse diversity in the nation while underpinning its values of mateship, fair go and ingenuity. It didn’t come easily but as Europeans and Asians integrated while also reflecting themselves culturally, it worked.

In 2024, Australia Day (Australia’s foundation day celebrated January 26th annually) is at risk for its alleged celebration of “colonialism”. Right or wrong, Australia’s Indigenous People have a right to make that claim on their terra firma.

But I assure you that Anzac Day will soon follow suit and it will have nothing to do with Australian rights.

Rather, “Islamists” (i.e. non-secular Muslims) will claim that it celebrates Australia’s fight against the Ottoman Islamic Caliphate in WW1 and its success in bringing it down—which Anzac Day does. Gallipoli was fought in Turkey; the Lighthorsemen fought through present-day Israel—then Ottoman Empire land. 

Thing is, modern Islamic Turkey has never had a problem with Anzac Day. Both countries still see post-WW1 as a time to heal. Both nation’s people attend dawn services on Gallipoli’s shores. But as we have witnessed since October 2023, Australia’s streets have changed with pro-terror groupthink and Australia’s criminal code has only this week responded to adapt.

A succession of weak prime ministers since 2001 has diluted Australia’s confidence in its self-image and fabric. This must be repaired. It starts with the public message, public education, public health and public service and it must begin now.

Australia is at a critical junction as Hamas in Gaza faces its pending defeat by Israel while the cruellest Muslim versus Muslim civil war in modern times is displacing five million Sudanese amid mass rape and murder, ignored by the “Free Palestine” mobs who march, graffiti and terrorise—shouting outlawed Nazi slogans and posting outlawed Nazi symbols at a Jewish community.

Australia is at an intersection indeed. One road sign points to “g’day”. The other, says “hate”.

© 2024 Adam Parker.

Picture credit: An Aleppo pine tree grows in Caulfield Park, Victoria, Australia. It accompanies a plaque that reads: “From the original lone pine on Gallipoli, grown in the jubilee year 1965, planted in memory of departed comrades, LEST WE FORGET”. Caulfield Park was defaced with antisemitic graffiti this week. Author’s photograph.