Survey finds 93 per cent of Australians believe it is important to commemorate Anzac Day
MORE than 93 per cent of Australians believe it is important for the nation to commemorate Anzac Day, an exclusive survey has revealed.
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MORE than 93 per cent of Australians believe it is important for the nation to commemorate Anzac Day.
On the eve of the Anzac centenary an online survey of 1200 Australians, commissioned by News Corp Australia in January 2015, uncovered overwhelming support across all age groups.
Older Australians and middle income earners rated Anzac Day as “very important” although the importance of the day held true across all age and income streams.
The vast majority of old and young respondents thought that marking Anzac Day was vital for remembering and honouring those who served in World War 1.
The second most popular reason given was that it was part of the nation’s history and heritage that should never be forgotten.
Honouring the current generation of military personnel was much further down the list of reasons for Anzac Day.
Those most opposed to the commemorations were more anti-war than anti Anzac Day and the vast majority of those were women.
More than 73 per cent of respondents said they would attend an event on Anzac Day this year.
They were also asked to provide a single question that they would like to ask a Digger who fought at Gallipoli.
The most popular question was how did the troops cope with the fear and horrific living conditions in the trenches.
Such questions are also being asked and answered on the AnzacLive website that has already attracted more than 19 million views across the globe.
The research also coincides with the launch of unique limited edition World War I-themed 20 cent coins this weekend.
The coins, produced by the Royal Australian Mint, commemorate 14 themes ranging from The Home Front, to Mateship, to Nurses and The Light Horsemen. Each coin is available with a backing card and a plastic cover.
The survey’s overwhelming findings also appear to contradict claims by some academics that the nation was at risk of “commemoration fatigue”.
Director of the Australian War Memorial Brendan Nelson said that far from being fed up with celebrating the sacrifices of our troops Australians were more interested than ever.
Some academics warned in the lead up to the centenary of the 1915 Gallipoli campaign that the story was in danger of suffering from over exposure.
Dr Nelson said that in his experience as the nation’s key custodian of national commemoration interest was actually growing.
“It’s extraordinarily important that Australians look beyond headlines and broad brushstrokes and that they appreciate that behind the 46,000 Australians who died in France and Belgium were real people with real lives.”
Originally published as Survey finds 93 per cent of Australians believe it is important to commemorate Anzac Day
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