On 25 April 1915, 16,000 soldiers landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in their first major campaign as the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. That campaign was a military failure, but the courage, endurance and mateship our soldiers showed in the months that followed left a powerful legacy that still lives on today.

Anzac Day is a day when we commemorate and honour the courageous men and women who fought for our nation in World War 1 and all conflicts, wars and peacekeeping operations since. This year, I was proud to be able to mark the occasion by attending services in Hunters Hill, Chatswood, Willoughby Park, and North Sydney.

Like many other Australians, men and women across multiple generations of my family have served in the armed forces or been impacted by war. It was a pleasure to join the North Sydney community in reminiscing on some of the stories that have been passed down to us: stories from the Rats of Tobruk, the Light Horse Brigade, Darwin, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Afghanistan, and other times that have called for Australians to fight for what we believe in.

As Australia heads towards our next chapter, I hope that we can honour those who have sacrificed so much for us by continuing to build on their achievements as a community, towards a better future.

This month I’ve also continued to work with volunteers from my electorate office’s Ageing Well Working Group to help strengthen our aged care system, and identify additional opportunities to support seniors in our community.