Overview
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the national ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra alongside Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, the Governor‑General and other dignitaries, praising ordinary Australians who faced extraordinary trials.
- High‑profile commemorations included the Sydney Opera House lit with red poppies, bugle calls at a dawn service on the harbor, and a two‑minute halt to traffic at 11 key Melbourne CBD intersections for the Last Post and a minute’s silence.
- Former RSL national president Major General Greg Melick used the commemorative address to warn against complacency, urging a lessons‑led ‘grand strategy’ and sufficient funding to ensure Australia’s defense posture matches future needs.
- Reports from services highlighted the rapid decline in living World War II veterans, with 103‑year‑old George Franklin and 102‑year‑old Russell Hosken stressing the need to pass first‑hand accounts to younger generations.
- Opinion pieces tied the day’s origins in the 1918 armistice to a renewed emphasis on peace and humanitarian relief, citing Save the Children’s estimate that current conflicts have pushed more than 60 million children into hunger in 2025.