The axing of future Anzac Day ceremonies at Lone Pine in Gallipoli was "sacrilege" to veterans, deeply disappointing to war widows, and a move which Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said would outrage all Australians.
"To scrap it would be a sacrilege," said Barney Flanagan, the president of the RSL sub-branch in Chatswood. "Lone Pine is Anzac. Together with Anzac Cove, the landing at Gallipoli, Lone Pine is part of the tradition."
The federal government announced late on Friday that the Lone Pine service would not be conducted in the future because of concerns about the well-being of visitors on the rough, high terrain, where between 5000 and 7000 men were injured or killed in 1915.
"Given the extended time period visitors are on site, potential for extreme weather conditions, and exposed location on rough terrain, the Lone Pine service will not be conducted from this year onwards."
The review of the Lone Pine service was announced in November by the outgoing Minister for Veterans Affairs, Stuart Robert, who was sacked on Friday by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for breaching ministerial rules during a trip to China.
It was immediately attacked as a "nanny state" measure by many. At that time, the RSL said it would only agree to a scrapping of the service if holding the service was a terrorist risk.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said it was a "disgrace" that the news was snuck out on Friday afternoon under the cover of Minister Robert's sacking.
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Agree with Mr Shorten on that one.
