Stephens, David: rebooting Anzac

David Stephens

‘Rebooting Anzac for the next century‘, Sydney Morning Herald, 23 April 2015 (and in other Fairfax)

Traditions that are not continually refreshed become quaint and irrelevant and eventually die. The Anzac tradition has waxed and waned over a century; there is no guarantee that its current high profile will persist. Yet a rebooted Anzac could be a key part of Australia’s future. There are five ways this might happen. 1. End Anzac hyperbole. 2. Keep Anzac in its proper place. 3. Make Anzac voluntary. 4. Make Anzac useful. 5. Make Anzac forward-looking.