Rere ana nga roimata o Hine tērā te pae o Te Riri. Huihuia mai tātau katoa tēnei te pae o Maumahara. E nga iwi, kei aku rangatira wāhine mā, tāne mā tēnā tātau katoa.
Greetings to you all at our national place of remembrance, Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, and to all who are commemorating around the country. I especially acknowledge our veterans and those who have passed since our last Anzac Day. I also wish to specifically acknowledge: Taranaki Whānui; Parliamentary Under-Secretary Jenny Marcroft, representing the Government and People of New Zealand; Her Excellency Maria Belen Bogado, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic, and Acting Dean of the Diplomatic Corps; Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Greg O’Connor, representing the Opposition; His Worship the Honourable Andrew Little, Mayor of Wellington; Air Marshal Tony Davies, the Chief of Defence Force, New Zealand; Air Marshal Leon Phillips, representing the Chief of the Australian Defence Force, and Colonel James A. (Tony) Hill, National President, Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association. Tēnā koutou katoa.
April 25 marks the anniversary of the first landing of New Zealand, Australian and other Allied forces on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915 – a campaign that would result in terrible casualties amongst those forces, and in greater losses still amongst the Turkish defenders.
On this day each year we gather to commemorate the New Zealanders who served with courage at Gallipoli and in armed conflicts across our nation’s history. We remember and honour their sacrifice.
In 2026, Anzac Day carries new significance. This occasion is the first to take place since Parliament acted, through the Anzac Day Amendment Act 2026, to expand the ranks of those we commemorate. Parliament has enlarged the significance of Anzac Day to honour not only those who have served in formally recognised wars, but also to include all who have served New Zealand in warlike conflicts.
The new Act ensures that Anzac Day reflects what New Zealanders already practise – an inclusive commemoration recognising all who have served with courage in times of conflict. It acknowledges those veterans who have served our country in peacekeeping roles and deployments across the globe since the end of the Vietnam War – recognising that service takes many forms, including non‑military roles that have historically been obscured.
Personnel who serve in operations to support peace often face the same dangers and witness the same distressing situations as those in combat. Writing about his experiences as a peacekeeper in Angola, distinguished veteran John McLeod has observed: “Death is death, whether in peacekeeping or in war; a bullet is just as lethal, and the stresses and strains as debilitating.”
New Zealand has a proud history of contributing to operations that support peace around the world. This year marks 75 years since New Zealand peacekeepers went to Kashmir with a United Nations military observer group.
As we reflect on recent chapters of service, we are reminded that the Anzac legacy is not confined to the distant past. It is 25 years since the deployment of the first New Zealand forces to Afghanistan. In 2001, in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in New York, New Zealand Special Air Service (SAS) personnel joined coalition operations in Afghanistan. Their work involved long-range patrols and high-risk combat missions in Kabul and surrounding areas, forming part of a wider commitment to countering terrorism and restoring regional and global security. Over the next twenty years, New Zealanders have served in provinces such as Bamyan with professionalism and humanity in a wide array of roles – from reconstruction and humanitarian efforts to specialist support.
The Anzac spirit also lives on in those who have donned uniform in the Balkans, Timor-Leste, the Middle East and Africa, and in maritime security operations, disaster relief, and missions to support peace around the world. The overseas service of New Zealanders underscores the evolving responsibilities that our nation continues to shoulder in an increasingly complex global landscape.
Across the world, at this time, civilian populations are enduring unimaginable hardships. The need for international cooperation, humanitarian support, and skilled peacekeepers is as urgent as ever. New Zealand’s commitments to peace, collective security, and international partnership remain central to our identity as a nation.
We must acknowledge with gratitude the New Zealand Defence Force personnel and New Zealand Police officers who are currently serving in peacekeeping and stability operations. Their work reflects the values we honour today – courage, service, integrity and compassion.
On this Anzac Day, as we gather before the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, we reflect on all those who have served across generations. May we honour their memory, uphold their legacy, and commit ourselves to the peace they have sought.
Kia maumahara tātou. Let us remember them.