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Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne has represented the government of Australia at the Anzac Day commemorative services at Villers-Bretonneux and Bullecourt.
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Minister Pyne's visit to France from 23-26 April, with his counterpart Florence Party, Minister for Armed Services, includes attending the Villers-Bretonneux dawn service and town service.
The Australian 13th and 15th Brigades liberated Villers-Bretonneux, with assistance from British forces, at dawn on 25 April 1918, three years to the day after the Anzac's landed in Gallipoli.
“Anzac Day is our opportunity to acknowledge the service and sacrifice of the women and men of the Australian Defence Force,” Minister Pyne said.
“It is also a time to learn their stories and to understand more about what they did and endured, and how they contributed to defending our nation and our way of life.”
Bullecourt was the scene of some of the most intense fighting on the Western Front for the Australian Imperial Force, with 10,000 killed in battles on 11 April and 3 May 1917.
Minister Pyne noted that France and Australia have a "longstanding and close defence relationship, with a shared commitment to addressing global security concerns including with the US-led international coalition efforts to counter Daesh".
The minister pointed out the 2018 Australia-France initiative (AFiniti) as a "framework for our cooperation in Indo-Pacific defence; Antarctic and the Southern Ocean; security, cyber and intelligence, and science and technology."
“Australia’s $50 billion Attack Class submarine program is the key co-operation activity in our industrial relationship,” said Minister Pyne.
“Our partnership was further enhanced this year with the signing of the Strategic Partnering Agreement in February and the Submarine Design Contract in March.”
