THE HON. JOHN HOWARD
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA

Mr Howard, thanks for your time.

Nice to be talking to you.

Yes, there’s been some discussion about Anzac Day this year, hasn’t there?

Yes, there has, Bryan, and I’ve made my position as plain as I can get it. I support those Australians who were there at Gallipoli. I don’t have a problem with their behaviour. I was proud to be their commanding officer.

Mr Howard, I was actually meaning the meaning of Anzac Day altogether.

I’ve seen it said that they perhaps got on the turps and left some crap lying about on the peninsula, but they are Australians. I mean, you get with your mates, you have a couple and lose track of what’s going on and you make a bit of a bloody mess. We do that at home, Bryan. I don’t see the difference.

Mr Howard, I wondered if the meaning of Anzac Day has somehow changed?

Anzac Day is a day of great importance in the Australian calendar, Bryan.

What do you think that importance is?

Well, I think the essential lessons and characters of Anzac Day are as they have always been, Bryan.

And what are they?

Well, it celebrates that very important time when the Australian Government made a very significant decision, Bryan, to…

To do as it was told by an imperial power.

…to assemble a very, very impressive body of young men, very talented, very resourceful young men and to send them away to…

Invade another country.

…to defend Britain.

By invading Turkey.

And the way they did it, Bryan, was of the utmost importance because for a start they were…

Landed in a wrong place.

…as I say, a very resourceful group of people. When you try to get into the AIF in the very first lot of volunteers, Bryan, you couldn’t get in if you were under six foot one so, obviously our…

Graves were a little longer.

…army was a very impressive body of men and they were led by generals who were…

On a boat a couple of miles off the coast.

…dealing with a pretty significant problem. I mean they had a difficult task. That terrain—I’ve been over the land, Bryan, and it’s very difficult land. I’ve done that, and a lot of the generals at the time…

Hadn’t bothered to…

…they weren’t given that opportunity because they were obviously…

Tucking into a bit of dinner.

…trying to deal with the bigger picture and there was a bigger picture because Anzac Day doesn’t only celebrate Gallipoli. I mean, the First World War, Bryan, is full of other…

Cock-ups.

…very, very famous battles and this is where Australia comes of age. This is where we stand astride centre stage and become a nation. I mean, obviously the empire is not there any more. We’re in charge of our own destiny now. Now when Australia wants to know what it’s doing in the future it certainly doesn’t look to Britain. What we do now is…

Ring George.

…hang on, I’ve got to ring George. I just got a message to ring George.

No, Prime Minister, that was me.

The important thing, Bryan, is that Anzac Day is very, very, very important to all…

Politicians.

Almost sacred, you might say, Bryan, to all…

Advertising sales.

…to all Australians.

Prime Minister, thanks for your time.

Yes, good on you. Now bugger off, I’m going to talk to George, Bryan, about Australia. We’ll let you know. (Into phone.) George, John Howard. Howard.