Labour List MP based in East Coast Jo Luxton attended this year’s Anzac Day Civic Service at Ōpōtiki, delivering the following speech ...

Rau rangatira mā, e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa.
We gather here today, as many have done across Aotearoa this morning, to remember.
Here in Ōpōtiki, we honour those who have served, and those who continue to serve our country.
It is a privilege to deliver this address and reflect with you on the sacrifice, strength of character, and enduring spirit of our people from across the Eastern Bay and the East Coast.
Anzac Day asks us not only to look back, but to understand more deeply what service has meant – and still means for us.
We remember those who left our shores for something bigger than themselves. Young men and women who packed their belongings, boarded ships, and sailed far from home into uncertainty.
The pain of separation for those at home and those abroad was lasting, and remains carried in the hearts of whānau across our region.
These may not have been wars fought on our shores, but they shaped our communities profoundly, and the call to serve was answered with courage and commitment.
In the First World War, even those too young to fight found ways to contribute.
In February 1916, here in Ōpōtiki, dozens of girls from the Ōpōtiki Girls’ Anzac Club gathered, bringing with them 70 pairs of hand-knitted socks to support soldiers overseas.
During the Second World War, in March 1941, the community gathered in large numbers at Regent Hall to honour those on leave, with a parade of children and a presentation of gifts to the men of the 5th Reinforcements, including members of the Māori Battalion.
These moments remind us that service is lived both on the battlefield and here at home.
We reflect on the distance between them, and the bonds that endure.
We honour all those from our district who served – across many units, in many roles.
Among those we honour are the men of the 28th Māori Battalion, including those from Te Whakatōhea.
They fought with courage in Greece and Crete, North Africa, and Italy. Their legacy is one of bravery, resilience, and deep sacrifice.
We remember those who did not return.
The Ōpōtiki RSA roll of honour records 100 men lost in the First World War, and 82 in the Second.
Their futures were cut short, but their names and stories remain.
The skill, resilience, and compassion of our women must also be remembered.
Some served overseas as nurses, working under immense pressure and risk.
This service does not end with our history, but today is reflected in our Defence Forces, our emergency services, and in the everyday actions of those who care for and strengthen our community.
Anzac Day does not glorify war. It acknowledges its cost.
It reminds us of the impact war has and has had on our nation – and here in Ōpōtiki this history is deeply personal.
Lest we forget.