Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott have used their Christmas messages to urge Australians to think of the soldiers serving in Afghanistan this holiday season.
Ms Gillard paid tribute to the 10 Australian soldiers who died in Afghanistan this year, as well as more than 60 who have been injured.
“We lost a lot of brave Australians this year,” Ms Gillard said.
“They died for us and I know every Australian has a special thought for their partners and children, their families, and their mates, this Christmas. We don’t forget.”
But Ms Gillard says Australians should remember that 2010 brought joy as well as tragedy.
“[This year] has been an eventful year in our country’s life but above all else, we shouldn’t forget the most wonderful thing that happened this year – the drought broke in the eastern states at last,” she said.
“Of course it’s never easy on the land and I know now it’s flooding, but we’re grateful for some of the rain at least.”
Mr Abbott also paid tribute to Defence personnel in his Christmas message.
“I hope we will think of those less fortunate than ourselves,” he said.
“I hope we will especially think of all of those people who make our country safer, stronger and more prosperous – they do a good job and we should think of them at Christmas time.”
Mr Abbott also used his Christmas message to urge all Australians to draw closer to their families.
Meanwhile, the superintendent of the Wesley Mission is reminding Australians there are thousands of people who struggle at Christmas time.
Reverend Doctor Keith Garner says 2010 has been a hard year on the hip pocket, so his Christmas message is about “making ends meet”.
He says despite it being a time for family and friends, it can be an unhappy time for others.
“Many people have found this past year very hard. There’s been all the rhetoric around [that] Australia has not suffered like other countries,” he said.
“But really we realise a lot have people have found it hard and they really are finding it difficult to make ends meet.”
Source: www.abc.net.au
