Anzac balance

I WRITE in reference to Cr Rosalie Crestani’s recent comments (Centenary Events Aim To Unite, News, 21 August).
Unlike Cr Crestani, I believe that Casey’s centennial Anzac commemorations should be balanced and not biased in favour of commemorating militarism.
Clearly Cr Crestani has little respect for the peace movement in Australian history.
The Anzac commemorations are being held by Casey so those who fought and voted against military conscription are deliberately excluded from any public commemorations.
There is significant historical evidence, however, that if not for the efforts of the peace movement, and the anti-conscription campaign, especially during The Great War, the number of Australian soldiers who died for British imperialism could well have been closer to 120,000, not 60,000.
It’s interesting that Casey council has had a meeting to discuss this issue, as a community priority, but have had nothing to say about the damage that has been done to the region by the austerity policies of the state and federal governments.
Cr Crestani and some of her colleagues must believe that unemployment, homelessness and our health services are not issues worthy of a special Casey council meeting.
John Glazebrook,
Endeavour Hills.