World War I saw birth of Australia 'as a nation': McGregor

The Great War saw Australia really born as a nation, says Sky News host Catherine McGregor.

It comes as Australians marked Remembrance Day on Thursday.

"The states up until the outbreak of war were largely still very much preeminent – and the Commonwealth had fairly weak powers – the defence power being the one that was invoked obviously to wage the war," Ms McGregor told Sky News Australia.

"The nation was really born during this war – not when it was federated – in that you saw the concentration of power in the federal government.

"The Engineers case, a famous case, came within a couple of years of the outbreak of war and really ever since we've seen the growth of a more 'indissoluble Commonwealth' as it was termed."

[letsgetreal]

Those soldiers would be turning in their grave to see what's happened to our democracy

[followingtheword]

WWI was where the Australian reputation was made. In two years, these hedonistic politicians have destroyed that.

[WaterWordsWisdom]

To bad all those good people made a sacrifice for a freedom that has been stripped away on the basis of a LIE

[anthonyuccello]

Wow this person saw the birth and death of Australia democracy

[spoon]

And now it’s stuffed, a little over 100 years later, thanks self serving politicians

[iwishilivedinafreecountry]

Watching SlowMo and Daniel Andrews pay "tribute" to our fallen service men today while simultaneously destroying the freedoms that they died to provide us disgusted me beyond words.

[allanhunt]

What a pleasure it is to listen to Catherine explain to us, in her words, the importance and historical sacrifice that was given by so many to silence the guns in 1918. It is truly something that we should never forget. For me, "Poppy Day" is not a term I want to use for this day of remembrance. I much prefer "Armistice Day" than "Remembrance Day" because this day was exactly that. A day for both sides to agree to end the war. It did to some extent but it wasn't long before war broke out again due to the Nazis. Then we celebrate ANZAC Day which includes the recognition of our brave warriors, from all different ethnic backgrounds. We remember their sacrifices in wars past and present. Australia, in the main, should be proud of what our brothers and sisters, including our indigenous brothers and sisters that went to fight for us. We are truly one and free in Australia and we should always look at what binds us together rather than what some of us would want to tear apart. Lest We Forget.

[andrewfischer]

And 2021 seen the death of Australian democracy.

[jessicali]

Indeed real Australian nationhood was born in 1915 at Gallipoli on April 25th in the Ottoman empire as it then was.
Similarly for New Zealand where, for decades, women were not seen after 5 pm in R.S.A. clubhouses so that the men were free to allude to what really happened in WW1 in particular.

[tonybennett]

Born in battle .... Is that why we go chasing wars to get involved in .

[netfish]

I'm a mellanial..I don't feel free. why should I celebrate this. sure they may have made their kids free and themselves..but not their grandkids and their kids and :theirs(mine)

[pwillis]

It is very sad that anyone considers our nations worth or measure of character as how we performed in warfare.

[nitdiver]

It’s always interesting to sit back and watch two dudes talk about war

[buildmotosykletist]

Schools don't recognise today. A few individual teachers do and they cope a lot of flak from their piers. Very sad.

[iwishilivedinafreecountry]

World War I saw birth of Australia 'as a nation'.... And 2020-2021 saw it's death as a nation.

[jimmurihiku]

Youtube is covering for Adern and her anti Anzac stance

[lunafringe]

A good country. At least in my time. 👍👏🦋

[luciferblack]

The new age Australian military
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[darrylknight]

Still can't work out why we sailed all that way to attack Turkey.

[juanfepenarivera]

you have salvation and eternal life believing in Jesus Christ read in the bible Romans 10: 9 and 10, John 3: 15 to 18