Victoria Bushfire - Memorial Service - Rod Laver Arena - 22 February 2009

On Sunday morning, I attended the memorial service for the victims of
the bushfires in regional Victoria.

I found the service to be highly moving service and respectively
reflected on the tragic events that had happened barely two weeks
earlier.

I was personally disappointed by the turn out, the arena was far from
packed, with the top sections of the seating completely empty and I
think this was because generally Australians did not want to mourn,
but to celebrate instead.

If there had been a national day of celebrations to mark the lives of
those that had sadly lost there lives in the fires, to celebrate those
people that had survived the fires and to celebrate the amazing
efforts of the personnel that had been involved in fighting the fires
and the aftermath - there would have been a greater participation by
the general population.

I am glad that I did attend the memorial service and I was moved
singing "I am Australian".