A 90-minute ceremony has taken place at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, as part of the National Day of Mourning for victims of the February 7 bushfires.
Kevin Rudd, John Brumby, Malcolm Turnbull and Ted Baillieu were the major political figures at the service which was also attended by representatives of religious groups. The Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, spoke, as did Princess Anne, representing the Queen.
An orchestra and choir augmented the speeches and messages throughout the service, culminating in Bruce Woodley’s rendition of “We Are Australian”.
- Listen to the service (complete 95m)
- Watch an extract of the service (6m)