Prime Minister’s ANZAC Day message:

On ANZAC Day we pay tribute to all the men and women who have served our nation as members of the Australian Defence Force. 

This ANZAC Day we specifically acknowledge and thank Australian Defence Force personnel for their service in Afghanistan.

Australia's longest war has now ended, not with victory, not with defeat, but with hope for an Afghanistan that's better for our presence.

Over 25,000 Australian men and women served in Afghanistan. Forty died, 260 were wounded and many more carry mental scars.

We salute their service, we mourn their losses and we honour their achievement. We pay tribute to their families and dedicate ourselves to their continuing welfare.

Thanks to Australia's presence and that of our allies, there are now 26 girls' schools out of 200 schools in Uruzgan. Up to 80% of expectant mums now receive at least some prenatal care, and 200 kilometres of roads and bridges have been upgraded. 

The acts of our personnel will now pass into history. The men and women of the Australian Defence Force who deployed to Afghanistan inherited an ANZAC tradition forged nearly a century ago. Over a decade of combat they have proved themselves worthy of that tradition.

While our combat operations in Afghanistan have now ceased, we also send our support to those Defence Force members who are still providing a support role in Afghanistan.