Veteran’s chilling prediction about Australia just came true—here’s why he’s furious

National traditions often spark debate, especially when long-standing customs face new challenges.

A recent decision by a Sydney primary school has ignited controversy.

Criticism from a decorated war veteran has turned it into a broader debate about how Australia honours its history.


A Sydney primary school’s decision to allow students to opt out of its ANZAC Day service sparked backlash, with a decorated war veteran condemning the move as part of a broader ideological shift.

Sherwood Ridge Public School in Kellyville, northwest Sydney, sent an email to parents asking them to indicate if they preferred their child not to attend the school’s commemorative assembly on 10 April.

The school reportedly made the decision to accommodate a small group of Christian students whose beliefs prevent them from commemorating war.


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School’s ANZAC Day opt-out sparks outrage. Image source: Alliance of Defence Service Organisations


Students who opted out of the ANZAC service were expected to participate in alternative supervised activities.

Vietnam War veteran Michael von Berg MC OAM criticised the decision, warning that national traditions were being undermined for ideological reasons.

‘Australia Day was first—I said ANZAC Day will be next and here we are,’ he shared.

He described the move as ‘an insult, and disrespectful to all of the wonderful men and women who we’ve lost in all wars’.

‘It should be beyond any religion or any sort of woke agenda,’ he said.


Von Berg, who received a Military Cross for bravery in 1966, was a platoon commander in Vietnam and led his troops to safety after an ambush.

His citation stated that he ‘showed a complete disregard for his own safety’ to push back the enemy attack and protect his soldiers.

He rejected the school’s justification, pointing out that many faiths were represented in the Australian Defence Force.

‘We had some wonderful padres with us on active service from all denominations,’ he said.


He also blamed broader cultural shifts for the controversy.

‘The kids didn’t come up with it and I don’t think it’s the parents either—I suspect it’s the teachers,’ he said.

‘You’ve just got some people that for whatever reason hate our country and hate our flag. And that’s very unhealthy for a country.’

‘It’s the woke agendas that haven’t been helped by the government, because we haven’t been hard enough or strict enough in coming down on it.’


Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked whether schools should allow students to opt out of ANZAC Day events.

‘I support ANZAC Day. It’s as simple as that. I’ll be at ANZAC Day: I’ll be at the Australian War Memorial, that’s the appropriate place to be,’ he said.

‘My job is to support Australians and I support ANZAC Day very strongly.’

The school’s decision followed similar debates about the ANZAC legacy in recent years.

In 2024, Victorian activist Pippa Tandy from Teachers for Palestine expressed frustration over how Australia’s history was being taught.

She said she was ‘sick of having to do ideological work for arms companies and the government’.


After intense backlash from parents and veterans, Sherwood Ridge Public School’s principal, Jody Sullivan, reversed the school’s decision and announced that all students would now be expected to attend its ANZAC Day service.

‘The message sent out last month was seen as disrespectful by some members of the broader community and has detracted from our longstanding tradition of acknowledging and respecting ANZAC Day in our school,’ her statement read.

‘I want to apologise for this.’


ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the Gallipoli landing on 25 April 1915, where over 8,000 Australian soldiers lost their lives.

This year marks the 110th anniversary of the event.

The NSW Department of Education has been contacted for comment.


In a previous story, we explored how veterans are seeking alternative treatments for PTSD.

One such approach has sparked a growing interest in psychedelics as a potential solution.

To find out if it’s really making a difference, be sure to read more.

Key Takeaways

  • A Sydney primary school allowed students to opt out of its ANZAC Day service, sparking backlash.
  • Vietnam War veteran Michael von Berg criticised the decision, calling it disrespectful and ideologically driven.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reaffirmed his strong support for ANZAC Day.
  • The controversy followed broader debates about how Australia’s history is taught in schools.

With schools increasingly reevaluating traditions, do you think allowing students to opt out of ANZAC Day services is respectful or divisive? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
 
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If Pippa Tandy from Teachers for Palestine gets so upset with honoring the traditions of the country which has given her a job and protected her family, she should P I S S - O F F to Palestine. I can bet that they won't give a toss about whether she is upset or not !!!
Pippa Tandy??? Hardly a Palestinian or Arabic name. 😧😫
 
Anzac day is NOT a commemoration of war you idiot morons its about respect of those who did not survive the atrocities of war, For asking this of the parents would have to come from mentally deranged people.
 
Hello, just been reading the previous comments, have not heard any thing like this, but do know of migrants who do not believe in this , and are very vocal about it, if challenged they usually go into their own languange, who knows what may happen in future years when thesefools get into politics, yea do aggree with t he the veteran , this is not the australia that i have grown up in.
if they dont like it then they should not only shut up but should pack up and leave this country.
 
elaine41.... I read your input and I respect the right for your views however, I may mention a few points that you raised and point out some clarification... wars generally throughout history are started by Kings, Queens, Ferudal Lords, Despots, Dictators and Polititians...etc: if you don't believe in observing Anzac Day, you have that right in this democratic country with free speech and thought...I would be very carful if you were living in certain 'other countries' and came out with these written thoughts you would probably end up in a 'special place' for indoctrination training... or something worse.... Men and women 'answered the call' to defend the freedom and rights of another country who wished to keep theres and not be 'conquered' by a despot with their will forced upon them. Both sons are serving in the ADF and I am extremely proud of both of them. My younger son was the first RSM and Band Leader to march at the head of the Barker College Cadet Band on Anzac Day in Sydney leading the 8th Div. RAR. After coming home from the march he told me that when speaking to the Diggers at the end of the march and listening to their stories of mateship and the ones that didn't come back he could see the immense pride they still held after having done the deeds that they did and the hardships they endured and all done with the Aussie spirit and unique humour. Many of the Diggers came up to him and many of the Band members and shook their hands, some with tears in their eyes thanking the Band for making the day special. My son told me that he then realised what Anzac Day really meant, importantly to them, and what they endured for their Country, the people back home and the mates they left behind...as being an ex-serviceman myself I hugged my son with the knowledge and pride he had taken from 'doing his part for that one day of the year'..... Yes Albo came out in his 'support for Anzac Day', do you really think that he would do otherwise, just before an Election however, did you hear any condemnation of the Principal who came up with sudden decission, if he has held this position how come it hadn't been implemented in previous years..... Immigrants who come to this Country and obtain citizenship recite an oath, I am starting to think that the oath they say is like words written in the sand at low tide, with one wave they are gone along with what that Oath stands for.
 
That is incorrect..They are predominantly muslim and this was done simply because they dont believe in war which to me is laughable especially when their religion causes so many wars!
Sherwood Ridge Public School is NOT affiliated with Muslim or any other religion. It is a NSW Government funded and administered State School.

Facts are not commonplace in your neck of the woods, or above....
 
A bit of an aside....

Several years ago (pre COVID-19), a Afghan protester attempted to disrupt the ANZAC service by leaping on the stage at Dandenong's Palm Court. He was shouting profanities regarding Australian servicemen in Afghanistan.

It didn't end well. Two civilians dragged the Muslim dropkick to the ground and beat him senseless. The police present were not in any hurry to break up commotion. Thankfully.

This Mussy pig was bundled into the back of a police van, visibly worse for wear.

Justice served - the Australian way.
 
I am amazed at the parents who deny their children the right to learn about events and alternatives to their own thoughts including denying them the right to learn about historical events, other peoples' ideas, other religions or any religion. How can their children make considered choices when they don't know what the options are?
I believe that is why so many youngsters grow up confused and distressed about life. They are ignorant about faiths, philosophies, historical events which have led to current situations etc. etc. This also leads to children passing on their parents' prejudice, bigotry and hatred through sheer ignorance of any alternatives or even truths.
We should recognise that we live in a country where Servicemen and women have fought and died for us to have the right to make our own choices even if they are ignorant ones.
At a service station once, I was moved when a little boy unprompted by his mother at the counter, said, "Thank you for your service", to a soldier in uniform.
I am not Australian by birth, but by choice. I have visited Gallipoli and been moved to tears at the graves, the sacrifices, the sorrow and the bravery. Anzac Day is a chance for me to thank those who served in wars which now allow me to live in this wonderful country where we have freedom of thought even if it is narrowminded.
In what way do you consider your freedom of thought, to be so much more broadly minded, than those of this country. People who have welcomed you, accepted you, given you peace, employment, health benefits, safety, the list goes on.

If you are finding our narromindrd freedom of thought difficult to accept and difficult to cope with, perhaps you would be better suited to countries like Russia, China, Chile, Cuba and others of similar ilk. You should fit in nicely there.
 
If you dont know the back ground of this school here it is this is predominately muslim, they apparently don't believe in war just laughable that part for what they do, most of the school is from Muslim back grounds this is how they grow, Australia should have learnt from what has happened in the UK, Sweden, Norway and France. They do not integrate but force their beliefs on others as has been seen in Europe, now they are teaching at this school all the muslim scholars apparently and not Australian history..
These people need to be shut down NOW before we end up like Europe! This is is Australia OUR RULES OUR LIVES OUR TRADITIONS NOT THEIRS
FUCK YES. We are a Chistian Country, NOT a Muslim Country. They consider us to be Infidels and it's their duty to Kill infidels, they kill their own children for shaming the honour of their family name.
 
A bit of an aside....

Several years ago (pre COVID-19), a Afghan protester attempted to disrupt the ANZAC service by leaping on the stage at Dandenong's Palm Court. He was shouting profanities regarding Australian servicemen in Afghanistan.

It didn't end well. Two civilians dragged the Muslim dropkick to the ground and beat him senseless. The police present were not in any hurry to break up commotion. Thankfully.

This Mussy pig was bundled into the back of a police van, visibly worse for wear.

Justice served - the Australian way.
Not enough brains to realise that some people there, might not like it. 😫🤮
 
Over the years there have been veterans who, for their own personal reasons chose not to march on Anzac Day. Surely the advancement of freedoms under a democratic society is what they fought for. Within this the right to opt in or out of anzac day ceremonies fits. After all we are not Nazi Germany forcing our citizens to concur for fear of retribution.
 
I am appalled by so many of the racist remarks that this forum has printed. This country is disgraceful in its attitudes. My grandfather was an Italian national in Africa when ww2 broke out. He was imprisoned by the British. His experiences and deprivation in that war camp were so traumatising he became a communist recognising that the war only served imperialist interests. There were many soldiers like him in both camps that would never participate in commemorating that war. Surely this right to choose is what they fought for.
 
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since when was ANZAC day a religious ceremony. It has nothing to do with religion. So why do they say their boycott is on religious grounds , soldiers who died on both sides where lots of different religions and even also some who didnt believe . Still fought and died though
Muslims don't care about our history, only their own.
Besides, they are too busy breeding and dividing us for an eventual takeover.
It's all about their religious expansionist agenda.
 
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Over the years there have been veterans who, for their own personal reasons chose not to march on Anzac Day. Surely the advancement of freedoms under a democratic society is what they fought for. Within this the right to opt in or out of anzac day ceremonies fits. After all we are not Nazi Germany forcing our citizens to concur for fear of retribution.
Yes, there are plenty who do not march or celebrate ANZUK day.
When I served in Vietnam I was posted with a unit that was mainly national servicemen. Most of them were really nice guys who really never wanted to be there, but just on with it, I made lots of mates among them.
There were also a certain element of them who were so pissed off with the world because they were conscripted, they are the ones that always had something to say like "You signed up for this shit Browny, do you only have half a brain?" They are the ones that never kept in contact with me or ever attended an ANZUK march with me or anyone else. There was even one guy who gave his Vietnam medals away to various girlfriends.
So, you see, there are many people who for their own reasons decide not to attend the ceremonies.
 
What is wrong with people?????
THIS IS AUSTRALIA !!!!!
These people want to live in Australia because their own country is not as free as we are.
If they come here….they should accept OUR way of life & traditions.

I bet if we moved to their country, they would change their tradition to what we want?????

YEAH…… sure they would!

I think they’d take you out the back and …….. (you can think of the consequences).

Our forefathers fought & died to have the lifestyle we have today. It is an absolute insult of the greatest to not respect them for their courage…. & for the ones who lost their lives during the war.😠

If they are not prepared to accept the respect we have for the ANZAC’s, then they should bugger off back to their own country.

I am just so fed up with losing our traditions🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Too late for them to bugger off back to their original country mate.
They like it here.
They are going to make this country to suit themselves with the help of our stupid laws and stupid government.
You just watch them. Already they are having an effect on our elections and now our schools.
Yep.....way too late to do anything now.
The idiots opened the door to them. They flooded in knowing what their future moves will be.
It will only be a matter time before they want a separate state, sharia law etc, just for a start.
They already have a jizya tax on us for being infidels, and the government did nothing about it.
My two bombs worth.
 
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We did not have ANZAC services at the school in my day. I don't think it is necessary for them to be held now. By all means teach the children about the efforts of our soldiers & the terrible number who died. I have no problem with that but if I had children at school & they were going to be compelled to attend an ANZAC service, I would keep them home that day.

I have never attended anything to do with ANZAC day. This day actually commemorates the worst disaster in our military history & should not be celebrated. I would like to see the date for remembrance of the cost in lives during war be changed to a date which is not tied to any battle. If this were the case then I would be prepared to participate in remembering our dead & wounded soldiers, sailors & airmen & I do have family members & friends who gave their lives in the defence of this country.


The level of your disrespect for ANZAC DAY is a disgrace. Your reason for not ever attending an ANZAC Service is pathetic.

ANZAC Day is NOT a celebration of War, Victory or defeat it is a Day of sadness, of Remembering the sacrifices of 8,709 young Australian servicemen who were killed with another 18,000 wounded Along with New Zealand losses of 3,431 killed 4,140 wounded.on the cliffs of Gallipoli.



(39% of the Australian male population between 16 & 44 signed up. Over half of the 417000 who served, were killed or wounded)



So don’t you dare say that it is NOT a day of Remembrance. That it is NOT a day in which EVERY Australian should give thanks to those that fought and died, so that people like you can use the freedoms they laid down their lives for, to disrespect this Country and its Traditions.

Shane on you for NOT attending any ANZAC DAY SERVICE, bet your parents are So proud f you

And YOU have the temerity to call yourself an Australian!
 
I find that it's divisive. How can students learn of the sacrifice these soldiers have made so that we can live in peace. These soldiers should be honoured not forgotten.
 
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If you dont know the back ground of this school here it is this is predominately muslim, they apparently don't believe in war just laughable that part for what they do, most of the school is from Muslim back grounds this is how they grow, Australia should have learnt from what has happened in the UK, Sweden, Norway and France. They do not integrate but force their beliefs on others as has been seen in Europe, now they are teaching at this school all the muslim scholars apparently and not Australian history..
These people need to be shut down NOW before we end up like Europe! This is is Australia OUR RULES OUR LIVES OUR TRADITIONS NOT THEIRS
The school’s original decision, which has now been reversed, had nothing to do with Muslims but was to appease a fringe Christian group who don’t “celebrate war”.

What this group failed to understand is that ANZAC Day does not celebrate war but commemorates and honours those who have given their lives so that we can live in freedom.
 
We did not have ANZAC services at the school in my day. I don't think it is necessary for them to be held now. By all means teach the children about the efforts of our soldiers & the terrible number who died. I have no problem with that but if I had children at school & they were going to be compelled to attend an ANZAC service, I would keep them home that day.

I have never attended anything to do with ANZAC day. This day actually commemorates the worst disaster in our military history & should not be celebrated. I would like to see the date for remembrance of the cost in lives during war be changed to a date which is not tied to any battle. If this were the case then I would be prepared to participate in remembering our dead & wounded soldiers, sailors & airmen & I do have family members & friends who gave their lives in the defence of this country.
Excuse me for what I am about to say but…..

For f’s sake who in the hell do you think you are? where is your respect? These days are held for very good reasons and if you can sit there and say that you would keep kids home if they were compelled to attend an ANZAC then you do not deserve to be living in this country. We certainly couldn’t rely on the likes of you step up if Australia needed you thats for sure

ANZAC and REMEMBRANCE DAY both commemorate, recognise and remember those who left their homeland and fought (and died) in WW1 and subsequent wars. To all the women who left their own safety to care for our wounded.

Not only do we take time to pay homage to those brave souls that lost their lives, it is our way of paying our respects to all our service men and women who have served and are currently serving in our defence forces.

LEST WE FORGET and THANK YOU TO ALL OUR BRAVE FORCES
We did not have ANZAC services at the school in my day. I don't think it is necessary for them to be held now. By all means teach the children about the efforts of our soldiers & the terrible number who died. I have no problem with that but if I had children at school & they were going to be compelled to attend an ANZAC service, I would keep them home that day.

I have never attended anything to do with ANZAC day. This day actually commemorates the worst disaster in our military history & should not be celebrated. I would like to see the date for remembrance of the cost in lives during war be changed to a date which is not tied to any battle. If this were the case then I would be prepared to participate in remembering our dead & wounded soldiers, sailors & airmen & I do have family members & friends who gave their lives in the defence of this country.
 
small group of Christian students????? Who or what faith are they referring to?
Sorry but this is the biggest cop-out by the school - it has nothing to do with religion (Islamists are not considered Christian) so where did this rubbish come from? Sherwood Ridge Public School’s principal, Jody Sullivan - spineless flick pass this one! Why did the subject even come up in the first place? Again the public school system and left leaning teachers pushing their own agendas. Time she is shown the door NSW Education Dept.
 
Not enough brains to realise that some people there, might not like it. 😫🤮
There were numerous ex-servicemen from other nationalities dressed in their uniforms who fully partook in the service without any drama.

So why did this f**kwit take it upon himself to disrupt a traditional and heartfelt Australian and New Zealand tradition.

How would Muslims react if I threw pork chops at the speakers at a Ramadan festival? :ROFLMAO:
 

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