The Anzac Day Act 1966 (the Act) provides for a day in commemoration of the part taken by New Zealand servicemen and servicewomen in 6 specified conflicts (from the South African War to the war in South Vietnam) and in memory of all those people who at any time have given their lives for New Zealand, the British Empire, or the Commonwealth of Nations. The day of commemoration is 25 April in each year.

The Government has decided that recognition and commemoration under the Act should be broader and more inclusive than it currently is. The Anzac Day Amendment Bill (the Bill) will amend the Act so that it covers other conflicts and persons who have served New Zealand in time of war or in warlike conflicts in the past and in the future that are not currently covered by the Act.

It is intended that the Act as amended by the Bill will recognise and commemorate—

• service by New Zealand service personnel in a variety of deployments, such as—

  • United Nations (UN) missions, multi-force groupings, or organisations (for example, the UN peacekeeping force on the Sinai Peninsula):

  • in Allied forces, where those forces participate or have participated in a war or warlike conflict involving New Zealand:

• New Zealand service personnel who die or who have died in training associated with wars or warlike conflicts:

• New Zealand residents and other persons who served in Allied forces in the 2 World Wars:

• military personnel from all Allied countries, as well as New Zealand, who participated in the first Allied landing of troops at Gallipoli:

• non-military service by New Zealand civilians in wars or warlike conflicts involving New Zealand, such as—

  • the Home Guard defending New Zealand:

  • medical personnel:

  • members of the Merchant Navy in the 2 World Wars:

  • members of the New Zealand civilian surgical team who served in the Vietnam conflict.

The Bill replaces section 2 of the Act to provide broader and more inclusive recognition and commemoration by—

• providing more generally that Anzac Day recognises and commemorates all those who have served New Zealand (including those who have died) in time of war and in warlike conflicts:

• clarifying that Anzac Day is the anniversary of the first landing of New Zealand and other Allied forces’ troops on Gallipoli, not just troops from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Australia:

• providing a broad definition of warlike conflict, which is intended to cover nearly all operational service deployments involving the New Zealand Defence Force.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage and Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand are required to prepare a disclosure statement to assist with the scrutiny of this Bill. The disclosure statement provides access to information about the policy development of the Bill and identifies any significant or unusual legislative features of the Bill.

A copy of the statement can be found at http://legislation.govt.nz/disclosure.aspx?type=bill&subtype=government&year=2025&no=133