Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey has congratulated a Wudinna student who was named a winner in a prestigious national history competition that explored the Anzac spirit.
Wudinna Year 10 student Montana Foster was one of eight young Australians awarded the Simpson Prize, which encourages participants to explore the significance of the Anzac experience and what it has meant for Australia.
She has won a trip to Europe to visit places of wartime significance in London, France and Belgium.
Montana’s essay theorised that the deaths, inadequate post-war care for soldiers, and a weakened economy indicated that 1918 was, at best, a limited, political victory. Soldiers who survived gas attacks suffered life-long health problems and had limited medical support; thousands of veterans could not be given prosthetic limbs; divorces increased. Moreover, public debt almost doubled during the war years. These factors suggest that the war was a socio-economic defeat for Australia.
Mr Ramsey said it is important the next generation of Australians reflect on our wartime experiences.
“I congratulate every student in Grey who entered the Simpson Prize and gained a better understanding of the Anzac tradition and its importance to our national identity,” he said.
“I am delighted Montana has won the prize in South Australia with her outstanding entry.”
The Simpson Prize received 1,230 entries this year from students in years 9 and 10.
The Australian Government has supported the Simpson Prize since 1998. For more information on the Simpson Prize, visit www.simpsonprize.org
Media contact: Leonie Lloyd-Smith 8633 1744
March 20 2019
