Why so few veterans have registered for Melbourne’s Anzac Day march

Fewer than a thousand people have registered to take part in the Anzac Day march in Melbourne’s CBD.

After public backlash to COVID-19 restrictions impacting the parade, the number permitted to march was raised to 5500.

RSL Victoria CEO Jamie Twidale says it’s “a little bit surprising” that uptake has been so slow.

“We’re sitting at about 900 registrations and about 600 of those are Australian and New Zealand veterans”

Mr Twidale says a “combination” of factors are contributing to the sluggish interest, but the technology required to register is not to blame.

“There’s a group that think, while there’s limited spots, ‘Let somebody else have my spot’,” he told Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell.

“There’s a group that have already made their own decision to commemorate locally. We know quite a few associations like to march together as a group and because of the way the march format is that’s a bit difficult, so they’re making the decision to go local.

“There’s potentially a small element of a bit of a protest saying ‘Well, if I have to register for contact tracing I just won’t register at all’.”

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