National Commemorative Service

Background

In 2024, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) marked the 25th anniversary of Australian service in Timor-Leste. On 20 September, a National Commemorative Service was held at the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial on Anzac Parade in Canberra. 

The majority of Australian service in Timor-Leste spanned between 1999 and 2013 and encompassed Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Australian Federal Police (AFP) personnel, as well as civilians. A number of Australians have continued to serve after 2013, with ongoing efforts still in effect to this day.

This anniversary provided the opportunity to honour and remember the service of all Australian men and women who served in Timor-Leste, and the sacrifice of their families. Tragically, six Australians lost their lives whilst deployed, or as a result of their service, in Timor-Leste.

Order of Service

Download the Order of Service.

Broadcast of the Service

The service was broadcast nationally by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), streamed online, and made available to other networks to provide all members of the community the opportunity to acknowledge the 25th anniversary of Australian service in Timor-Leste in a solemn and dignified manner from their home.

You can watch the service on the ABC’s iView. You can also watch the pre-service program on DVA’s YouTube channel.

A selection of images captured at the service are available on Flickr and on the Australian Government Defence Imagery webpage.

Resources

DVA continues to develop a range of commemorative and educational materials to further help recognise and remember those who served in Timor-Leste. To learn more about Australia's involvement in Timor-Leste, and access these materials, visit our Anzac Portal. 

Contact information

Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Phone: 1800 838 372 within Australia
Tel: +61 2 6289 1133 from outside Australia
Email: Commemorative.Events [at] dva.gov.au (Commemorative[dot]Events[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au)