As Minister of Veteran's Affairs, it gives me great pleasure to extend this year's invitation to ANZAC Day commemorations in Turkey to our veterans and students.

ANZAC Day 2010 marks the 95th anniversary of the Gallipoli Landings.

To celebrate this special occasion, 22 New Zealand service veterans will have the chance to visit Gallipoli with our Prime Minister John Key and the official party of MPs, New Zealand Defence Force personnel and students on the Royal New Zealand Air Force jet.

I invite all veterans who wish to be considered as part of the contingent to apply to Veterans' Affairs New Zealand. Applications for the ballot will be accepted until 5.00pm on Friday 26 February.

To be eligible, you will need to have a direct family link to someone who served in the Gallipoli campaign. You also need to be fit! We will walk four kilometres to the commemoration site and you will need medical clearance from your GP.

I'm pleased to say that 21 Year 13 school students will also have the chance to travel to ANZAC Cove.

To apply, students must illustrate the impact of World War One on New Zealand society by using Gallipoli as a case study. They can do this by short film, web feature, artistic representation, as an essay, diary or letters, or through music or poetry. Entries must be submitted by 12 March 2010.

The winning students will attend international services the day before ANZAC Day, and ceremonies on ANZAC Day as part of the contingent.

Further information and entry forms for veterans and students are available on the Veterans' Affairs website www.veteransaffairs.mil.nz or by calling 0800 483 8372.

* * *

I'm looking forward to attending Papakura's first Police District Pay Parade and Awards Ceremony at 9.45am on Thursday 4 March. Counties-Manukau Police staff will march along the main street before gathering in Central Park, opposite the Police station in Wood Street, to celebrate some great achievements. I encourage you all to attend and show your support for our local officers!

The Papakura electorate will host a business breakfast with guest speaker Hon Steven Joyce (Minister of Transport, Communications and IT and Tertiary Education) in Papakura on Friday 5 March, 7.30am-9am. It will be a great opportunity to meet like-minded people in the electorate. For more information please phone 09 267 2574 or 09 273 6911.