News today that a rock concert has been planned for Anzac Day in Sydney demonstrates just how much trouble we are in.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for a good time – but the New South Wales bureaucrats who approved the ‘Pandemonium’ event featuring Alice Cooper and Blondie for April 25 should be sacked.

What made them think it would be appropriate to allow thousands of young people to mosh at the Domain at the very same time that an Anzac Day march passes by?

It’s not only wildly disrespectful, it’s grossly irresponsible.

Anzac Day is a solemn commemoration of those who have given their lives for our freedom.

Western culture does not do solemnity, let alone reflection, well.

Our constant focus on the here and now rarely permits us time for introspection, let alone gratitude.

But a culture that fails to appreciate its past has no future. And a generation that cannot find the time to honour the past will soon find it is spending all its time learning to speak the language of its conquerors.

Can you believe that at the very time global instability has serious military strategists warning of dark times ahead, we have pencil pushers telling our young people that nationalism does not matter?

A generation that cannot take just one day a year to honour its fallen is a generation that cannot be counted on to defend Australia if ever we need them.

I know it’s trendy to blame Millennials for their slacker attitudes, but the fact is that they have been raised to disrespect our national heritage.

The progressive left – always chipping away at the traditions of our nation – have created a cohort of young people who know all about Alice Cooper but couldn’t tell you a thing about the Battle of Beersheba.

The Pandemonium concert should not just be moved to a different time of the day, it should be cancelled.

Anzac Day is a public holiday to honour our war dead, not to party.

That old adage, ‘Lest we forget’ has never been more pertinent.

Yours in commonsense,

Senator Ralph Babet, United Australia Party.