Australia’s heroes of pandemic to receive our thanks on national day in 2021

A NATIONAL day of thanks will be held next year to honour the everyday Australian heroes who pulled our country through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The special commemoration will be held on Australia Day 2021 and pay tribute not only to the essential workers on the public health frontline but humble heroes who risked their own wellbeing to service the community.

It will be the first time in history that Australia Day will share commemorations with another national event.

While the coronavirus in Australia had claimed 102 lives, cost hundreds of thousands of jobs and inflicted an economic blow that will be felt for years to come, the country had been spared the devastation experienced in other countries and is slowly recovering.

“This is the achievement of millions of contributions,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told News Corp Australia.

“It would be hard to nominate an Australian who in some way large or small has not had their lives impacted, disrupted by the pandemic.

“It has called on the bigness of Australians and I think that is something we can genuinely give thanks for and to celebrate our resilient character.”

The announcement comes as News Corp today launches the Thanks A Million campaign and invites readers to show their gratitude to the essential workers who kept Australia going through the pandemic.

The untold stories of the brave men and women on the frontline are also highlighted in a 12-part series – The Night Watch. The intense project shines a light on the dedicated police, firefighters, paramedics, doctors and nurses who put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe.

From drought to devastating bushfires and now a pandemic, 2020 would be a year like no other stretching back to World War II, Mr Morrison said. He has received almost 100,000 letters in the past few months from people detailing their own hardships and expressing gratitude throughout the COVID-19 crisis.