WATCH: Veterans SNUB Dan Andrews on Anzac Day

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• By Avi Yemini

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Australians turned out in force for Anzac Day services across the nation yesterday.

Melburnians were finally able to publicly remember our fallen heroes on a special day for veterans and their families after Victorian Premier Dan Andrews cancelled the past two Anzac Day events.

"Even last year, the way they had the shrine fenced off, that was appalling. So this year with the weather on our side, the crowd's out," said one veteran I talked to.

"It's been moving ... we haven't had a lot, since Covid, this year has been super special," said another.

"It's good to see Anzac Day back to normal, to catch up with old mates, talk about the ones that aren't here anymore," added a third.

Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance was the dramatic scene of protests at the height of Victoria's draconian lockdowns last year with protesters shot with rubber bullets and other non-lethal weapons.

The #istandwithDan mob often mock me for having ONE security when I cover volatile protests.

They claim it’s a sign of how “hated” I am.

Today I attended the same Anzac Day event as their hero, with no security.

Meanwhile, he needed a dozen cops.

Apply their logic: #hatedDan https://t.co/KLxN4X4Gt1

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) April 25, 2022

While some veterans said the Shrine was not the place for protest, others noted even some veterans were part of the protests at the time.

Many expressed concern for the loss of freedoms under Premier Dan Andrews' extraordinary pandemic emergency powers plan which mobilised the Victorian police force to execute the harsh measures on the city's streets. 

"It was hard to march past him (Andrews)," said one veteran."

"Who knows what to vote for this year I certainly don't like any of the big parties, but Dan Andrews has definitely got to go," said another.

"I hope to see independents makes as much gains as possible and more and more people move away from the major parties with the way they handled the pandemic etc, I think it was a huge overreaction. Way too extreme, way too controlling and just the draconian nature of it, just the way 'you have to do this' with no discretion, no distinction between different risk profiles, I was disappointed, even concerned what the direction of it all is," said a third.

"There better be change in the air, I lost my job through Covid and everything ... fingers crossed there's some change, as long as we can get some minority seats in there and pull the power that way then that's the way it's gotta be I think."