Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister accept the advice of the Chairman of the Australian War Memorial Council, General Peter Cosgrove, that the net impact of reductions in funding is around $4.8 billion? Given General Cosgrove’s statement, does the Prime Minister now accept the coalition’s call for an immediate $5 million a year boost to War Memorial funding?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. As I indicated to the House yesterday, we are making some $38 million available to the War Memorial in this financial year, which is on par with earlier allocations. I am concerned about funding for the War Memorial. Consequently, some time ago, I asked the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs to work with the Minister for Finance and Deregulation and, of course, with the Australian War Memorial itself—its council and leadership—on budget matters and to report back to me. Because I asked for that review some time ago, that review is nearly complete. When the government has that review, we will look at its recommendations and act.

Of course, all Australians want to see the War Memorial properly resourced. I do. That is why I asked quite some time ago for the review and that is why the review will report back to me. Through a proper process of assessing the War Memorial’s needs, we will deal with its budget matters for the future.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question, if I may respectfully put it to the Prime Minister, because she did not—and I say this with respect—answer my question: does she agree with General Cosgrove, Chairman of the Australian War Memorial, that there has been a $4.8 million reduction in War Memorial funding? So I respectfully put that question to her again and ask that she answer the specifics of that question.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I said in reply to the Leader of the Opposition’s question about resourcing is what I meant and I pointed to the resourcing that the government has provided the War Memorial. I say to the Leader of the Opposition that there are not two sides to this debate. Every person in this House would want to see the War Memorial properly resourced. That is why we are making a proper assessment of its needs. And the best way of making a proper assessment of its needs is to have the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation work with the War Memorial representatives, including its council and Peter Cosgrove, in order to assess its needs for the future.

In terms of the Leader of the Opposition’s general call and general desire to see proper funding for the Australian War Memorial, we are in complete agreement. Because of my desire to see proper funding for the War Memorial, I asked my two ministers to deal with the question and we will get the details of the review very soon and therefore deal with funding questions properly.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table a letter from General Cosgrove to the government where he outlines the funding cuts the War Memorial has experienced.

Leave not granted.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It’s the War Memorial; just write the cheque!

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Riverina will leave the chamber for one hour.

The member for Riverina then left the chamber.