Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Commemorative Roll commemorates Australians who died during or as a result of service in wars, conflicts or operations identical with the Roll of Honour but who are not eligible for inclusion on the Roll of Honour. The Australian War Memorial, in my electorate of Fraser, is the centre of the nation's tribute to the courage and sacrifice of generations, the men and women who have helped defend our country.

There is often a need to pause history, to be sure that people will remember what has happened. The Australian War Memorial stands forever as an eternal reminder, as testament to Australia's war heritage and as a symbol of national mourning. It is located on the parliamentary axis so that we in this building who have the solemn duty of sending Australian forces into conflict must look out upon the War Memorial as a reminder of that duty.

War memorials have a number of functions. They are a fixed point for grief, a place for people to remember those who died and they also represent those who are absent. For many Australians, the War Memorial's commemorative focus provides a deeply emotional and personal link with those who have served the nation in a time of war. The Australian War Memorial links the past to the present and enables Australians to remember and respect the sacrifice of those who died during conflict.

The Australian War Memorial is also an important source of information for young Australians in understanding the sacrifices made by past generations. The sheer scale of suffering of these major wars is almost beyond our comprehension. The Australian War Memorial stands as the official and public recognition of that pain and those sacrifices.

Earlier this year the Abbott government cut the Australian War Memorial's popular Travelling Exhibitions program, effective immediately. This heartless cut will mean hundreds of thousands of Australians will no longer have access to important history about Australia's involvement in wars and the sacrifice of so many. The Travelling Exhibitions program ran continuously for 17 years, as part of the memorial's National Collection Branch.

Since its inception, the Travelling Exhibitions program has seen 40 exhibitions travel to venues in every state and territory in Australia and to many international venues. To date, an audience of over 3.8 million visitors outside Canberra viewed those exhibitions. The exhibitions in the memorial's galleries take advantage of the exceptional and diverse national collection to deliver interactive visitor experiences that are both engaging and educational. It is a disgrace that, while the government cut the entire funding for this valuable program, they have ticked off on $810,000 in media monitoring and market research programs for the Department of Veterans' Affairs. This is yet another broken promise from the Prime Minister, who, before the election said:

The Coalition will take the action necessary to preserve, protect and enhance the Australian War Memorial.

In the year of the Centenary of Anzac it is a disgrace that the Prime Minister has cut the funding of the Australian War Memorial's Travelling Exhibitions program.

Mrs Sudmalis interjecting—

These priorities are wrong and those cuts must be reversed immediately and, as the member opposite says, why does this government always have to be so political?

The Australian War Memorial commemorates the service and sacrifice of Australian service men and women who have died in the wars and conflicts in which Australia has participated. It is a cultural institution of international standing and one of Australia's leading major tourist attractions.

From the time of its inception, the memorial was conceived as a shrine, a museum that supports commemoration through understanding and an archive holding key war records. Its development down through the years has remained consistent with this concept. The memorial is regarded as a unique and special place by many Australians. For many Australians its commemorative focus provides a deeply emotional and personal link with those who have served the nation in time of war.

The exhibitions in the memorial's galleries are supported by high-quality, authoritative scholarship in military history, and by conservation techniques and practices that safeguard the memorial's collection. For the beginning of the commemoration of the Centenary of Anzac it is more important than ever that Australians have access to our proud history. Australians visit the Australian War Memorial to remember and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in war, conflicts, or peacekeeping operations.

The Anzac Centenary is a milestone of special significance for all Australians. The First World War helped to shape us as a people and a nation. During the Anzac Centenary we not only remember the original Anzacs, who served at Gallipoli and the Western Front, but commemorate more than a century of service by Australian service men and women. The Anzac Centenary program encompasses all wars, conflicts and peace-keeping operations in which Australians have been involved. It aims to give all Australians the opportunity to honour the service and sacrifice of all those who have worn our nation's uniform, including the more than 102,000 who have made the supreme sacrifice. It also aims to encourage all Australians to reflect upon and learn more about Australia's military history, its costs and its impacts on our nation. Labor is fully supportive of this bill and I commend it to the House.

Debate adjourned.