ANZAC Centenary Program To Commemorate Australia's Military History

Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Louise Pratt, Senator for Western Australia has said the Gillard Government will be providing $83.5 million for a range of commemorative events and initiatives to mark the Centenary of ANZAC.

“The ANZAC Centenary is one of the most significant commemorations in our nation’s history and we want to make sure every Australian can take part in events across the country and at historic battlegrounds around the world,” Senator Pratt said.

The ANZAC Centenary will run from 2014 to 2018.

It will mark 100 years since the Gallipoli landings and major Western Front battles. It will also recognise other significant military anniversaries throughout the last century.

Just as the first ANZACs helped define our national character, the ANZAC Centenary will be an important time to honour and reflect upon the service and sacrifice made by members of our Defence Force, past and present.

The Gillard Government will provide $83.5 million over seven years to implement the program. Key elements of the program include:

• the refurbishment of the First World War galleries at the Australian War Memorial;
• the refurbishment of war graves to ensure individual and collective memorials to our war dead, in Australia and overseas, are properly maintained;
• funding for the running of commemorative services overseas during the Centenary;
• a local grants program to help communities carry out their own ANZAC Centenary commemoration projects, with funding available from January 2013;
• an Arts and Culture Fund to support individuals, artists and cultural institutions to develop commemorative displays and artistic creations that showcase our military history;
• a multimedia education program that has broad community reach to help Australians learn more about our military history;
• a scoping study for a travelling exhibition or similar, that will take important memorabilia from the First World War and subsequent conflicts out to communities across Australia.
• funding for the establishment of the ANZAC Interpretive Centre at Albany;
• a scoping study for a restaging of the first convoys that left from Albany in November 1914 and carried Australian and New Zealand soldiers to Egypt and Gallipoli; and
• support to continue the work of the ANZAC Centenary Advisory Board, which will play a key role in shaping planning for the ANZAC Centenary commemorations.

The initiatives are based on the recommendations of the National Commission on the Commemoration of the ANZAC Centenary and have been developed in consultation with the ANZAC Centenary Advisory Board.

The ANZAC Centenary Program will also be developed and implemented in partnership with local governments, business, communities and ex-service organisations as well as with state and territory Governments and international partners.

“This is going to be an incredibly significant chapter in our nation’s history and I urge people in the northern suburbs to contact my office on 9225 4411 to find out about getting involved,” Senator Pratt said.

On ANZAC Day Senator Pratt will represent the Prime Minister at the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Monument Hill Reserve and the ANZAC Day March in Perth.

Media contact: Senator Pratt’s office - Alanna Clohesy 08 9225 4411

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