Government Response to Anzac Centenary Advisory Board Report

The Government established the Anzac Centenary Advisory Board (the Board) in October 2011 to provide strategic advice and recommendations on the development of a program of commemorative activities for the 'Anzac Centenary' – the centenary of Australia's involvement in the First World War.

The Government welcomes the Board's Report and values the ongoing advice the Board provides on the Anzac Centenary Program.

The Government's response to the Board's Report aims to achieve four main objectives.  To:

• ensure that the Anzac Centenary is commemorated in a very special way, as a poignant once-in-a-century opportunity for today's Australians to honour the service and sacrifice of the Australians who fought in the Great War – and to reflect on the values and qualities that those Australians linked inextricably to the name, 'Anzac';
• recognise a century or more of service and sacrifice by Australian servicemen and servicewomen, in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australia has, and continues to, participate.  The Centenary is not simply about what happened a hundred years ago, as if it were past and gone.  We fought then on a global scale to defend the values we shared with many other nations and this commitment continues today;
• bring the Anzac Centenary to the Australian community, wherever they live, whatever their backgrounds or age.  This will be led by a national flagship project using digital technology to reach out to every corner of Australia; and
• give appropriate attention to facets of service that have been underplayed in the past; such as the impacts of service on those returning from war, the contributions of those on the Home Front, lesser known campaigns, and the service of particular sections of the Australian community who have gone largely unrecognised.

The Government's response draws together a number of elements into an integrated program focused on education, commemoration, and arts and culture.  These elements include new funding commitments; the significant funding the Government has previously committed to the Anzac Centenary; the ongoing activities of national cultural institutions and Government Departments that support Anzac Centenary initiatives; and the prospect of corporate sector donations.

The Anzac inheritance is clearly of enormous relevance to Australia today, as attendance at Anzac Day services testify.  The Government's response to the Board's Report on an Anzac Centenary Program fosters that enduring inheritance from the first Anzacs.

Response to Recommendations

The Board's Report contains 25 recommendations.  The Government fully accepts 22 recommendations and accepts three in-principle.

Overall Approach to the Commemoration

Recommendation 1

The Board recommends that the Anzac Centenary commemoration be built around two uniting themes:

• Rabaul to Return, which will recognise Australia's experience in the First World War, extending from the little known first military engagement in New Guinea, through Gallipoli and the conflicts in the Middle East and Europe, to the under-recognised efforts and challenges involved in the return home of our servicemen and servicewomen and their re-engagement with civilian life; and
• Century of Service, which will recognise the more than 100 years of other service since the Boer War to the present day and how this continues the Anzac tradition.

Government Response: Accepted

The two themes encompass the First World War and all aspects of service and sacrifice by Australians as a result of war, conflict and peacekeeping operations.

Recommendation 2

The Board recommends that the commemoration activities should:

• be grouped into coherent programs that can be understood readily by the Australian public who are the ultimate “owners” of the commemoration.  These programs should be Education and Research, Commemoration, and Artistic and Cultural;
• where possible, leave a lasting legacy of benefit to Australia well beyond the commemoration itself; and
• while focusing principally on activities within Australia, also include appropriate and cooperative international activities with First World War allies, notably New Zealand, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom; and adversaries, notably Turkey.

Government Response: Accepted

Education and research initiatives help improve knowledge, awareness and understanding of Australian military history and the experience of Australians at war.  These can leave an enduring and positive legacy to benefit all Australians. 

A coherent approach to the Anzac Centenary's commemorative program will maximise the opportunity for Australians to participate personally in services and observances, on dates and sites of national importance, and at other times and locations.  Artistic expression, in all forms, is encouraged to engage Australians with the Anzac Centenary. 

The focus on domestic activities is supported, acknowledging that there will be important international cooperative events, including commemorative services, in which Australia will participate.

Recommendation 3

The Board recommends that rather than only taking a top-down approach, the commemoration should provide strong encouragement of initiatives generated by communities and organisations throughout Australia, including rural and regional Australia;

• as well as support for State and Territory initiatives; and
• this support should include recognition, use of the Anzac Centenary logo and funding, where appropriate. 

Government Response: Accepted

A balanced approach between 'top down' and 'bottom up' initiatives is fully supported.  The Government's announcement in February 2013 of an Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program providing $100,000 to each federal electorate ($15 million in total) is designed to enable and empower communities across Australia to commemorate the Anzac Centenary in their own way (see program guidelines at www.anzaccentenary.gov.au/grants.htm).

The Anzac Centenary Program includes significant outreach to rural and regional communities.  The Government expects that States and Territories will fund their own commemorative programs.  However, a proportion of private and corporate donations to the Anzac Centenary will be earmarked for State and Territory projects (see response to Recommendation 22). 

The Government has already publicly released the Anzac Centenary logo and guidelines for its usage (see www.anzaccentenary.gov.au/logo.htm).

Travelling Exhibition

Recommendation 4

The Board recommends that a centrepiece for the engagement of communities, particularly in rural and regional Australia, be a national Anzac Centenary TRAVELLING EXHIBITION:

• the type, scope and length of the exhibition may vary depending on funding availability;
• the preferred option is development of a high quality digital travelling exhibition, which could receive funding from the pool of corporate donations collected through the Anzac Centenary Public Fund, together with the possibility of a modest advance of 'seed funding' provided by Government to initiate the project;
• the possibility of using the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's local and regional facilities to support the exhibition, including its sites, buildings and communication and transmission equipment, could also be explored; and
• taking into account the uncertainties of funding, the Board notes that there could be alternatives to a travelling exhibition, in order to maximise the impact and community engagement from scarce resources – for example, an air show around which local community events could be organised.  Such an air show could also stand as a worthwhile initiative in its own right.

Government Response: Accepted

A high quality digital travelling exhibition, bringing the Anzac Centenary to rural, regional and urban communities across Australia, will be the Government's endorsed national flagship of the Anzac Centenary Program.  A self-contained 12 metre long interactive digital 'Wall' could present film, artworks, images of objects, letters, maps and interpretive material from the Australian War Memorial's collections.  Two 'Walls', each mounted on a road vehicle, travelling through Australia for three-and-a-half years during the Centenary period, could reach 85 per cent of the population.  This initiative would be a catalyst for community commemorations across the country.

The Government agrees with the Board that this is a project well-suited to corporate donations collected through the Anzac Centenary Public Fund.  However, as it will require sizeable up-front investment, the Government will provide seed funding of $10 million in 2013-14 to initiate the project so it may commence its 'on-the-road' tour at the earliest opportunity.

Exhibition in a Box

Recommendation 5

The Board recommends that the EXHIBITION IN A BOX initiative being developed by the Australian War Memorial in conjunction with the National Archives of Australia be supported to assist communities develop their own Anzac Centenary exhibitions:

• this initiative allows communities to download a range of materials and support  for them to produce and customise their own exhibitions relevant to their own histories.

Government Response: Accepted

This is a cost-effective online initiative that could be used in conjunction with a travelling exhibition or as a stand-alone initiative to assist local communities undertake their own Anzac Centenary exhibitions.

Other Support for Communities

Recommendation 6

The Board recommends that in addition to the TRAVELLING EXHIBITION AND EXHIBITION IN A BOX initiatives:

• communities throughout Australia should be fully encompassed in the significant nationwide Centenary activities; such as education, the collection and telling of personal stories and the use of media; including, importantly, social media; and
• communities, in putting together their own commemorative programs, should to the extent that it is feasible be able to draw upon a menu of support, including information materials, visits by expert speakers (including historians), and Australian Defence Force involvement (including visits by servicemen and servicewomen, band performances and so on).

Government Response: Accepted

All relevant projects in the Government's Anzac Centenary Program will be available to communities across Australia.  Additionally, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of Anzac will write to national cultural institutions and tertiary organisations to encourage them to develop Anzac Centenary outreach programs to regional and rural communities and schools.

Educational Scholarships and Grants

Recommendation 7

The Board recommends that a scalable Anzac Centenary EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS AND HISTORY GRANTS PROGRAM be established.  The Program could include:

• HIGHER DEGREE SCHOLARSHIPS to allow students to undertake a higher degree by research on a topic relating to Australian military history and the home front;
• ANZAC SCHOLARSHIPS (NEW ZEALAND), along the lines of a Monash or Rhodes scholarship, to allow a small number of Australian postgraduate students to study in New Zealand universities and New Zealand postgraduate students to study in Australian universities;
• ANZAC SCHOLARSHIPS (TURKEY) to allow a small number of undergraduate, postgraduate and academic exchanges between Australian and Turkish universities, supporting study by Australian students and academics in Turkish studies and Turkish students and academics in Australian studies.  The various scholarship programs that the Board proposes should be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that they complement, rather than duplicate, existing scholarships;
• HISTORY GRANTS to support and encourage academic and non-academic research into the experience and impact of Australian involvement in the First World War; and
• support for a proposal by the Australian War Memorial and the Australian National University to convene an INTERNATIONAL HISTORY CONFERENCE FOCUSING ON THE GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN.

Government Response: Accepted-in-principle

The Government is supportive of a multi-faceted approach to improve education and awareness of Australia's military heritage.  The Department of Veterans' Affairs already provides a diverse range of educational material aimed at schools and the wider community.  The Government considers that there is scope to realign some existing educational scholarships during the Anzac Centenary to meet the intent of this recommendation in a more cost-effective approach.  There is also scope to enhance the educational and awareness offerings provided by various Government agencies.  The Government will make an announcement on this in the coming months.

The International History Conference will be undertaken by the Australian War Memorial and the Australian National University. 

The Government will provide additional funding for a broad-based history grants program that supports community and family research projects, as well as academic research.

Contribution of Women and Families

Recommendation 8

The Board recommends that improved awareness and understanding of theCONTRIBUTION OF WOMEN in the armed services and on the home front be promoted through all relevant initiatives of the Anzac Centenary Program:

• for example, representing women who served during war and conflicts and strongly representing them in all Anzac Centenary material;
• over the past century women have made an increasingly active and direct role in Australia's defence; and
• women and FAMILIES have often shared the effects of, and supported, those with wounds and injuries.

Government Response: Accepted

Women today represent almost 14 per cent of the Australian Defence Force permanent workforce.  Women and families have always formed an important part of the Home Front.  Likewise, there have been many war widows throughout the century and these women also need to be recognised.  A range of relevant initiatives will be identified within existing programs to augment current initiatives aimed at improving awareness of the role of women. 

The Department of Defence will undertake relevant awareness initiatives.

The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of Anzac will write to national cultural institutions requesting they appropriately portray the role of women in Australia's military experience in their Anzac Centenary initiatives. 

The Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Australian War Memorial will develop appropriate awareness and commemorative initiatives in relation to the Home Front and war widows.

Australian Remembrance Trail

Recommendation 9

The Board recommends the AUSTRALIAN REMEMBRANCE TRAILALONG THE WESTERN FRONT be accompanied by a comprehensive education and communications campaign to inform Australians of the opportunities to visit and learn about Australia's experience of war on the Western Front;

• visitors to the Australian Remembrance Trail will be able to view the principal areas in which Australians fought, visit high quality interpretative centres presenting Australian material, and access related sites of Australian interest.  The interpretative materials presented assume no prior knowledge of the subject and will be available in a mix of traditional and digital media formats both for travelers and those at home, providing ample opportunity for education and contemplative reflection.

Government Response: Accepted

Over 75 per cent of Australia's war dead from the First World War died on the Western Front.  The Government committed $10 million in the 2009-10 Federal Budget to develop, in partnership with French and Belgian regional and local authorities, the Australian Remembrance Trail.  An education and communications campaign will inform Australians about the Trail and its opportunities.

Digitisation of Repatriation Records

Recommendation 10

The Board recommends that the REPATRIATION RECORDSof a sample of First World War returned servicemen and servicewomen be DIGITISED to make them more accessible, especially for Australian researchers and historians, and for the families and descendants involved:

• Australian servicemen and servicewomen who returned to Australia at the end of the First World War, and had formal contact with the repatriation authorities, generated repatriation records;
• a sample drawn from the survivors of those servicemen and servicewomen who initially left from Albany in late 1914 for Egypt, Gallipoli and later to the Western Front would be highly poignant and informative; 
• the precise composition and size of the sample to be determined following a scoping study.

Government Response: Accepted

Digitisation of a sample of the repatriation records of those servicemen and servicewomen who survived both Gallipoli and the Western Front will assist new research and be of considerable interest to the families and descendants of those individuals who were repatriated.  Digitisation of this sample of original First World War records will contribute to the Government's objective of improving community access to important Anzac legacy material through digitisation and online availability.

Mental Health Research and Treatment

Recommendation 11

The Board recommends that one of the principal and most fitting legacies of the Centenary should be to equip Australia to play an even stronger leadership role in evidence-based MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH AND TREATMENT in order to support effective treatment for affected veterans:

• options include the establishment of an Australian Centre of Excellence, not only conducting research into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder but facilitating treatment and prevention; and
• corporate donations collected in the Anzac Centenary Public Fund may contribute to the value that could be added by this proposal.

Government Response: Accepted-in-principle

The Government is committed to ensuring that current and former serving members and their families can access effective evidence based mental health support and treatment, where and when they need it.  Through the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans' Affairs, there is an extensive range of supports in place, ranging from online and phone applications, GP care, counselling from the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service, specialist psychological and psychiatric care, and hospital care for those who need it.

As part of this commitment, the Government invests significantly in an active program of research related to military and veteran mental health, including a focus on international partnerships in research effort.  The Government's investment includes funding for the Australian Centre for Post-Traumatic Mental Health, and a range of research studies and projects on mental health for the veteran community.

The Government notes the option of establishing an Australian Centre of Excellence, and considers that the underlying aim of this option could be achieved through partnerships between existing centres and programs, together with a strategic collaboration of the Department of Veterans' Affairs research program with other military and veteran research.

The Government welcomes the concept of philanthropic investment in this area, and will consider ways that the Anzac Centenary Public Fund could contribute to research investment in veteran mental health.

Documentaries and Programming

Recommendation 12

The Board recommends that a range of high quality DOCUMENTARIES, OTHER PROGRAMMING AND CONTENT for all forms of transmission, including social media, be promoted to inform Australians of all aspects of the Anzac history and legacy:

• there should be maximum cooperation with all media organisations proposing initiatives in this area;
• the national role of the AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION (ABC) should be acknowledged through support for the ABC and Screen Australia to develop history documentary programming to commemorate and raise awareness of the Anzac Centenary; and
• a particular emphasis should be placed on the collection and telling of the personal stories of individuals involved in the conflicts in which Australia has participated – the servicemen and servicewomen themselves and also others, such as people on the home front.

Government Response: Accepted

Additional funding will be provided to the ABC to develop, in conjunction with Screen Australia, ten hours of programming using a range of stories and story-telling devices to raise awareness of, and commemorate, the Anzac Centenary.  It is expected that all major media organisations will undertake a wide range of documentaries and other programming for the Anzac Centenary as part of their normal business.

Funding will also be provided to develop a minimum of 100 personal stories using the 'Australians at War' archive.  These stories blend human interest with the broad sweep of history.  The stories will be developed and rolled out over the period of the Centenary to raise awareness and interest, and for research.  They will be made easily accessible nation-wide to the community through digitisation and use online, as TV interstitials, vignettes, on-board flight snippets etc.

HMAS AE2

Recommendation 13

The Board recommends that a level of protection and preservation should be given to the submarine, HMAS AE2, as a war relic of historical importance to Australia;

• the means of protection and preservation are scalable and could be initiated by installation of a navigational buoy to alert vessels of its position, coupled with establishment of a no fish/no anchor zone with the cooperation of Turkish authorities;
• community awareness about the submarine's role should also be improved through educational initiatives; and
• funding for the educational initiatives could be provided from the Anzac Centenary Public Fund.

Government Response: Accepted

The Government accepts that the AE2 is of historic importance as the largest Australian relic from the Gallipoli campaign.  Its role and fate are poorly understood.  It was not located until 1998 and lies at the bottom of the Sea of Marmara in present-day Turkey.  It is at risk of damage and deterioration. 

Expert advice is against any attempt to raise the vessel but to implement a scientific program to protect and preserve the submarine.  The funding provided will enable a sound level of protection and preservation to be undertaken.  An educational campaign, aimed especially at schoolchildren, will also be funded and could be augmented by private donations.

Indigenous Australians

Recommendation 14

The Board recommends that the role of INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS in the Australian Defence Force deserves greater recognition and this should be promoted through all relevant initiatives of the Anzac Centenary Program:

• for example, it may be appropriate to examine the evidence on the issue of belated recognition of Indigenous members of the services who were denied medals and whether, during the Anzac Centenary, a formal inquiry might be conducted into how any injustice could be rectified.

Government Response: Accepted

A range of relevant initiatives will be identified within existing programs to augment current initiatives aimed at improving awareness of the role of Indigenous Australians.  The Department of Defence will undertake relevant awareness initiatives and will conduct an initial examination of the evidence on the issue of belated recognition of Indigenous members of the services who may have been denied medals.  Depending on the outcome, a formal inquiry may be undertaken. 

The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of Anzac will also write to national cultural institutions requesting they appropriately portray and recognise the role of Indigenous Australians in Australia's military experience in their Anzac Centenary initiatives.

Australians from Diverse Cultural and Linguistic Backgrounds

Recommendation 15

The Board recommends that improved awareness and understanding of the contribution of AUSTRALIANS from DIVERSE CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC BACKGROUNDS in the Australian Defence Force be promoted through all relevant initiatives of the Anzac Centenary Program:

• for example, representing a broad array of cultural groups in the portrayal of personal stories, as migration patterns have changed over time and the stories need to appeal to both older and newer migrants;
• we need only look at the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial to illustrate the multicultural diversity of Australia's defence forces and the service and sacrifice made by servicemen and servicewomen from many cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Government Response: Accepted

The Anzac Centenary should reflect the diversity of Australia's community and armed forces and that the program is inclusive of all Australians.  A range of relevant initiatives will be identified within existing programs to augment current initiatives aimed at improving awareness of the contribution of Australians from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. 

The Department of Defence will undertake relevant awareness initiatives. 

The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of Anzac will also write to national cultural institutions requesting they appropriately portray and recognise the role of Australians from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds in Australia's military experience in their Anzac Centenary initiatives.

Anzac Day Services

Recommendation 16

The Board recommends in relation to ANZAC DAY SERVICES that efforts be made to:

• increase involvement of AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE PERSONNEL and YOUNG AUSTRALIANS at all 2015 Anzac Day services, in Australia and overseas, including through creative initiatives such as a Youth Choir and visits by young servicemen and servicewomen to regional communities to tell their stories and share their experiences;
• without altering the core, formal elements of the Anzac Day services, develop a small number of appropriate complementary activities in recognition of the special status of the 100th anniversary at Gallipoli.  In particular, this should include the design and organisation, in collaboration with Turkey, of a suitable HANDS OF FRIENDSHIP component for either the 2015 Anzac Day Lone Pine Service or the 2015 Anzac Day Dawn Service at Gallipoli.  Also, possible inclusion of a special and compelling Gallipoli Centenary Oration at the National Service in Canberra, reflecting upon Australia's wartime service and sacrifice; and
• explore options to INCREASE the OPPORTUNITY for engagement with the Centenary at Gallipoli.  This would include encouragement of visits on other key anniversary dates through the length of the eight-month Gallipoli campaign.

Government Response: Accepted

The Government agrees that the special nature of Anzac Day services during the Centenary, especially in 2015, needs to be recognised by some additional appropriate features.  These must complement and not detract from the time-honoured order of service. 

The Department of Veterans' Affairs will consult with relevant groups to develop such activities, including a suitable Hands of Friendship component at one of the two Gallipoli services.

Centenary of the Outbreak of the First World War

Recommendation 17

The Board recommends that on 4 August 2014, the CENTENARY OF THE OUTBREAK OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR be recognised by a small number of symbolic national events, which all Australians may witness through national broadcasts, with some elements designed for direct participation.

Government Response: Accepted

The Government agrees that the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War will be an important occasion in Australia and internationally to reflect on the tragedy and the service and sacrifice of millions of lives.  The relevant institutions and organisations will be asked to facilitate appropriate events.

Australia's First Military Campaign

Recommendation 18

The Board recommends that in September 2014, AUSTRALIA'S FIRST MILITARY CAMPAIGN OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, which removed the German forces and subsequently occupied German New Guinea, be recognised by an appropriate commemoration.  This was also the occasion of the loss of HMAS AE1 – the Royal Australian Navy's first submarine and the Navy's first wartime loss.

Government Response: Accepted

The removal of German forces from New Guinea and the loss of the AE1 are not well known events to the Australian community.  The Australian Defence Force will conduct appropriate services to commemorate these events.

Albany Convoy Commemoration

Recommendation 19

The Board recommends that on or around 1 November 2014, the DEPARTURE OF THE FIRST CONVOY CARRYING AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND TROOPS be recognised by an appropriate commemoration in Albany, Western Australia; and

• the role of HMAS SYDNEY OFF THE COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS in protecting the convoy also be appropriately commemorated.

Government Response: Accepted

An appropriate commemorative service, ship visits and local additions will provide a respectful, symbolic commemoration, reflective of the sombre reality of the experiences that faced the servicemen and servicewomen onboard the convoys when they reached Gallipoli and later the Western Front. 

The Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army will participate within their operational capacities.  A naval presence by New Zealand will be requested, given the importance to New Zealand of the convoys that left Albany.  Volunteer involvement from the local community will be important and is encouraged.  The commemoration will be broadcast nationally. 

The Royal Australian Navy will undertake a commemorative service to remember the role of the HMAS Sydney in successfully engaging the German naval vessel, SMS Emden, at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Program of Commemorative Events

Recommendation 20

The Board recommends that an ANNUAL PROGRAM OF MAJOR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS be developed and made public, as early as practicable for each successive year of the Centenary to assist Australians in planning to attend events and services.

Government Response: Accepted

The Department of Veterans' Affairs will consult relevant organisations and widely disseminate information on annual programs of significant domestic and international commemorative events.  This will help Australians in their planning to attend services during the Anzac Centenary. 

There are services that commemorate the centenaries of important events from the First World War, in addition to Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, which Australians are likely to attend.  This is because of their special place in Australian military history and the personal histories of the families and descendants of those servicemen and servicewomen who were involved.  A small list of these key Australian events that should be marked by a special service will be developed by the Department of Veterans' Affairs and included in the annual programs.

Arts and Culture

Recommendation 21

The Board recommends that arts bodies and cultural institutions, including State and Territory Arts Festivals, consider how they might support development, performance and/or exhibition of a diverse range of high quality artistic creations with an Anzac Centenary theme. The Board especially recommends support for:

• the GALLIPOLI SYMPHONY;
• an AUSTRALIAN WAR REQUIEM;
• a JOINT AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND WAR ART EXHIBITION;
• the 'BLACK DIGGERS' PROJECT' (Sydney Festival); and
• an AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE PLAY, based on the experiences of troops with veterans of recent operations participating in the project.

Government Response: Accepted-in-principle

The Government encourages all forms of artistic expression to be employed during the Anzac Centenary.  To facilitate this, the Government announced the establishment of an Arts and Culture Fund in April 2012 with funding available from 2014-15. 

There are other established arts funding programs that will be expected, as a matter of course, to support events and initiatives related to the Anzac Centenary.  These include State and Territory Arts Festivals, which are particularly well-placed to take a leadership role in this area.  The Government will make an announcement in the coming months about arts projects that will be funded through existing Government programs and/or recommend they be funded through the Anzac Centenary Public Fund.

Funding

Recommendation 22

The Board recommends that a proportion of corporate donations made to the Anzac Centenary and collected in the Anzac Centenary Public Fund be available for funding STATE AND TERRITORY ANZAC CENTENARY PROPOSALS:

• this funding pool be distributed to States and Territories according to a consistent and equitable approach; and
• the Board to provide strategic advice to Government on the priorities for the disbursement of donated funds.

Government Response: Accepted

The Government notes that most State and Territory Governments have submitted proposals – often high cost – requesting at least a 50 per cent Australian Government financial contribution.  The Board has concluded that the total funding request generated by these proposals is unsustainable.  The Government is of the view that States and Territories should not rely on Commonwealth funding but the Government will allocate a reasonable proportion of donated funds collected in the Anzac Centenary Public Fund to State and Territory proposals, and distribute the pool between States and Territories on an equitable basis.  It is premature to announce details of this arrangement until the likely quantum of donated funds is clearer. 

The Government has valued the advice of the Board since its inception in October 2011.  The Board will continue in its role of supporting the Government's program for the Centenary of Anzac. 

Merchandise

Recommendation 23

The Board recommends that development and retail of quality official ANZAC CENTENARY MERCHANDISE be supported, including through adoption of the Board's merchandising principles.

Government Response: Accepted

The Government supports the sale of a small, appropriate range of official merchandise that upholds the dignity of the Anzac Centenary.

Recommendation 24

The Board recommends that any SURPLUS GENERATED BY THE SALE OF OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE and any remaining DONATED FUNDS at the conclusion of the Centenary be contributed to worthwhile charities associated with military service, such as scholarships for children of contemporary veterans. 

Government Response: Accepted

The Government considers that an appropriate scholarship program be established from remaining funding to support education opportunities for children of contemporary veterans.

Implementation

Recommendation 25

The Board recommends that the scale, complexity, duration, required dignity and quality of the Anzac commemoration, and the high level of public expectations, be acknowledged.  To move effectively from 2013 onwards through the next stages of PLANNING, PREPARATION AND DELIVERY will require an adequately resourced organisational structure, which is able to draw upon expertise from both within and outside government:

• this includes the need to draw upon an experienced director/coordinator for an artistic program.

Government Response: Accepted

An appropriately resourced unit has been established within the Department of Veterans' Affairs to oversee implementation of the Anzac Centenary Program.  A number of the Government's initiatives are the responsibility of other Departments and agencies, and these will also be appropriately resourced.  Artistic programs relevant to the Anzac Centenary may be facilitated through the Australia Council for the Arts.