Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this evening to speak on an excellent initiative of the federal government: the Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program. This program has assisted schools and community groups to commemorate Australia's involvement in the First World War and pay tribute to the tremendous bravery and sacrifice of past and current service men and women. I was delighted that of the ten proposals submitted for funding in the Ryan electorate eight have so far been successful, and I would like to briefly mention these projects and their significance to the community.

One proposal that will be appreciated by generations to come was put forward by the Brisbane Boys' College Old Collegians association. A book titled The Fallen will document and honour the 97 former students who lost their lives in the first and second world wars and Afghanistan. A lot of work has already been done to make this book happen. During the past ten years, 11 BBC old boys attended the school every Tuesday to research, write and edit The Fallen. The book will be launched at the school on Anzac Day this year. As a result of this centenary grant the BBC community has been able to bring this commemorative project to fruition.

Kenmore South State School has also benefitted from the program through $4,500 to upgrade the school's Anzac memorial. The upgrade will noticeably improve the aesthetics of the memorial, and make it a much more useable area for Anzac Day services.

Ferny Grove State High School received $12,330 to install their Walk of Remembrance, a wonderful project to honour those who served in defence of our country. It involves the installation of a memorial plaque and wooden posts inscribed with the names of the First World War battles in which local regiments served. There are 89 students at Ferny Grove State High School whose parents are involved in active service, which makes the Walk of Remembrance a pertinent reminder of the sacrifice that is borne by this school community.

Just down the road, Ferny Grove State School received $20,000 for the creation of a memorial garden. The memorial garden, designed in the shape of a Flanders poppy, is a place where students can sit and reflect on the Anzac tradition, and its values of service, sacrifice, selflessness, mateship and bravery.

Toowong State School was successful in securing $4,700 to plant an Anzac garden of remembrance at the base of the school's flag pole with rosemary and Flanders poppies. A visual art piece will be installed in the middle of the new garden, to symbolize the Anzac values of courage, integrity, resilience, mateship, teamwork, duty and sacrifice. Members will recall my sign language speech about Toowong State School and its immersion Auslan program.

The Royal Australian Regiment Association received $16,000 to upgrade the Contemplation Building and install an eternal flame at their memorial walk at Gallipoli Barracks . The 700-metre Walk of Remembrance honours the fallen servicemen and women of the regiment, many of whom are buried overseas, and provides a place of solace and reflection for their families and friends. At the base of selected trees is a plaque bearing the name of each of the 695 fallen.

I was also pleased that Mates4Mates, an organisation that provides support for wounded and injured servicemen and women and their families, was successful in securing $3,250 for their 2014 WW1 Queenslander Challenge. Participants will embark on a 100-kilometre trek, whilst carrying a commemorative brick engraved with the name of a fallen Queensland World War I soldier. The trek begins in Woodford, and includes Mount Mee, Mount Glorious and Mount Coot-tha, and finishes at the Mates4Mates Recovery Centre. The commemorative bricks, 6,967 in total, will be used to construct a memorial at the Walton Bridge, to be officially opened on Remembrance Day 2018.

Finally, I am delighted to report that the Sherwood-Indooroopilly RSL Sub-branch has received $9,000 to assist in the production of their 'Schools' Anzac Centenary Research Project', a book examining the lives of 86 local soldiers who were killed in World War I. The research will be undertaken progressively over the next three years by schools in the local area and, once collated; the stories will be published both in hard copy and as an e-book, as well as on the websites of the participating schools. The Kenmore-Moggill RSL Sub-branch is also supporting similar projects at their own cost with local high schools in the area.

I would like to thank all the people involved in these groups, and the many other community groups who are working to bring these and others projects to fruition. I would also like to thank my community advisory group, the Australian government and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC for the financial support they have provided for these projects.

House adjourned at 19:59