Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure and an honour to be able to speak on the Australian War Memorial Amendment Bill 2014, which is probably not the most auspicious piece of legislation that I will have an opportunity to debate, but, nevertheless, remembering the sacrifice that so many over so many years have made for our country in the field of war, in the role of peacekeepers, in support roles and in active service is something that every Australian and future generations would do well to contemplate on from time to time.

The Australian War Memorial is truly an icon in Australia. My family, my brother and his wife and daughters recently visited Canberra and as a family we went to see the War Memorial. Whilst it was a venue to enjoy a lunch, for me it was quite intriguing to watch the reaction of my young boys in particular to the amazing collection they have at the War Memorial. It was interesting to see the vividness of the display at the back of the War Memorial—the lights, the activity and the interactive display they have there—and observe the impact it had on young people. We are often critical of young people about living in a different world and about the way they engage with the community and with others. They move through life perhaps at a faster pace that you and I might have. For me it was truly eye-opening to see the way they were absolutely captivated by the images and the stories they were seeing.

Another recollection I have of that day was the absolutely broken wreck of an aircraft that forms part of a display in the War Memorial. Indeed, it compels you absolutely to contemplate the time and the place and how that came to be. It was special. I think it is something that every Australian should do. They should take the time. We did not give it enough time, but we will make sure that we have an opportunity at some point in time in the future to revisit that amazing memorial to people who served, many of whom have given their lives for the sake of this country.

The bill itself is about ensuring that there will never be the ability to charge parking fees at the War Memorial. It may not seem the most significant thing, but, nevertheless, based on the observations, if nothing else, that I have made of the impact that the memorial had on my young boys, it is a special place in Australia. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country and for every Australian, when they come to Canberra, there should be no barriers to them visiting the War Memorial, because it is a special place and a place for reflection.

Getting back closer to home, no doubt it is true right around Australia, but, within my electorate of Lyons, which covers over 50 per cent of the south island—the island state of our great nation—there are many communities. There are literally hundreds of small communities. Without thinking too hard, I did start making a list last night of all the little towns around my electorate that I am aware of that have memorials to the Boer War, the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War or the Vietnam war, as well as peacekeepers' memorials or memorials to Afghanistan or other conflicts. Truly, they have been focal points for those communities. I hesitated to complete the list because I was sure that I would miss some communities, but one town that springs to mind, a very, very small community, is Avoca in the Fingal Valley. I had the privilege of speaking at the 11 o'clock Anzac Day service at Avoca last year. Indeed, the work that they have done has been successful in attracting a little funding out of the centenary of Anzac commemoration memorial fund. That has given them an opportunity to do some work that was overdue in upgrading their memorial.

Further south, in the beautiful Derwent Valley, up towards the Florentine and those iconic 'working forests', as they are—or were, at least—within my electorate, there is the town of Fentonbury. Those who take the road up the Derwent Valley through New Norfolk, past Bushy Park and Glenora, end up at Westerway. If you turn off there to go towards Ellendale, you pass the small town of Fentonbury. On the right-hand side as you head towards Ellendale, there is a memorial. It is in a privately owned paddock. This memorial somewhat resembles the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Every time I drive past it, I stop and I ponder. I have had conversations with the local mayor because I would love to see a way of working with the private landowner and, if it were deemed appropriate by the local community, perhaps consideration of moving that memorial to a place where it could once again be a focal point for that community—because we should always remember and reflect and take the time at appropriate moments during the year to contemplate those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

This debate gives me an opportunity also to reflect on the centenary of Anzac program. It is a really valuable program right across the 150 electorates around the country. My observation might be that in an electorate such as Lyons, where every 10 kilometres down the road I have got another little town that has got another little memorial, the capacity to make $125,000 go further is probably more challenging and it may be in a smaller inner-city electorate. Nevertheless, it has been really valuable process. I acknowledge the instigation of same by the previous government and the work that Minister Ronaldson has done subsequently, adding an additional $25,000 to those grants that were available to every electorate around the country.

The process that we went through was one of consultation. We had a committee and the committee was chaired by a former Professor of History at the University of Tasmania, retired, Michael Roe, and representatives from around the north and south of my electorate with people who have a connection either through the Returned Services League or their participation within the armed forces. It was a really constructive process on which they embarked. I have had a number of highlights. We are about halfway through the announcements that we are expecting. Understandably, they are being scrutinised properly by the department, and should be the case when public money is being used. So far we have had some announcements. For example, a little over $1,000 was approved for the very small community at Liffey that had small plaques that had disappeared that were on trees that were planted in 1918. That money will go to re-establishing those plaques and in some cases replacing those trees. It is a small thing for a small community.

I had the privilege of couple of weekends ago of going to the small town of Woodsdale in the Southern Midlands in my electorate for the opening of another very small Centenary of Anzac program that they announced. It was $1,200 for a plaque to remember those people from that community who had gone away and serve their country in the First World War.

One of the things about my electorate is that the same names from different parts of the community keep coming back. No doubt previous members of this electorate—there has only been a few since the Second World War in this seat—when they heard the name 'Wilson' knew they are from somewhere between Parattah and Woodsdale and would start in the Southern Midlands. When you hear the name 'Dare' almost certainly they will be from Woodsdale in the Southern Midlands. It was a special occasion. I think there would have been close to 100 people who came to the opening of the park and the little memorial garden that has been established in that very, very small community there.

If I could in the time that is left I would also comment on the wonderful work that has been done at Sheffield, 'The Town of Murals', which some would know. I would encourage anyone who is visiting my beautiful state to take the time to visit Sheffield. It truly is a wonderful thing. The RSL there have just completed a truly stunning memorial mural and garden. It is almost, if you like, designed to be a three-dimensional image. As you drive in from the eastern side of Sheffield into the town it is in a very prominent place and I think in time will become truly in and of itself a reason for people to take the journey to Sheffield. It is truly a wonderful commemoration of not only people who served in the First World War in this instance but many theatres for since that time.

Whilst this is not the most auspicious piece of legislation, the War Memorial is nevertheless absolutely one of Australia's must-visit memorials. The Australian War Memorial in Canberra truly is a national treasure. It is a small measure that this bill enacts to make sure that those visiting are given as easy access as is possible by making sure that there can never be parking or entry fees imposed on the War Memorial. It is also making sure that the Australian War Memorial Act 1980 continues to meet the current needs of the memorial and, most importantly, of the community that it is there to help reflect on those that have given their lives.

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