HOWARD GOVERNMENT HONOURS OUR WARTIME HERITAGE

The Howard Government has allocated $35.7 million in this year’s Budget for the commemoration of Australia’s military history and expansion of the Australian War Memorial.

The popular Saluting Their Service programme will be extended for another four years for $15.1 million.

”The crowds at this year’s Anzac Day services once again demonstrate the community support for our veterans and current servicemen and women,” the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Danna Vale, said.

The Saluting Their Service programme provides funds to local communities for initiatives such as the restoration or establishment of local memorials and the commemoration of significant anniversaries. It also funds a range of educational materials to inform young Australians of our military heritage.

In addition the Government has allocated $4.5 million for the recognition of significant World War II anniversaries such as Victory in Europe (VE) Day, Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day and the sixtieth anniversaries of significant campaigns in Papua New Guinea and Borneo.

Mrs Vale said $4.5 million in additional funding had been allocated for the maintenance of Australian war graves and significant overseas memorials.

Australian War Memorial

Mrs Vale said the Government also had honoured its promise to expand the Australian War Memorial, with $11.6 million over four years.

“This funding is for a new building and will facilitate the redevelopment of the post-1945 exhibitions within the main building,” Mrs Vale said.

The space available for the Vietnam, Korean and Peacekeeping exhibitions will be significantly augmented and will allow for the commemoration of more recent operations in East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Our commemorations programmes continue to be a small but special part of the Veterans’ Affairs budget, making up just 0.3 per cent of the total $10.6 billion allocated in 2004-05,” Mrs Vale said.

“Commemorations are a valuable part of the Australian repatriation system and the Howard Government is proud to continue honouring those who have defended our nation.”