Report to Government

1Planning, concepts and progress to date

The aims of this chapter are to outline the following:

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  importance of the Anzac Centenary
  
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  work of the National Commission on the Commemoration of the Anzac Centenary that preceded the Board
  
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  establishment and role of the Board
  
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  Board’s strategic framework
  
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  Board’s tasks of consultation, participation, deliberation
  
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  international context to the Board’s work
  
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  theme of Rabaul to Return
  
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  theme of Century of Service
  
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  the developing Anzac Centenary program.
  

Importance of the Anzac Centenary

1.1Between 2014 and 2018, worldwide commemorations will take place to mark the centenary of the First World War and the service and sacrifice of those who participated. This will be one of the most significant commemorations to take place in the lives of current generations. From Australia’s perspective, out of a population of four to five million, over 400,000 Australians enlisted and more than 330,000 served overseas during the conflict—men and women from different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, including Indigenous Australians. Two referendums to introduce conscription failed and Australia had a wholly volunteer force.

1.2More than 60,000 Australians lost their lives during the war. Thousands died later from their wounds, putting the toll closer to double the number who died during the conflict. By 1920, about 90,000 Australian ex-servicemen were receiving war disability pensions.¹ In 1931, there were over 280,000 recipients of pension payments for disabled soldiers and the dependants of those who had not returned.² These tragic figures convey something of the huge personal toll of the First World War—lives lost on the battlefield and as a result of injury; ongoing physical, mental and emotional wounds and suffering; civilian casualties; and impacts on families and loved ones. These figures also give a glimpse into the profound and pervasive social impact of the war across Australia.

1.3The 2014–18 period will also be a time to commemorate more than a century of service and sacrifice by the men and women who have served, and continue to serve, Australia and its allies in war, conflict and peacekeeping. The Board strongly endorses this wider scope. The Anzac Centenary will be far more than a look back at past events. It will be a period when Australians’ experience of war and conflict for over a century will receive significant national attention and analysis, as well as deeply personal reflections and emotions. It will be about commemorating earlier generations of Australian servicemen and servicewomen and honouring those who today continue that heritage It will be a time to discover the people behind the events and the numbers.

1.4There is clearly a vital role for government, at all levels, as a catalyst for a successful Centenary, through leadership, provision of an organisational framework, active fostering of participation and involvement, and through funding important initiatives. A bipartisan approach is of great importance to the success of the commemorations. However, the Centenary is far more than government policy. No group ‘owns’ the Anzac Centenary—it belongs to the whole community. The Board is strongly of the view that to be successful, the Centenary has to engage the whole nation—the community and business sector, as well as government. The Anzac legacy is an inheritance for all of us.

Work of the National Commission

1.5On Anzac Day 2010, the then Australian Prime Minister announced the formation of the National Commission on the Commemoration of the Anzac Centenary (the National Commission). The National Commission was tasked with undertaking public consultation in order to identify the broad themes, scale, scope and shape of what a commemorative program for the Anzac Centenary from 2014–18 might look like. This also included other significant Australian military anniversaries and service outside of the First World War, under the theme of a Century of Service.

1.6The National Commission reported to the Australian Government in March 2011, making a number of recommendations, including proposals for:

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  a suite of education-related projects
  
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  a range of community engagement projects, including a community grants program
  
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  a mobile exhibition to travel to regional, rural and remote areas
  
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  establishment of a Boer War Memorial, a National Peacekeeping Memorial, and restoration, refurbishment and enhancement of existing memorials
  
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  a series of commemorative events and services to mark significant anniversaries from the First World War and other conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australia has been involved
  
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  a Hands of Friendship component to be incorporated into the dawn service in 2015
  
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  an Anzac Centre for the Study of Peace, Conflict and War
  
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  an Anzac Interpretive Centre and commemoration of the first convoy carrying Australian and New Zealand troops from Albany, Western Australia to Egypt and Gallipoli
  
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  collaboration between the Commonwealth Government, state and territory governments, international cooperation and collaboration with the corporate sector
  
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  development of a logo for the Anzac Centenary program
  
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  future governance arrangements, especially an Anzac Centenary Advisory Board (the Board) as an independent body to continue the work of the National Commission. The National Commission also proposed establishment of a range of advisory and stakeholder groups to provide specific expertise and advice.
  

Establishment and role of the Board

1.7On 12 October 2011, the Prime Minister and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of Anzac announced the Board’s establishment. Additionally, the Minister announced the formation of six working groups in February 2012—Education and Curriculum; Military and Cultural History; Business; Ceremonial and Commemorations; Youth; and Engagement with state, territory and local government. The Board subsequently also established several advisory groups, including a Creative Advisory Group, a Funding Partnerships Committee (which subsumed the Business Working Group) and a Multicultural Group. The Board’s principal tasks are to:

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  provide strategic advice and recommendations on the planning and implementation of Anzac Centenary events and initiatives to the Minister
  
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  develop a program of commemorative activities in the years leading to, and throughout, the period 2014–18 for the Government to consider (the Board’s terms of reference, membership and membership of the working groups, are at Appendix 1).
  

1.8The core of the Board’s work has been framed by the National Commission’s proposals. Accordingly, the Board has examined all of the National Commission’s recommendations. In addition, it asked its working groups to consider the National Commission’s report and submissions to the National Commission. The establishment of the Board has elicited a considerable amount of interest and, although the Board did not call for submissions, it received, and continues to receive, further ideas and proposals for commemorative initiatives. The Board has also been asked to examine some of the ideas that have been sent to the Australian Government. The Board wishes to thank all those individuals and organisations that have submitted ideas on the Anzac Centenary. The Board strongly supports community involvement and a ‘bottom-up’ approach to the Centenary. The ideas submitted have helped shape the proposed Anzac Centenary program contained in this report and in earlier government decisions.

1.9The National Commission’s recommendations and advice provided by the Board have contributed to a number of Anzac Centenary initiatives already announced by the Australian Government. A compilation of these initiatives is provided at the end of this chapter in the section on ‘The developing Anzac Centenary program’.

1.10The recommendations made by the Board in this report are intended to provide practical, value-for-money approaches to the remaining ideas raised by the National Commission, as well as some additional proposals that the Board considers important. This includes a close examination of the outcomes of two scoping studies announced by the Government in April 2012 into ideas recommended by the National Commission. These studies were into a travelling exhibition to communities across Australia, and an event to commemorate the first convoy that left Albany, Western Australia, in November 1914 for Egypt and Gallipoli (see paragraphs 2.5–2.12 and 3.27–3.32, respectively). The Board has also examined the National Commission proposal to establish an Anzac Centre for the Study of Peace, Conflict and War (see paragraphs 2.14, 2.15).