Defence force members!

[MC97GQ]

Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson
Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader of the Opposition on the Centenary of ANZAC
Liberal Senator for Victoria

M E D I A R E L E A S E

Wednesday, 17 April 2013

MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Hardie 0418 432 909

Details needed on Labor’s proposed Anzac Centenary Fund

Labor’s minister responsible for the Centenary of Anzac needs to come clean about the proposed ‘Anzac Centenary Fund’ which he claims will fund a multi-million dollar redevelopment of Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance.

Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader of the Opposition on the Centenary of Anzac, Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson, said Labor has committed money to a project from a fund which, as of 10 days ago when the Coalition was briefed on the Report of the Anzac Centenary Advisory Board, had not yet been formally established and which held no funds.

“Warren Snowdon must come clean on his Government’s plans to fund the Centenary of Anzac. The Minister needs to immediately indicate what other projects he plans funding from the ‘Anzac Centenary Fund’ which at this stage has no funds”, Senator Ronaldson said.

“Instead of showing leadership, Minister Snowdon has used a faceless spokesperson to confirm the existence of a phantom ‘Anzac Centenary Fund’ which the Government seems to think will pay for projects associated with the Centenary of Anzac.”

“Labor is making funding commitments from a Fund which doesn’t exist and which, similarly, contains no money. It’s like the mining tax all over again.” “Labor has completely mismanaged the Centenary of Anzac. The revelation that money is being spent from a phantom Fund which contains no money is just another example of Labor’s failing leadership, indecision and incompetence in relation to the Centenary of Anzac.”

Senator Ronaldson said it was about time Labor started governing and set out exactly what they proposed for the commemoration of the Centenary of Anzac.
“If the Government accepts the recommendation of Angus Houston’s report to establish this so-called ‘Anzac Centenary Fund’ then Labor must announce how it proposes such a fund would be governed.”

“Labor should also announce the budget for this proposed Fund and release in full the projects it plans to financially support from the Fund.” “The Coalition will not allow the Gillard Labor Government to use this phantom ‘Anzac Centenary Fund’ for political purposes. The Fund, if it is to be established, must have clear guidelines and be completely free of any overt or covert appearance of a political slush fund. Any such appearance will potentially damage the Fund before it commences and will make the corporate sector reluctant to contribute.”

“The community’s patience with Labor’s indecision and lack of leadership on the Centenary of Anzac is wearing thin. It’s time Labor stopped prevaricating and started leading for this all-too-important period of national commemoration.”

Regards,

RLI

The silly thing about this is the countries that we were at war with in the last century have more respect for our fallen than we do,

Schools DO NOT teach about the ANZACS or other veterans in their new politically correct curriculum,

I am so sick of this sanitised world we live in, ANZAC day is so much more than just a public holiday, in this country we lost some of the best of our gene pool, whole generations of some of the toughest men you could ever imagine.

This day is such an important thing and should be treated sacredly with no expense spared.

My thoughts and beliefs

Mark

LEST WE FORGET