FED:War Memorial says funding being addressed

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2011
FED:War Memorial says funding being addressed

CANBERRA, Feb 16 AAP - The Australian War Memorial says it's confident the federal
government is addressing its funding difficulties.

Memorial director Steve Gower said Veterans Affairs Minister Warren Snowdon and Finance
Minister Penny Wong were reviewing the memorial's budget, hard hit through the public
service efficiency dividend.

"We await the outcome," he said in a statement.

"The memorial is confident that the government is addressing the issues that have been raised."

Mr Gower said that, in the meantime, the memorial had a balanced budget for 2010-11
and would work within the funding levels available.

"The memorial continues to be a significant national institution of which all Australians
can be very proud," he said.

The war memorial revealed last year how government cost-cutting measures, applied across
all national institutions, were impacting its operations.

In letters to the government last year, obtained by the Australian newspaper under
freedom of information legislation, War Memorial council chairman Peter Cosgrove repeatedly
sought more funds, warning of inexorable decline.

A proposed closure of the memorial for a day a week was averted but money for exhibitions
was cut and capital reserves drained to pay staff, he said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard subsequently directed a review of memorial finances to
ensure it's prepared for the commemoration of the centenary of Anzac in four years time.

The war memorial is tipped to receive a big funding boost at the budget on May 10.

Mr Gower said war memorial council policy, endorsed by the Australian National Audit
Office (ANAO), was only to fund staff costs from capital funds when costs were associated
with enhancing or replacing an asset or extending its life.

He said all spending from capital funding was audited yearly by the ANAO which had
never criticised memorial accounting practice.

The NSW RSL has demanded the federal government make good war memorial funding.

State president Don Rowe has accused the government of insulting generations of Australians
who fought for their country by refusing to restore appropriate funding.

"This is a disgrace and an embarrassment," he said.

The prime minister and veterans affairs minister made a public show of attending funerals
for soldiers killed in Afghanistan and ceremonies when today's heroes are decorated for
bravery, he said.

"Yet they have refused to respond to appeals for funding to be restored so the war
memorial can continue to honour our war dead, maintain its magnificent Victoria Cross
display and educate generations of young Australians on our military history."

AAP mb/sb/dep

KEYWORD: MEMORIAL WRAP

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