3 March 2011

Gazza celebrates War Memorial victory

| johnboy
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This morning saw a triumph for Senator Gary Humphries’ long running campaign to secure more funding for the War Memorial.

Eschewing grace in victory the Senator is now accusing the Prime Minister of capitulation:

The Gillard Labor Government has been dragged kicking and screaming into providing additional resources for the Australian War Memorial. Nonetheless, today’s announcement is welcome.

The Prime Minister’s 11th hour capitulation over her government’s failure to properly resource the Australian War Memorial was driven by their perceived need for a political response to growing and widespread community anger, Senator Humphries said today.

“Today’s decision is the culmination of months of pressure from the community, Tony Abbott and my Coalition colleagues”, Senator Humphries said.

The War Memorial itself is being slightly more circumspect in its victory:

The Director described the injection of additional funding as a welcome boost to the Memorial’s ongoing education and commemorative activities as well as extensive public programs and exhibitions.

“We can now look forward with confidence to meeting public expectations as we plan for First World War centenary activities and in particular the centenary of the Gallipoli landings in 2015.”

Chairman of the Council of the Australian War Memorial, General Peter Cosgrove AC MC (Ret’d) said “it is an extremely good result and a credit to the work of the Director and staff of the Memorial.

Intriguingly there’s no direct thanks to the Gillard Government.

Is the AWM betting that Labor won’t be in power long enough to exact retribution?

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Props to the ANZAC death cult for gettin’ up

amarooresident39:58 am 04 Mar 11

Except that the review was ordered back in October, so it’s hardly an “11th hour capitulation” as the good Senator claims.

On another note, I think this piece provides some interesting points to think about in regard to the AWM.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/shrines-to-war-may-be-priceless/story-e6frere6-1226011594654

colourful sydney racing identity8:42 am 04 Mar 11

AWM says they are underfunded. Gillard says too bad, so sad, efficiency dividend and all that. Opposition jumps up and down and makes lots of noises. Gillard finds herself in trouble over carbon tax, amongst other stuff ups. Suddenly a unicorn appears. Look over there, a unicorn, I mean, extra funding for the AWM.

Quacks like a duck.

Unicorns quack? well bugger me.

Geez Julia is tight. ABC News showed her putting a coin into the donation box, along side the $20 and $10 notes. Surely a fiver would have sufficed.

ainsliebraddon7:45 pm 03 Mar 11

Wouldn’t it have been a nice change for Julia Gillard to congratulate Gary Humphries on his advocacy for the War Memorial, and then for Gary Humphries to thank the prime minister for conducting a review and delivering more money to the AWM?

So much for the new paradigm.

Can’t think of a better use for spare $8 million. Well done to those concerned, and not just those who think they are responsible.

Dig a hole for yourself, then climb out and claim “victory”. Humpy you are pathetic, next time, stay in the hole.

colourful sydney racing identity2:40 pm 03 Mar 11

‘widespread community anger’? I must have missed that. Not a single person has mentioned it to me…

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