Hands off the Australian War Memorial

Hands off the Australian War Memorial

Started
4 October 2022
Signatures: 11,024Next Goal: 15,000
Support now

Why this petition matters

Started by Peter O'Brien

The Chairman of the Council of the Australian War Memorial recently declared that "the Memorial's governing council had decided that they would have a much broader, a much deeper depiction and presentation of the violence committed against indigenous people, initially by the British, then by pastoralists, then by police and then by Aboriginal militia".

The purpose of the War Memorial is to honour the thousands of Australian men and women who died in the defence of this nation and its values.

This proposal is contrary to the charter of the Memorial as expressed in the Australian War Memorial Act 1980 which defines its functions as to maintain the memorial in remembrance of Australians who have died on or as a result of active service, or as a result of any war or warlike operations in which Australians have been on active service.  It is not a generic history museum.

There is no doubt that violence violence was committed against Aborigines as a result of colonization but it does not fall into this remit. Supposed colonial wars, the very existence of which is highly contested, have nothing to do with our defence tradition.  

This proposal, which attacks and denigrates the very foundation of our nation, is highly offensive to the large majority of veterans who survived our wars and more so to those who did not - those to whom the Memorial is dedicated.

I ask concerned citizens to join me in opposing this divisive proposal.

Peter O'Brien

Lieutenant Colonel (rtd) and Vietnam veteran

 

 

 

Support now
Signatures: 11,024Next Goal: 15,000
Support now
Share this petition in person or use the QR code for your own material.Download QR Code