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PRIME MINISTER
I1I November 1996 TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER
THE HON JOHN HOWARD MP
ADDRESS AT AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
Your Excellencies, Sir Phillip Bennett, General Gration, General Gower, members of
the Foundation, other distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen.
I first camne to this War Memorial in May of 1952. 1 then paid my first ever visit to
Canberra with my parents. I saw Parliament House for the first time in the flesh, so to
speak, and I later on came over to the War Memorial. I have to confess, an odd
confession given the late event that my life took, but I spent a great deal more time at
the War Memorial than I did at Parliament House. I was absolutely captivated by the
Memorial, I was fascinated by those dioramas depicting the battles of World War I and
the general layout and presentation of the Memorial and I have carried with me since
then, and I guess it was kindled in other ways in my upbringing some understanding, I
hope, of the enormous sacrifice made by successive generations of Australians in
defence of our country. We all can, I suppose, recite the experiences on an occasion
like this, none of course more so than those who actually served. But I can remember
visiting the cemeteries of northern France and walking through that magnificent
Australian War Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux and quite literally being overcome by
the sheer immensity, if I can put it that way, of the youth of the people who died in
defence of this country. To watch headstone after headstone recording an age of 17,
18, 19, 21, 22. The awfu~ l horror and waste and sacrifice of so many young men and
women in defence of Australia.
We owe everything that we have to those who died to defend our country. We owe
immeasurably to those who put their lives on the line. The maintenance of this War
Memorial which I agree stands tall amongst the war memorials of the world, I haven't
seen any better and I want to congratulate those who over the years have worked so
very hard to keep the War Memorial going. I want to assure you of the ongoing and
strong support of the Federal Government and in saying that I know I speak for both 2019
sides of Politics, because honouring the Australian war dead is something that
transcends all other divides.
May I say , Sir Phillip, that I am very impressed with the quality of the members of the
Foundation that you have assembled. You have got together a group of people who
have been successful in commerce, who have an understanding of the history of the
Memorial and an understanding of the history of the Australian sacrifice in battle all
around the world.
So in launching the Foundation I give with that launch the very strong support of the
Government. I want to join Sir Phillip in publicly thanking Sir William Deane, Mr
Kerry Packer and Mr John Laws for their own exceptional contribution to the success
of the Foundation.
A partnership between the Government and private individuals in the corporate sector
is to be encouraged in something of this kind. In case anybody needed any reminding
all contributions to the Foundation are naturally fully tax deductible and I wouldn't like
to let the opportunity go by without making that very obvious point.
Now in one's life you get tied up with a lot of foundations. You get tied up with
foundations associated with sporting organisations and I have even been tied up with
the odd foundation associated with schools at which one's children are educated.
Some of them are very good, some of them are not so good, I think this one is going
to be the very best because it is in a case that binds all of us together. It is always a
good thing in national life to try to focus on things that unite Australians rather than
things that divide them and if there is one thing that unites all Australians it is a deep
heartfelt gratitude to those men and women who gave everything to save our country
and who gave everything to give us the peace and the tranquillity and the way of life
that we enjoy today.
So can I wish you, Sir Phillip, and all of the members of your council great success,
great fundraising expertise, which I know you have. And you carry with you the good
wishes and the affection of all of the Australian people to honour our war dead is the
most uniting and ennobling of causes and one that will attract the support of all
Australians.
Thank you.
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