PM Transcripts

FOR PRESS P. M. No. 88/ 1063
JUBILEE OF ANZAC
Statement by the Prime Minister,-the Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Menizies
The Commonwealth Government has decided to mark
the Jubilee of the landing at Gallipoli on April 25th, 1915,
by the inauguration of a ceremonial way leading from a point
near the shores of Lake Burley Griffin up to the Australian
War Memorial in Canberra.
" I believe all Australians and certainly the
ex-service organizations in each State will wish to emphasise
this outstanding event in our history," said Sir Robert,
" but I am sure the Australian people would wish the Commonwealth
Government to make a special gesture worthy of the
occasion. The Returned Servicemen's League had suggested
that Anzac Parade should be developed for this purpose, and
the Government had come to the conclusion that this was a
highly suitable idea."
The Prime Minister said that in the long-term
planning of Canberra~ an opportunity had been provided for
the development at the right time of a coremonialvay of
high quality. The Government believes it is now appropriate
to go forward with the construction of this feature, which
will provide the setting for important processions, remembrance
marches and other ceremonies which from time to time will be
associated with facets of Australian history, and particularly
our military history.
Planning for the ceremonial way will call for
the substantial re-development of the existing landscape, With
provision for Australian trees of selected species, with some
representative flora from New Zealand, The ceremonial way
will be paved and can be ornarmented subsequently by statuary
and other sculptural works. Tie total landscape will form
part of the design of the central axis arourdwhich the central
areas of the nationa,. l capital have been planned, and will
finally establish the character of these areas. The monumental
way would stand and be developed over generations as a memorial
of enduring quality. It is proposed that all development works establishing
the character of this ceremonial way will have been completed
by the 50th Anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli in April,
1965. CANBERRA, 1st November, 1963.