Heritage Guardian and former Australian War Memorial Director, Brendon Kelson, has received a reply, signed by current Director, Brendan Nelson, to Mr Kelson’s letter to Minister Chester regarding the War Memorial project. This letter makes a better fist of responding to the specific points made by Mr Kelson than did a previous letter (signed by the Minister’s chief of staff but obviously drafted in the Memorial). This time, it actually looks as if someone at the Memorial, perhaps even Dr Nelson, has read Mr Kelson’s letter.
Dr Nelson’s letter covers the appropriate treatment of recent conflicts, the Mitchell option, the implications of the display of Large Technology Objects, and the claimed healing role of the Memorial. It is worth a close read.
27 September 2019