O’Mallon, Finbar: War memorial risks becoming a “theme park”: former director

Finbar O’Mallon

‘War memorial risks becoming a “theme park”: former director‘, Canberra Times, 24 June 2019

Interview with former Director Brendon Kelson, referring to his letter to the Prime Minister regarding the proposed Memorial extensions. Mr Kelson offers the Memorial’s existing Mitchell campus as a cheaper alternative.

“The expansion … would be an unwarranted and indulgent duplication of the Mitchell development,” Mr Kelson said in his letter. “The government should drop the Australian War Memorial expansion and support the cost-effective and practical Mitchell alternative.”

Released at the same time as the letter is the critique of the extensions’ design choice and process, a piece compiled by former Memorial officer, Richard Llewellyn. There is also an accompanying media release.