A media release from Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Matt Keogh, announces that Tony Abbott has been reappointed to the Council of the Australian War Memorial. Mr Abbott was first appointed in September 2019. This appointment was to expire on Sunday, 18 September.
Canberra Times story. The RiotAct story. The Minister’s release does not mention a term for the reappointment but Honest History understands from advice from the Minister’s office that the term is for three years. (Update 20 September 2022: Official directory.gov.au confirms three-year term. Update 17 October 2022: Copy of instrument of appointment dated 1 September 2022. Obtained from War Memorial under FOI. Update 21 November 2022: Copy of instrument also obtained from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs under FOI, along with the Executive Council Minute which went to the Governor-General. Also available through DVA.)
Arguments for a different approach to the War Memorial Council, given its lack of historians (no trained historians since 2004) and its excess of people with a military background (nine out of 13, plus Mr Abbott and former Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson).
The Minister’s media release is full of praise for Mr Abbott’s credentials for the job and concludes thus: ‘I look forward to following the progress of the Australian War Memorial’s redevelopment in the coming years closely, and trust Mr Abbott will play an integral role in it.’
16 September 2022 updated
