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
It’s a detailed response and Nelson has clearly thought hard about justifying his grand plan for development of the Memorial. Leaving aside the arguments about LTO’s at Mitchell, veteran healing etc there is one very important and significant issue he ignores because he just doesn’t get it – and that’s the ability of the Memorial building and site to handle such an enormous and badly designed development (which includes removal of Anzac Hall, glass atriums attached to the Main Building, significant changes to the scale and geometry of the Parade Ground, drastic changes to the Eastern Precinct including loss of up to 80 mature trees etc). The proposed development will overwhelm the site and the Main Building. It does not sit comfortably with the Memorials own Heritage Management Plan and Site Development plan. The letter to the DEE (Heritage) from the Australian Institute of Architects outlines this https://wp.architecture.com.au/anzachall/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2019/08/Letter-Department-of-the-Environment-and-Energy-August-2019.pdf