Australian War Memorial blog opposes frontier role

The story of Indigenous opposition to European settlement and expansion ‘cannot be told’ by the Australian War Memorial without a legislative overhaul, according to a blog on the memorial’s website.

Opposition veterans affairs spokesman Barnaby Joyce. Picture: NCA Newswire / Andrew Taylor

The story of Indigenous opposition to European settlement and expansion “cannot be told” by the Australian War Memorial without a legislative overhaul ­and breaking with the vision of Charles Bean, according to a blog on the memorial’s website.

A 565-word blog published in 2014 said the vision of Bean – Australia’s official war correspondent and historian – was for “a ­national memorial that would commemorate what the nation had done during the war”.

Before its backflip in September to expand recognition of the Frontier Wars, the War Memorial council adhered to “Bean’s concept of honouring the services of the men and women of Australia’s military forces deployed on operations overseas on behalf of the nation”.

The Weekend Australian can reveal AWM director Matt Anderson will come under pressure at a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday to explain how the Frontier Wars can be recognised without the memorial breaching its longstanding mandate.

The Coalition says Labor should “try its hand” at amending the Australian War Memorial Act before ­increasing the Frontier Wars presence as part of the $550m War Memorial upgrade.

The AWM blog said “the story of Indigenous opposition to European settlement and expansion is one that should be told but cannot be told by the memorial”.

“As defined in the Australian War Memorial Act 1980, the memorial’s official role is to develop a memorial for Australians who have died on, or as a result of, active service, or as a result of any war or warlike operation in which Australians have been on active service,” the AWM post says.

“The definition does not include internal conflicts between the Indigenous populations and the colonial powers of the day. The memorial has found no substantial evidence that homegrown military units, whether state colonial forces or post-Federation Australian military units, ever fought against the Indigenous population of this country.”

Veterans Affairs Minister Matt Keogh did not respond on Friday but the Albanese government believes no changes to the Act are required to recognise historical conflicts that Australians have fought in.

Veterans groups say that the National Museum and new $317m Ngurra Indigenous cultural precinct should depict the Frontier Wars, in which at least 20,000 Indigenous Australians died during actions by British colonial forces, police and settlers.

Opposition veterans affairs spokesman Barnaby Joyce said the government must be “upfront with Australians”.

“It is clear that any attempt to politicise the Australian War Memorial by tangling-up the issues of the so-called frontier wars, is in breach of the legislation. I strongly suspect that meddling with the memory of our nation’s fallen heroes to assuage advocates of a partisan political agenda will rile people no matter what their politics,” Mr Joyce said.

“Previously, the War Memorial has confirmed any move to bring domestic conflicts between European and Indigenous people into its ambit would defy the original vision; defy the legislation; and defy the evidence.”

An AWM spokeswoman said newly established Indigenous and veterans advisory groups would guide its pre-1914 gallery ahead of opening in 2028.

“The curatorial team will be formed in late-2024 and we will have more to say in due course. Frontier violence is a part of our story as a nation and all cultural institutions have a role to play in telling our story,” the spokeswoman said.

“The Australian War Memorial will expand on the depiction and presentation of the violence committed against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The memorial aims to broaden awareness and education through an inclusive presentation of frontier conflicts in a respectful and appropriate way, in keeping with our mission and purpose.”