Jeff Kennett slams Shrine of Remembrance catering and events deal

Jeff Kennett says the Shrine of Remembrance’s new commercial deal with catering and events company Peter Rowland Group is ‘totally inappropriate’.

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett in Brisbane in August 2024. Picture: Glenn Hunt / The Australian

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett has slammed the Shrine of Remembrance’s new commercial deal with catering and events company Peter Rowland Group as “totally inappropriate” and showing a lack of respect.

Mr Kennett said the dire state of Victoria’s finances left the Melbourne shrine open to even more radical deals in order to keep it ­financially afloat.

He also said the shrine’s trustees, including a former state Labor MP, should be held to ­account for the decision.

“It shows a great deal of dis­respect by the government that it would even consider the commercialisation of a Shrine of Remembrance,” he said. “It shows a lack of respect by the trustees of the Shrine of Remembrance for allowing it to happen.

“Knowing the desperate nature of this government now, to not only impose new taxes and charges on not the living but the dead as they’ve increased the costs of getting the probate on wills finalised, but now on the deeds of those who have gone before, one can only wonder if it will not be long before they put up signs on another entrance to the Shrine to massage parlours, such is the desperation of this government.”

Former Shrine of Remembrance governor Rowan Story has raised concerns about the direction of the shrine. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Mr Kennett said the government was “totally out of touch with the community they were elected to administer” and the trustees of the shrine should equally be held to account.

The partnership between Peter Rowland Group and the shrine, announced in December, is a multi-year agreement under which the company receives the first option on event catering at the shrine and the shrine receives a defined percentage of proceeds.

It follows the release of tickets for an upcoming “Dine at the Shrine” event, which, for $185, provides guests with a three-course meal by Peter Rowland as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.

The event is inspired by the shrine’s new exhibition “Taste of Combat: The Evolution of Military Food”.

Rowan Story, a former governor of the shrine and retired air commodore, said the shrine appeared to be moving towards becoming a tourist attraction, something at odds with its original purpose. “When you look at the history of the shrine, it came about because people wanted to have a place to go, to remember, to grieve, etc., because people couldn’t travel overseas. And that’s a very important aspect of the shrine’s raison d’être,” he said.

“As time passed, it developed aspects of museum-like work, which is appropriate for education, but it seems that has now grown in a way that has the potential to overwhelm and obscure the fundamental purpose of the shrine.

“If the shrine needs money, there must be other ways of managing its affairs without having ‘Dine at the Shrine’.

“I’m not saying there should be no change … but balance and reflection, I think, is important.”

Shrine chief Dean M. Lee said the shrine received most of its funding from the Victorian government and conducted commercial activities, such as retail, coffee and tour sales and venue hire of its non-ceremonial spaces, to supplement this.

Mr Lee said catered events, including functions serviced by commercial operators, had been taking place at the shrine for almost 20 years, and the Peter Rowland Group partnership would enable the shrine to engage new audiences in support of its purpose.

“It will also extend our financial capacity to care for the shrine and deliver commemorative and free educational activities that preserve history and inspire future generations,” he said.

Mr Lee said offering catered events and permitting the service of alcohol was common in the sector, and pointed to the Australian War Memorial and Sydney Anzac Memorial. “And while the views of the veteran community are as diverse as those of the general community, I note most members of these entities’ boards are veterans,” he said.

Gerard Butcher, who served in the army reserve for 16 years, said an arrangement with a catering company to use the shrine as a venue diluted its purpose.

RSL CEO Victoria Sue Cattermole said while veterans on the shrine’s board were actively involved in and supported the partnership, there were other veterans who did have concerns.

“Broadly speaking, we support efforts to attract more people to the Shrine of Remembrance when efforts are aligned with the shrine’s core purpose: to educate the public about the service and sacrifice of veterans and strengthen its position as the focal point of Victoria’s veteran commemoration,” she said.

A Victorian government spokesperson said the shrine operated independently, with decisions made by its board and management. “Decisions regarding events and partnerships at the shrine rest with the shrine trustees,” the spokesperson said.

Peter Rowland Group was contacted for comment.