Groom MP makes decision on Milne Bay museum petition

GROOM MP Dr John McVeigh has agreed to present the Milne Bay Military Museum’s 17,500 strong petition to Parliament, though he remains doubtful of its success.

SUPPORTERS SIGN: Milne Bay Military Museum president Marian Jones with many signatures to save the museum. Thursday, 5th Jul, 2018. Picture: Nev Madsen

>>RELATED: Museum poses 'unacceptable risk' to the public, says Defence

GROOM MP Dr John McVeigh has agreed to present to Federal Parliament a 17,500 signature petition requesting the Department of Defence bequeath the Milne Bay Military Museum building and land to the Toowoomba community.

Dr McVeigh's decision comes after a "very positive meeting" between the Groom MP and the museum committee yesterday.

The meeting comes after the Defence Minister Marise Payne set an eviction date for the museum for September 28.

"I respect the fact that the Committee still wants to lodge the petition," Dr McVeigh said.

"I committed to do that on their behalf - but I have stressed that I believe it will not be successful and that the Minister has made her final decision."

The museum remains hopeful the petition will be acted upon by the Defence Minister.

Dr McVeigh said yesterday's meeting discussed the museum's current circumstances, and its plans for the future.

"As a local and a Federal Member of Parliament, I believe it is vital that we plan for a new state of the art museum on the Darling Downs," he said.

"The 25th Battalion history is critical to the history of the region and we must preserve it." Dr McVeigh told the committee he and Toowoomba Regional Council mayor Paul Antonio were working to find the museum a new home in Toowoomba.

Cr Antonio said he had been talking to potential venues to house the museum.

"We would like to be a part of the solution... because of the importance (of the museum) to our community," he said.

"I think this is worthy of being displayed in a very prominent position where we can all go and visitors can go and pay tribute to what Milne Bay was all about."

The Defence Minister's office revealed last month it believed keeping the museum on Defence land posed an "unacceptable risk to Defence personnel, volunteers and visiting members of the public", citing a Defence inquiry that identified discrepancies in record-keeping and missing weapons.

The museum committee argued issues raised by Defence were "historic", dating back nearly a decade.
 

Originally published as Groom MP makes decision on Milne Bay museum petition