Tuesday 8 June, 2021
Australian Greens Peace and Disarmament spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said today the National Capital Authority's (NCA) approval of early works as part of the redevelopment of the Australian War Memorial (AWM), just days after confimring they had the power to reject the proposal, was anti-democratic.
Senator Steele-John said that of the 601 submissions the NCA received for this proposal - three times more than for any other issue - only three supported the redevelopment, making it abundantly clear that this project does not have the support of the community
"It's clear that the consultation process up to this point has been an absolute farce and an insult to the community," Steele-John said.
"After appearing before Senate Estimates just over a week ago and stating they had the power to knock back proposals that were not in line with the capital plan or unsupported by the community, it is incredibly disappointing to see the NCA now wave this proposal through without even taking the time to consult further.
"The speed with which this proposal has been approved by the NCA makes it clear the concenrs of the wider community have been ignored at the behest of the Morrison Government, the AWM and their corporate donors.
"The Greens will continue to listen to the community, who are united in their opposition to the project, and fight to ensure the AWM is a place of rememberance and reflection for all and not a billboard for corporate weapon makers."
