The Hon. Barnaby Joyce MP

Member for New England

Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs

MEDIA RELEASE

ANZAC DAY: GOVERNMENT DILLY-DALLIES FOR 700 DAYS ON RECOGNITION FOR THOSE WHO DIED IN SERVICE

On the cusp of Anzac Day and after more than 700 days, the Australian Government still can’t decide on an independent recommendation to give war widows and their families a memorial clasp, to remember those who died in service.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon. Barnaby Joyce MP, has called on Prime Minister Albanese to use this week’s Anzac Day to deliver on the key recommendation of the independent Defence Honours and Appeals Tribunal report titled “Recognising Their Sacrifice”, which called for greater recognition for those who died in service.

Amongst the report’s recommendations, handed down in January 2022, was that a Memorial Clasp be posthumously awarded to a member of the Defence Force or a veteran who died as a result of service. A second recommendation was made to award a Memorial Star to the widow and family of someone who died in service, or whose death was service related.

“How hard can that be to approve?”, Mr Joyce asked. “What possible obstacle could there be to that; and how does a Minister sit on something like this for 700 days? When we say Lest We Forget, that means ‘Thank you, we won’t forget’”, he said.

Mr Joyce said the independent report had been commissioned by the previous Coalition Government after a series of petitions attracted over 50,000 signatures through the “Defence Lives Matter” campaign,  spearheaded by Mr Kerry Danes CSM and Dr Kay Danes.

“The inspiration for this campaign began in 1996 when 18 Australian servicemen died during a collision of the Australian Army Black Hawk helicopters near Townsville”, he said.

Mr Joyce said as soon as the independent recommendations were handed down in January 2022, the then Coalition Government convened a meeting with ex-service organisations to discuss the report’s recommendations.

“The government then changed and Prime Minister Albanese infamously dumped the position of Minister for Veterans’ Affairs from Labor’s Cabinet, and the recommendations have never been heard of again,” Mr Joyce said.

He said it is proposed that the Memorial Clasp would be attached to the Australian campaign or service medal in which the death occurred.

Media Contact: Heidi Williamson       Ph: 0447307884