The Coalition is open-minded on the appointment of former Labor leader and Ambassador, Kim Beazley, to the Council of the Australian War Memorial.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Barnaby Joyce, said the Coalition expects all members of the Council to be true in their adherence that the Australian War Memorial exists as a shrine to honour the sacrifice of 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.

"All members of the Council must adhere to the founding concept that the Australian War Memorial is a place for honouring the services of the men and women of Australia’s military forces deployed on operations overseas on behalf of the nation,” Mr Joyce said.

“The Coalition remains open-minded that the Federal Government has appointed Mr Beazley on this basis and, in so doing, we wish him well,” Mr Joyce said.

 Mr Joyce said the Liberal and Nationals would strongly oppose any moves that could put the Australian War Memorial at the centre of partisan political debate.

In 2009 Mr Beazley said historic conflicts between European settlers and Aboriginal and Torres Islander populations, referred to by some as the frontier wars, should be recognised through the creation of “interpretation centres”.

“He pointedly did not say at the Australian War Memorial,” Mr Joyce said.

“The War Memorial is a place where we recognise those who made the sacrifice against a common enemy.

“There are other Australians who have laid down their lives for our nation; and are remembered in separate places to the War Memorial.

“That is why it is appropriate that the conflicts that occurred within Australia, between European settlers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the internecine conflicts between Aboriginal people themselves, should be remembered at the proposed new Ngurra facility, which the former Coalition Government had already committed nearly $320 million towards,” he said.

This centre is planned to be built at the Parliamentary Triangle, between Old Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial, in the heart of the nation’s capital.

“It is proposed this will be both a learning centre and a national resting place for the care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains.”