VETERANS' MEMORIAL PROJECTS

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (15:20): My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. What grants have been made recently to ensure that the service and sacrifice of those who have served our nation in times of peril are not forgotten?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:20): I thank the member for Light for the question. It comes at an appropriate time as we look towards the centenary of ANZAC and World War I commencing in 2014. I am pleased that national planning for the centenary of ANZAC is well advanced, and work done in South Australia by Veterans SA is highly regarded. Commemorative projects play a major role in educating Australians young and old about our wartime heritage. My department has worked collaboratively with the commonwealth government to ensure appropriate funding is provided for South Australian memorial projects.

In partnership with the commonwealth, Saluting their Service grants have provided funding to the Clare RSL sub-branch to help install lighting on its World War II memorial and the District Council of Orroroo to assist in the restoration and relocation of an important stained glass window, Orroroo being in the electorate of the member for Goyder.

Mr van Holst Pellekaan: Stuart.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I beg your pardon. I just heard the member for Goyder saying, 'Hear, hear!' My apologies. Recently, $170,000 worth of grants for memorial projects across Australia were announced by the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, commonwealth Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Projects in a variety of rural areas have been funded at Clare, Georgetown, Mount Lofty, Mypolonga and Port Vincent. Hopefully these will all be completed by ANZAC Day. These projects help to ensure that our wartime history is remembered and the sacrifice of those who served continues to be honoured.

Veterans SA has a strong relationship with the Department of Veterans' Affairs in South Australia, and I was pleased that as a result of this relationship we could direct the East Torrens Historical Society to where funding could be found for their worthy project, the restoration of a World War I honour board at the Uraidla Primary School.

A very large number of volunteers for World War I and World War II came from country South Australia. Rural South Australia was heavily impacted by war. Often more than one member of a family was lost; that is why these memorials are so important. They are beacons of remembrance to ensure that we never forget.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!