Centenary of ANZAC Committee

Mr TARZIA (Hartley) (15:23): Last year and early this year I was part of the local centenary of ANZAC grants committee, and it is for that reason that I rise today to talk about the ANZAC Centenary local grants in my area. The Australian government's ANZAC Centenary Local Grants Program assists and encourages communities all across Australia to undertake their own ANZAC Centenary projects that commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australian servicemen and women in the First World War.

That program is certainly a key element of the Australian government's ANZAC centenary program through which funding of up to $125,000, as members might be aware, is made available for each federal member of parliament to support projects in their electorate commemorating the First World War. In January this year, the federal government approved a number of grants to improve our local war memorials and projects in our area. It is certainly an excellent result for families not only in Hartley but across the state whose relatives have fought and served in conflicts across the globe, as we lead into the centenary of ANZAC.

I am proud to say that successful applicants, both in my area and also close to my area, were the following: Kensington Park RSL Sub-Branch, which aims to refurbish and replace the current Soldier's Memorial Grove with a new plinth and stone wall, and they were awarded $25,152; St Martin's Anglican Church, which aims to construct a memorial pathway and garden as a tribute to the members of the local community who served in the First World War, and their grant was $30,000; Campbelltown City Council, which will upgrade the First World War memorial at the intersection of Lower North East Road and Gorge Road, Paradise, and their grant was $21,000; St George's Church Historical Group at Magill, they will make a First World War commemorative booklet and service statue, I believe, as well, and their grant was $5,000; followed by the Payneham RSL Sub-Branch—of which I am a member, Mr Acting Speaker, and you are always welcome to come there for a drink on a Tuesday afternoon—they will attach a bronze—

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): A bit early for me, member for Hartley.

Mr TARZIA: A bit early for you? They will attach a bronze sword to the Cross of Sacrifice within the Garden of Remembrance, and they were awarded $6,497. Obviously, 2015 is an extremely important year to not only remember but reflect on the courage and the sacrifice of our servicemen and women and I congratulate all of our successful applicants on this achievement.

As a member of the local Centenary of ANZAC Grants Committee, we worked cooperatively and hard to ensure that our community received the necessary grants. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the many groups, clubs and organisations in our area which do so much for the ANZAC tradition. There are many services on Remembrance Day and ANZAC Day across the area and I sincerely thank the men and women, the volunteers, who are a part of these great organisations. They are the backbone of our society and I thank them for the wonderful work they do in our community.