The Commonwealth Government will contribute $5 million to Melbournes Shrine of Remembrance from the Federation Fund.
The money will be used to develop the undercroft by fitting out Galleries of Remembrance depicting the way Australian servicemen and women lived while operating against the enemy.
Commemorating the men and women who served their country in time of war is commemorating a large contribution to the Centenary of the Australian nation.
The Galleries of Remembrance will provide a total experience for visitors by demonstrating, in realistic settings, aspects of life as it was lived by soldiers, sailors, airmen and of civilian men, women and children during both wartime and peace-keeping activities in which Australians have been involved.
By the maximum use of inter-active displays and modern audio and visual techniques soundscapes, touch screen videos and walk-through displays visitors will have a life-like total experience.
Special rooms will be set aside for lectures, further explanations and use by schools and tertiary institutions. The auditorium will show films relating to wartime on a continual schedule and be used for public lectures.
The Shrine of Remembrance is a venue for approximately 300,000 visitors a year. This includes many tourists and young people who are not aware what the Shrine symbolises. Many people have little knowledge of the sacrifices made by Victorians during World War I, World War II and the conflicts in Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam and the Gulf. The Galleries of Remembrance will show them.
Because the Galleries will trace the history of Australia at war from the Boer War through to the post-World War II conflicts, they will demonstrate how Australians have had to fight to maintain the freedom of this country and its inhabitants.
I congratulate the Trustees and supporters of the Shrine of Remembrance for conceiving this project and look forward to its completion by Anzac Day 2001.