Today, the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, has announced that gifts of $2 or more donated to the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project Inc are tax deductible from today until 31 December 2008.
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, the Hon Bruce Billson MP, commended the Australian Peacekeeping Association on its efforts to establish the memorial.
“Australian Peacekeepers have served our national continuously for sixty years in a range of operations.”
“This memorial in Canberra will commemorate and celebrate Australian peacekeeping and Australia’s contribution to international peacekeeping since the commitment to the first UN peacekeeping mission on 14 September 1947,” Mr Billson said.
The peacekeeping memorial will commemorate the deaths and casualties suffered by Australian Peacekeepers while deployed on operations. The Australian Government has provided $200,000 to assist with the establishment of the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial.
Minister Dutton advised that taxpayers should ensure they receive a receipt for their donation.
Legislation to amend the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to give effect to this announcement will be introduced as soon as practicable.