Television Interview, Today Show

SUBJECTS: Remembrance Day; Eleven Australian Soldiers Identified More Than A Century After The First World War; Defence Estate Audit

SYLVIA JEFFREYS, HOST: Joining us on this Remembrance Day is Acting Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. Minister, thank you for your time. On Remembrance Day, it means something different to all of us, doesn't it? But for you personally, what is front of mind today?

RICHARD MARLES, ACTING PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think this is the day that we remember the 103,000 Australians who have made the ultimate sacrifice wearing our nation's uniform. And in acknowledging them, I think we also very much acknowledge the service of everyone who's worn our uniform in the past and everyone who wears it today. There is something very particular about putting on the uniform of the Australian Army, the Air Force, or the Navy, knowing that you are putting your entire self on the line. And for 103,000 Australians doing just that they never took that uniform off. And it is an act of service to our country, it has defended and protected our way of life, and all of us owe those people an incredible debt of gratitude, and today is a day to remember that.

JEFFREYS: And we extend that also to the families who are left behind, of course, who make sacrifices of their own. Eleven Australian soldiers who were killed during World War I, Minister, will be formally identified today, and your great uncle, Lieutenant Andrew Anderson, is among them. Richard, what does this moment mean to your family?

MARLES: Well, it's an extraordinary story. I was notified a few weeks ago that I was one of the descendants, the next of kin, of Lieutenant Andrew Anderson, who has been identified after more than a century. It's an incredible story in terms of actually the work which goes on to this day by the Army's Unrecovered War Casualties Unit. And they are investigating soldiers who were not identified at the time, trying to bring closure to families. And as you said, 11 soldiers have been identified in the last 12 months. That's quite a large number in any given year, it's about four or five. But it's taken me down a path of learning more about my great uncle. And also the fact that, you know, the 60,000 Australians who died in the First World War, a third of them were not identified at the time, which is an extraordinary number. Tens of thousands of the 103,000 Australians who have lost their lives in serving Australia, 23,000 of them are unidentified. So, it is a very, very large number, but it's an amazing story. It was totally unexpected for me and for me I've learnt about a young man who joined the Army at the age of 19. He needed the permission of his parents, my great grandparents, to do that. He very quickly rose through the ranks from being a private and just two weeks before he was killed, in fact, less than two weeks before he was killed, he was promoted to Lieutenant. I think a lot about what that journey must have been over the course of three years or so in obviously the most extraordinary circumstance that you can imagine anyone being in. But certainly I feel very proud of his service and in remembering everyone today who's lost their lives, for me, particularly remembering Lieutenant Andrew Anderson.

JEFFREYS: Yeah. And after decades of question marks and uncertainties, I'm sure a particularly moving ceremony for you personally today as you commemorate all the lives that have been lost in war. On the topic of military history, this morning you have reversed, we know, the decision to sell off the Victoria Barracks, but some in the defence community are still asking you to halt the eviction of personnel from the Sydney site. What do you say to those this morning, Minister, who feel the eviction alone severs 180 years of army history?

MARLES: Well, actually, this will be a much better heritage outcome. And I think one of the things that we need to remember is that in respect of Victoria Barracks Sydney, but also the other really major historic sites, Victoria Barracks Melbourne, Fort Queenscliff, and Point Cook, that heritage belongs to the entire nation. You know, right now, Victoria Barracks Sydney is off limits to Australians, to Sydneysiders, in fact, to most members of the Australian Army. Most members of the Australian Army have never been to Victoria Barracks Sydney. Most members of the Australian Army are not able to go to Victoria Barracks Sydney. What we have said is that this will remain in public hands, we will commission the Australian War Memorial to interpret the site to be able to tell the very significant military history story which is involved at Victoria Barracks Sydney in a much bigger and better way, with a much larger audience. And this is going to be opened up to Sydneysiders. It is an amazing place, having been there a number of times. And really the Australian Defence Force is the least appropriate organisation to be maintaining the heritage of this. Every dollar right now in respect of heritage is competing with a dollar that we need to be spending on capability for our Army. You know, my focus is on making sure our Army is more amphibious, making sure that we have long-range fires, making sure that our Army is fit to defend Australia today. And we simply can't be in a situation where we are spending hundreds of millions, that's the amount, hundreds of millions of dollars on that site alone to maintain it as a defence site. This is much better for the Defence Force. It will be much better for the stories that are there and telling them to a much wider Australian audience, which means it's a much better heritage outcome.

JEFFREYS: There is so much history in that site. It is no wonder that so many people within the community want to see that history preserved and honoured into the future. Defence Minister Richard Marles, we appreciate your time this morning on Remembrance Day. Thank you.

ENDS