Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408:front:0:p319
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408
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Character Range: 967641–970529

memory' (Marshall and others 2010b, vol. 1, p. 162).

The link between democracy and the 'price' or consequences of democracy arose in both focus groups and also in the interviews.  This was seen as a powerful counterpoint created through the positioning of the Australian War Memorial and Parliament at opposite ends of the axis, and one that that is widely appreciated in this landscape, as evidenced by visitors to Canberra.

The national perceptions study (Ritchie & Leon-Marillanca 2006) supports this contention, demonstrating the importance of the Land Axis and its two notional end-point buildings for their symbolic embodiment of national values linked to Australia's Defence force history, democracy and a broader sense of Australian history.

Perhaps this symbolism goes even further and is a symbol of Australia as a sovereign state and our relationship with other sovereign states.  The memorials associated with Greece, New Zealand and Turkey are examples, as is the tradition of senior officials from other countries visiting and laying wreaths at the Australian War Memorial, and sometimes at a memorial on Anzac Parade.  For both New Zealand and Greece for example, their memorials are a tangible reminder of past and present relationships between nations.  The meanings of these memorials and the place as a whole are shared with those representing some foreign countries here, and those who visit.  This aspect is worthy of further investigation.

Armed services community
Asked about the importance of Anzac Parade to Australians, focus group participants saw it as of outstanding importance.

Pearson & Crockett note,

    'There is a substantial sector of the community, the veterans organisations in particular, for whom the Memorial is still clearly a personalised symbol of Australia's war experience with which they feel very strongly and directly associated.  It is a sacred place dedicated to the memory of those who died in war.  The resurgence in public interest reflected in high attendances at Anzac day ceremonies, the opening of the Vietnam Memorial, and the interment of the Unknown Soldier, has been interpreted as pointing to a broadly based respect for, and interest in, Australia's involvement in war.  It has been interpreted by some we have interviewed as being part of the ongoing growth of interest in Australian history and nationalism.'  (Pearson & Crockett 1995, p. 51)

These sentiments were strongly reflected in the values arising from focus groups and interviews.

First, and perhaps most importantly, was the expression that these memorials and this place – Anzac Parade – is 'ours' – not as exclusive owners but rather because the memorials and Anzac Parade tell both the national Defence service stories but also represent thousands of individual stories.  Further, they recognise that people served – 'they were there'.  The narrative