Beach,

I can't comment on the truthfulness or otherwise of the former PM Gillard, on this "report". Other than a few doctored words in a Murdoch rag which may or may not have been contained in said "report" and therefore wholly truthful. Simply produce the report and I'll comment.

On a much more serious note, a foreigner and his blatant Un-Australian activity. This morning on my return from the 6am local ANZAC service, a time, just a few hours this morning, for all Australians to pause and remember men and women who did make a huge sacrifice for Australia, many giving their lives, and I genuinely mean that. Forget the politics for a moment I was discussed that even on this morning local shops were trading. The newsagent was flogging the Murdoch gutter rag, the coffee bloke was making a quid from latte's, etc. I think as a mark of respect a little "sacrifice" by the rest of us, including business is called for. I know there are genuine reasons for some people to work on ANZAC morning, but flogging newspapers and coffee is not one of them. Is the likes of Murdoch so desperate for a dollar that the money changers have to flog his papers for him this morning? I'm not even asking that people give up the whole day, just the morning, a quarter of the day.

Paul 1405, "Simply produce the report and I'll comment"

Would be able to do that if the Gillard/Greens government had made it available to the public. Not so good on public disclosure were they?

Julia Gillard had to hose it down fast and take the PM's podium to issue a strong statement as damage control. The public got a fleeting glimpse of the PC multicultural future for the ANZAC commemoration at least and it wasn't pretty. Consult with the public on that stuff? Not damned likely!

Any wonder there has been so much buzzing in the hive since the exasperated Australian public acted to put the rubbish out in Canberra.

Dear RObert,

The following link just may put things into
their proper perspective:

http://www.eccq.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ANZAC-Day-and-Multiculturalism-28_03.pdf

We're told that -

"The assertion that Anzac Day could provide division in
multicultural Australia is entirely disengaged
(i.e - a furphy) from
the reports published by the National Commission on the
Commemoration of the Anzac Day Centenuary. The research
was not conducted to examine the impact of the
Commemoration on Anzac Day on multicultural Australia, nor
did it engage with culturally and linguistically (CALD) groups
on the issue."

OTB
Thanks for posting that link, it is the article I most recall about the issue.

The fact that the government commissioned a report that included 'focus groups' at a total cost of $473,000 angered me.

How dare someone suggest we consider foreign cultures in our commemorations of the 100th ANZAC DAY. It is none of their business.

The report said, Commemorations should be "culturally sensitive and inclusive", the paper states.

No wonder there was a serious backlash that made Gillard try to distance herself from it. No wonder some people were angry enough to sent a chain email to make people aware of what was suggested.

The report was never tabled so the government must have leaked it for the media to get hold of it.

The report was an utter disgrace, even for the government of the time.

cont'd ...

Dear RObert,

Try these two links:

http://abalnx.com/wordpress/hellenic/files/2012/03/ANZAC-DAY-RESEARCH-REPORT.pdf

http://www.anzaccentenary.gov.au/documents/anzac_centenary_report.pdf

Thanks Foxy, links to documents at http://www.anzaccentenary.gov.au/anzac_centenary/publications.htm

I assume it's this one http://www.anzaccentenary.gov.au/documents/anzac_centenary_report.pdf

but possibly this http://www.anzaccentenary.gov.au/documents/acab_report.pdf

I've not read either and some basic searching didn't match on any of the key words I expected to be there given the commentary about the report.

Who will the the first to find the relevant sections?

R0bert