War veterans and stakeholders have given a big thumbs up to the first Canberra Anzac Day commemoration to be conducted on the watch of the newly appointed Australian War Memorial director, Dr Brendan Nelson.
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The conduct of the services has also been strongly backed by members of the AWM council, including chairman Rear Admiral Ken Doolan (ret).
Admiral Doolan said the combined attendance of more than 50,000 people was ''extraordinary''. ''People have voted with their feet,'' he said. ''Brendan has built on the work of Steve Gower [the former director] and people have come from all over Australia to take part.''
One of those was Neville Gale, a Perth Vietnam veteran who served as a platoon commander based at Nui Dat in the mid-1960s.
''The dawn service worked really well but the march and the national service was even better,'' he said. ''For me the highlight of the day was the address by Brendan Nelson; it was outstanding - passionate and from the heart. [VC recipient] Ben Roberts-Smith is a fine young man, a real role model, and his readings [at the dawn service] were very emotional. I thought the projection of the images onto the memorial was sensational.''
Curtin's Colonel Adrian Roberts, who commanded the relief force at the Battle of Long Tan, was favourably impressed by both services. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, he had to watch them on television.
''The Canberra ceremonies were very good. They have to evolve as it becomes harder and harder for older veterans to take part.''
Waramanga's Ed Jones, a 93-year-old World War II veteran who was shot at Milne Bay during the New Guinea campaign, said Dr Nelson's speech had been delivered ''with a lot of vigour''. ''He seems to be making a lot of changes. I thought he spoke very well. He is an ex-politician, so you would expect that.''
Australia Defence Association executive director Neil James has received numerous phone calls and emails, all praising the ceremonies. ''The feedback I am getting is positive,'' he said. ''Everyone is talking about it, especially the role of Ben Roberts-Smith. The reading of the letters [at the dawn service] went down very well.''
Mr James, who attended the Queanbeyan dawn service, not the Canberra one, said he could only comment on the feedback he had received.
Graham Edwards, a member of the AWM council, a former MP and a Vietnam veteran, told Fairfax he had a bone to pick with the memorial's new director.
''I was at the Perth service,'' he said. ''Ben Roberts-Smith is a West Australian and the bastard [Dr Nelson] poached him out from under noses … Seriously though, Brendan has breathed new life into the dawn service.''
Asked if some of the changes, such as screening images on the walls of the AWM, were disrespectful, Mr Edwards disagreed.
''My answer to that is the crowds that attended and the respect that was shown,'' he said.
