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No more booze or Bee Gees at Gallipoli

No more booze or Bee Gees at Gallipoli
March 6, 2006 - 12:52PM


There will be no booze and no Bee Gees and visitors to this year's Anzac Day (April 25th ) commemorations at Gallipoli will be given garbage bags.

Announcing arrangements for the 91st anniversary of the Gallipoli landing, Veterans Affairs Minister Bruce Billson said the Australian, New Zealand and Turkish governments were united in their commitment to protect and preserve the former battlefield in Turkey.

Mr Billson, flanked by Turkish Ambassador Murat Ersavciand and RSL head Major General Bill Crews at the Australian War Memorial, said many lessons were learned in dealing with the record crowd who attended the 90th anniversary activities last year.

He said that had resulted in a number of improvements, with an updated transport plan to address road congestion, better food vending arrangements, improved seating and more toilets.

'Alcohol will be banned,' he said.

'The improvements should address many of last year's concerns and we will continue to give consideration as to how best to cater for the large crowds as we approach 2015, the 100th anniversary of the Anzac landings.'

Mr Billson said last year there was a lot of rubbish left behind and this year members of the group Conservation Volunteers Australia would undertake a post-commemoration cleanup.

Last year there were concerns about playing big screen rock music videos to crowds waiting for the dawn service.

Such entertainment has been dropped from this year's program.

'The Bee Gees will not be at the commemorations,' Mr Billson said.

'Commemoration is a solemn occasion where reverence needs to be not only understood but displayed to the legends of Anzac, whether they be New Zealanders, Australians or Turkish.

"We feel that the spirit of Anzac and the significance of the time is best reflected and conveyed in educational, informative and interpretive material. That is what we are proposing with documentaries and the insights we will be screening throughout the night in the leadup to the dawn service."

Because of security concerns, there are no bins on the Gallipoli site and a consequence last year was a vast quantity of rubbish left behind when crowds departed.

This year the information pack handed to all visitors will contain a garbage bag to aid the cleanup.

The kit will also contain an order of service, information, souvenir badge and, depending on the weather forecast, a plastic poncho to protect against wind and rain.

Mr Billson said the Australian and Turkish governments had undertaken a joint archaeological and historical review of the Gallipoli Peninsular, identifying sites of significance.

He said both countries also promised to commit funds once a master plan of future works had been agreed.

Mr Billson said he did not believe the crowds attending Anzac Day on Gallipoli yet justified ticketing for the event.

"As we look forward to the centenary as crowds continue to swell, crowd management is an important issue," he said.

"There is room for improvement. We acknowledge that and there are steps in place to improve that this year and we will continue to see whether further measures are required."

AAP

Posted by Spidey at 1:22 PM