Anzac Day commemorations across the City of Ipswich will be appropriately supported this year and into the future after council on Thursday endorsed the establishment of a new grant program.
Mayor Teresa Harding moved a Mayoral Minute at council’s ordinary meeting to rectify shortcomings recently identified in council’s existing Civic Events Policy and establish the new grants program.
The motion, endorsed unanimously, allows for:
- Section five ‘Scope’ of council’s Civic Events Policy to be amended to include the following addition: Anzac Day Commemorative Services: Provide support through community funding and in-kind support in line with the Community Funding and Support Policy.
- That council establishes a new Anzac Day Commemorative Services funding and in-kind support grant program to be made available to organising committees this year and in the future, through an open and transparent process for the purpose of funding operational costs associated with the delivery of these events per guidelines to be developed in consultation with councillors.
Mayor Harding said Anzac Day is a sacred day for all Australians and it was appropriate that council support Ipswich services.
“Anzac Day is a day where our nation recognises the sacrifices that our veterans and serving members of the Australian Defence Force make,” Mayor Harding said.
“By coming together as a community, we say to those who put duty to their nation ahead of their own personal safety and comforts, we say, ‘you matter, what you did matters, you are in our hearts’.
“We are a proud garrison town, deeply connected to the men and women who have served our nation.
“Council is currently working closely with 16 Anzac Day commemorative service organisations to deliver 22 services in Booval, Brassall, Bundamba, Ebbw Vale, Goodna, Grandchester, Limestone Hill, Ipswich, Marburg, North Ipswich, One Mile, Pine Mountain, Redbank Plains, Rosewood, Springfield Central and Woodend.
“Through recent community consultation, it has come to the attention of council that some organising committees have had to rethink their commemorations due to the requirements of Queensland Health’s COVID Safe Events Framework.
“It also came to our attention that council’s Civic Events Policy does not explicitly include support for the range of Anzac Day commemorative services in our city.
“These changes are made in recognition of the undying spirit of the ANZACs, with its qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, which continues to resonate and be relevant to our local identity.
“These changes address the clear inadequacies in the current policy by establishing an Anzac Day Commemorative Services grant program to be made available to organising committees this year and in the future, through an open and transparent process for the purpose of funding operational costs associated with the delivery of these events per guidelines which will be developed in consultation with councillors.”
More information about Ipswich Anzac Day services is available here: https://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/explore/whats-on/anzac-day
