The Australian War Memorial suggested reducing the religious content in the Anzac Day Dawn Service to address concerns about the length of the event impacting TV broadcasting, and not to address public concerns about religious dominance, documents reveal. 

Documents obtained by the Rationalist Society of Australia under freedom of information laws detail discussions between War Memorial staff and the ACT branch of the Returned & Services League (RSL) leading up to last year’s Dawn Service.

In a meeting on 16 April 2024, War Memorial officials told the RSL that the chaplain’s role and reciting of hymns “could be reduced” in order to stop the event from running over time.

The documents reveal that in previous years the ABC had cut the live broadcast after 30 minutes, before the completion of the event.

The War Memorial asked the RSL to consider options and provide suggestions for reducing the event format. 

In response, staff from the RSL said the chaplain had a traditional role in leading the Lord’s Prayer and benediction, and the RSL offered to shuffle the order of proceedings or tighten the MC’s script.

Christian acts of worship dominated last year’s Dawn Service, with Christian hymns, a Christian dedication and benediction, and the Lord’s Prayer all presided over by a Christian chaplain.

Documents show that, in the same meeting with the RSL, the War Memorial mentioned concerns raised by the public about the domination of the event by Christianity. Yet, the War Memorial staff made no suggestions for addressing the problem.

“[War Memorial staff member] notes feedback from Rationalist Society of Australia urging AWM to consider diversifying/reducing religious elements of service to reflect diversity of Aus society,” says the meeting minutes.

In response to the feedback, the chief executive officer of the RSL, Kimberley Hicks, is noted as having said: “Christian elements reflect experiences of Anzacs at the time, tradition…”  

The president of the RSL, John King, argued that it was beneficial for the chaplain to “mention that people of all faiths/beliefs are invited to reflect in their own way (noting it is a spiritual experience – not tied to one faith).” 

Public pressure is growing on the War Memorial to take full responsibility for the running of the Dawn Service and to stop allowing Christianity to be imposed on the annual event.

An online petition established in late February by the Rationalist Society of Australia has gathered more than 1000 signatures.

Despite the event being held on its grounds, the War Memorial outsources the hosting of the Dawn Service to the ACT RSL.

As the Rationalist Society of Australia discovered last year – having made a discrimination complaint about this issue to the ACT Human Rights Commission – the ACT RSL appears to have no interest in addressing concerns about the religious nature of the event. Instead, it has suggested that Australians can attend “numerous alternative services”.

In June last year, the head of the War Memorial, Matt Anderson, told the Rationalist Society of Australia that “traditions move slowly”. He also pledged that the War Memorial would consider the feedback as part of its planning processes for future events.

Earlier this month, Rationalist Society of Australia wrote to Mr Anderson, seeking a meeting with the War Memorial to discuss the issue. However, it has not yet received a response.

The Rationalist Society of Australia is actively lobbying and advocating for secular reform of the Defence Force and military commemorations. See the latest updates here.

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Si Gladman is Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.