Submission to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee into the impact of Defence training activities and facilities on rural and regional communities by John Cox Summary Increased security at Defence bases is negatively impacting the relationship between local communities and Defence organisations. The reduced access to bases has economic and social impacts for both the community and Defence. A solution is to locate select facilities that require lesser levels of security outside the high security perimeters of bases. Examples are Navy, Army and Airforce Museums. While the museums are used principally in the training of ADF members, museums also serve a valuable purpose in linking communities to the Defence Force. Regional military units need strong links with regional communities; they are neighbours and cooperative arrangements help both parties. It is common for members of local communities to become volunteers as guides and researchers at Defence museums. Social and economic bonds are strengthened through museums attracting visitors from distances away from a rural and regional community. Increased visitation helps local economies. And it helps Defence in connecting to Australians, particularly in support of recruitment. The proposed Armour and Artillery Museum at Puckapunyal/Seymour in is only one and a half hours drive from ’s northern and inner suburbs. A day trip from a major population centre is highly marketable and increases visits. The museum project is worth over $20 million. Such investment should be shared with the broader community where possible. Social bonds extend to training at Defence museum facilities for school and tertiary students undertaking related studies. Student training has been undertaken at military museums Australia wide. Museums outside security boundaries make these opportunities more accessible. Museums have supervised people undertaking work on Community Service Orders. A museum outside a secure base increases the likelihood of this option being used. Seymour is a rail centre on a main line connecting to Melbourne to the south and the major rural towns of Benalla, and the /Wodonga to the north. Puckapunyal to Seymour is 15 minutes driving time. Could land be found for the museum near Seymour railway station, perhaps through an arrangement with the Victorian State Government? It would markedly increase the attractiveness of Seymour as a destination. Additionally Seymour is essentially on the Hume Freeway with its enormous traffic flow and a road means of accessing a museum. A museum in walking distance of the Seymour station would experience much increased visitation, further connecting Defence with the community. If located away from a town centre, a regional community and Defence cooperative arrangement to create a Defence Museum Community Park, collocated with a museum, is suggested to extend the interaction and bonds with the community. The ‘park’ component would be jointly funded and operated through a Memorandum of Agreement between Defence and a local Council. Scaled to suit the circumstances, a ‘Park’ might include a netball and basketball court, cricket nets, a simple shelter and a bar-b-que (for example).

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Recommendations The Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee consider including in its final report the following recommendations:

• “Defence is urged to hasten the build of the Australian Army Armour and Artillery museum in the Puckapunyal/Seymour area and use it as a model for establishing a balance between Army’s training needs and engagement with the community”. • “Defence and Local Communities are urged to create Defence Museum Community Parks (through a Memorandum of Agreement) for the provision and maintenance of (for example); netball and basketball courts, cricket nets and a bar-b-que collocated with Defence museums in regional areas.” • Existing Recommendation 4.7 The committee recommends that Defence review the accessibility of military museums located within Defence bases and investigate options to improve access and increase visitor numbers.

Rural and Regional Communities and Defence Museums Access This submission strongly agrees with the Committees Fourth interim report: Recommendation 4.7 The committee recommends that Defence review the accessibility of military museums located within Defence bases and investigate options to improve access and increase visitor numbers. Community access to military museums on Defence Bases is difficult. It can be resolved by locating museums outside a base high security boundary or establishing them within the community itself, collocated with other facilities such as recreational centres or libraries, and/or near major transport hubs and routes. Army museums are located near training schools so course members can gain technical understanding and esprit de corps from the displays in the museums. Trainee use of museums will not suffer if the museum is located just outside a base high security perimeter or nearby, adjacent to a close town. For example, it is only 15 minutes driving time from Puckapunyal to Seymour.

Benefits: Win-Win The Australian Defence Force’s volunteer workforce is recruited from the Australian community. The Australian Defence Force needs city, regional and rural communities to hold positive attitudes to service in the ADF. Recruitment of high quality capable people is challenging and needs to draw on all Australians. Regionally and rurally located bases offer opportunities to engage the local population and build positive relationships that create the conditions for consideration of Defence service. Economically healthy rural and regional communities with good employment opportunities facilitate the development of young Australians into motivated and educated members of the Australian workforce. The presence of Defence bases should result in flow-on effects from increased expenditure to rural and regional communities. The opportunities are diminished the more a Defence base becomes a closed community. This is to the detriment of both the community and Defence.

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Defence Bases have been embedded in regional areas since before Federation and especially between the World Wars. They often contain unit history rooms or military museums that serve to conserve and display Australian military heritage. Many of these collections are housed in buildings or barracks that in themselves represent a historical record that belongs to all Australians. After all, it is the not too distant ancestors of today’s Australians who served their country in conflicts. It is a connection that should continue to be nurtured for both the interests of Defence and rural and regional communities. Whilst serving military members have ready access to these collections for the purpose of training, military history and research, community members may find it difficult to visit due to security measures to protect bases. Defence regional recruiting relies heavily on local engagement and the collections provide a focal point for those who are interested in the military. It is well documented that successful military recruiting is predicated on “multiple touches” with prospective applicants being influenced by a number of contacts most commonly through advertising, publications and displays to arouse interest. Ready access to military museums provides strong support for mainstream recruitment messaging. Schools look to military museums in the first term of the year to reference and bring to life Australian military history in the lead up to ANZAC Day. Tertiary students undertaking curatorial and museum management studies have previously undertaken temporary placements in Defence museums. Tertiary students would look to undertake more research where military museums are easily accessed.

A Model Opportunity The proposed Australian Army Armour and Artillery Museum to be built on the boundary of the Puckapunyal Military Area within 5 years is a sensible approach to reduce the restrictions on access to the community. It is anticipated that visitor numbers will be substantial having economic and social benefits for the Town of Seymour as well as the wider community. Increased visitor flow generates service, business and infrastructure requirements that have multiplier effects. The construction of the museum would also provide employment opportunities for local people as well as possible tenders for the project itself. Consideration might be given to building the Armour and Artillery Museum in a location that is easily accessible to visitation from Seymour town centre. Locating it nearer to Seymour could have significant access benefits, making it a more attractive destination for day trippers from Melbourne, Albury/Wodonga and Bendigo. Seymour is an historic railway town with regular services to and from Melbourne with its large urban population, and north to the rural centres of Benalla, Wangaratta and Wodonga. Additionally the town is adjacent to the junction of the Hume Freeway and Goulbourn Valley Highway providing quick access from major population centres between Sydney and Melbourne. Such a drawcard would bring day trippers to the site and town from around the region as well as cities, bringing the economic and social benefits arising from increased numbers. ‘Grey nomads’ who are often influencers on grandchildren’s career choices should be a target for visitation. Locating the museum reasonably close to Seymour complements the existing military attractions such as the Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk and Australian Light Horse Memorial. Could land for could be found near Seymour railway station, perhaps through an arrangement between the Victorian State Government and Defence? The museum near the Seymour rail hub would experience much increased visitation, further connecting Defence with the community. Navy’s Garden Island Museum in Sydney is a first

3 class example of a successful well located museum accessible via a popular public transport route (a ferry in this case) is successful. The Armour and Artillery Museum should avoid being like the Army’s Infantry and Engineer Museums at Singleton and Holsworthy in NSW, which are difficult to access for the public. When locating and establishing a museum the right balance must be struck between Defence’s training needs, indirectly communicating information on Defence Force service for recruitment and the Australian public’s needs; and at least creating economic opportunities in small rural communities. With a proposed investment of over $20 million in the Armour and Artillery Museum, getting the balance right across all stakeholders is important. Sourcing museum volunteers could also be easier if the museum was located nearer Seymour township. Military museums usually depend on volunteers to operate effectively and location is a prime factor for them. Volunteers come from many backgrounds not necessarily ex- soldiers. They tend to have a multiplier effect on their friends and families strengthening community bonds. Often volunteers become researchers providing valuable compilations of unit, regional and national history. Volunteer positions offer real work experience; they are not only for the retired generation. Seymour is a rail centre on a main line connecting to Melbourne to the south and the major rural towns of Benalla, Wangaratta and the Albury/Wodonga to the north. Puckapunyal to Seymour is 15 minutes driving time. If land for could be found near Seymour railway station, perhaps through an arrangement between the Victorian State Government and Defence, it would markedly increase the attractiveness of Seymour as a destination. Additionally Seymour is essentially on the Hume Freeway with its enormous traffic flow and a road means of accessing a museum. The museum would experience much increased visitation, further connecting Defence with the community. Museums also offer the opportunity for Magistrates to provide sentencing options for offenders to perform unpaid community service at a suitably supervised and appropriate facility. This is a particularly important option for young offenders who may well gain insight into the self- discipline and sacrifice made by those who came before them. The Australian Army Artillery Museum was in Sydney until it closed in 2010. It is planned to be re-established at a new museum (Armour and Artillery Museum) at Puckapunyal. The significant historic Australian artillery collection is in storage waiting to be displayed. The Armour museum buildings in Puckapunyal are in a sad state. Its visitation from the public has declined dramatically since base security measures were increased. The regional community would benefit economically and socially from a firm commitment to plan, build and invest in the new museum in an accessible location. Defence Museum Community Park Concept Sport, art and cultural activities are often drivers of participation and the building of community spirit with the exchange of ideas and the creation of business opportunities. It is contended that a Museum on its own while valued and interesting is only part of a solution to improving Defence’s interaction with rural and regional communities. Historically, regional Defence bases had many sporting facilities which the local community could access for competition or friendly games. Increased security has essentially stopped this aspect of access and reduced the community interaction. The effect of a Defence museum outside a secure base boundary can be enhanced if complemented with the co-location of facilities that communities’ value. Extending the appeal

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of the museum location beyond those only interested in a museum visit has merit. It widens the potential for engagement and visitation. A regional community and Defence cooperative arrangement to create a Defence Museum Community Park, collocated with a museum, is suggested to extend the interaction and bonds with the community. The ‘park’ component would be jointly funded and operated through a Memorandum of Agreement between Defence and the local Council. Scaled to circumstances, a ‘Park’ might include a netball and basketball court, cricket nets and a bar-b-que (for example). A ‘Park’ increases investment options and opportunities. Conclusion This submission strongly agrees with the Committees Fourth interim report: Recommendation 4.7 “The committee recommends that Defence review the accessibility of military museums located within Defence bases and investigate options to improve access and increase visitor numbers.” Ready access to museums by positioning them outside high security boundaries of bases provides opportunities to strengthen community bonds, socially and economically. Rural and Regional Communities and Defence bases should have a natural co-dependent relationship. The relationship is diminished by increased security at bases causing decreased access. While Defence museums are used principally in the training of junior soldiers they also serve a valuable purpose in linking communities to the Australian Defence Force. The proposed $20 million plus Australian Army Armour and Artillery Museum for Puckapunyal area could be developed as a model for balancing Defence’s training needs and the community’s need for economic and social interaction. It would be good policy if Defence provided a greater focus and urgency to the build the Armour and Artillery museum in the Puckapunyal/Seymour area and use it as a model for establishing a balance between Army’s training needs and engagement with the community. Defence and Local Communities are urged to consider the creation of Defence Museum Community Parks (through a Memorandum of Agreement) for the provision and maintenance of (for example); netball and basketball courts, cricket nets and a bar-b-que collocated with Defence museums in regional areas.”

John Cox

9 May 2018

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