Albany Anzac horse debate continues

Albany MLA Peter Watson says he will continue to push for horses to be included in the Anzac centenary march, amid revelations last week a compromise could be reached to give horses a stationary presence at the event.

After the Albany Advertiser reported the controversial decision to not allow the Albany and Bunbury 10th Light Horse associations to take part in the Anzac commemorative march along York Street, it was met with national outrage.

Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of Anzac Senator Michael Ronaldson told ABC Great Southern and 6PR last week he had written to Anzac steering committee chairman Major General Dave Chalmers asking him to review the decision.

Senator Ronaldson said he was advised the decision to ban the horses taking part in the march would still stand, based on safety concerns.

“I have been advised on safety grounds that it would not be appropriate,” he said.

“I don’t know how anyone could possibly imagine that having had that advice … how I can, in all conscience, go against that, and quite frankly, I couldn’t live with myself if something happened on the day, having got that advice, and therefore, the decision stands.”

However, Senator Ronaldson said the committee would consider allowing the horses to stand on the corner of York Street and Serpentine Road, the point where the march will turn around.

Mr Watson, who is expected to send the results of an online petition with more than 2000 signatures to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs this week, said the decision lacked common sense and the compromise was not good enough.

“No one will see them, they will be standing up there like traffic police, they will have a crowd around them without a barrier, that will be more dangerous to me than in the march where they are moving and the rider has control,” he said.

“To put them up there in the corner in a little section, they’re more or less saying, ‘we’ll stick you up there where no one will see you, so we feel better about it’.

“To say that it is too dangerous is just beyond me.

“They’ve made up their mind and they are not listening to the will of the people.”

Albany 10th Light Horse Association president Bill Kingston agreed.

“It’s a bloody disgrace and an insult to the veterans of the First World War … it will take all the spectacle out of the march,” he said.

“They need to be in the march or not there at all.”

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