EXCLUSIVE
A furious defamation row has erupted over a portrait of Australia’s most decorated war hero amid allegations it was removed from the town hall meeting room following a complaint it was offensive.
The painting of Sir Thomas Blamey, who served in the First and Second World Wars and is credited with saving Australia from almost certain invasion, had been prominently displayed in the Wagga Wagga council chamber for almost a quarter of a century .
However, local MP and former deputy premier Michael McCormack said he was “absolutely flabbergasted” to learn it was removed in August after one of the city councilors allegedly complained about its presence.
The former Minister for Veterans Affairs has now accused the council of being “cowardly” and giving in to “symbolic wokism” after agreeing to move the offending painting.
“Our town is a proud military town – it’s the only outback regional center serving all three branches of the Australian Defense Force,” McCormack told Daily Mail Australia.
“But an anonymous Wagga city councilor apparently took offense to the photograph of Thomas Blamey in the main council meeting room, asked for it to be removed and, shamefully, it was done.
‘To think that an elected representative would object to one of our best soldiers is nothing short of an insult.
Sir Thomas Blamey’s portrait held a place of honor in Wagga Wagga council’s meeting room for almost a quarter of a century before it was quietly moved to another building in August.
Sir Thomas Blamey’s leadership is credited with helping to prevent an almost certain invasion of Australia at the height of the Second World War.
‘Because? What possible reason could there be for removing Blamey’s portrait and placing it in a broom closet?
‘I have always supported our council and its officials… but I am not prepared to accept that a war hero is treated like this, and the council is trying to rewrite history 70 years after his death.
‘It is an affront to Blamey, to every person wearing uniform in the ADF today (especially on our own military base), to every veteran, to our garrison city and, frankly, to our intelligence.
“It seems that nowadays it is acceptable for a shopkeeper to display offensive words and anti-Semitic material in the window of a shop on Fitzmaurice Street, but it is not right for the image of a local war hero to be displayed in our local council chambers .
“This is not how Wagga Wagga should be.”
Sir Thomas was born in Lake Albert, southeast of Wagga, in 1884. He was the seventh of 10 children of an immigrant father and an Australian-born mother.
He enlisted in the Australian Army as a regular soldier in 1906, before rising through the ranks and serving as a general in both world wars, eventually becoming the only Australian to achieve the rank of field marshal.
Sir Thomas Blamey (pictured) served in the Australian Army in both world wars and is the only Australian to achieve the rank of field marshal.
Between the wars, he served as chief commissioner of Victoria’s police force for more than a decade despite a scandal breaking out just over a month into his reign when his police badge was found during a raid on a Fitzroy brothel. .
He later explained that he had given his keys and badge to a friend who had served alongside him in France so he could help himself to some alcohol at his locker at the city’s naval and military club.
His official biography on the Australian War Memorial website notes that for all of Sir Thomas’s military achievements “on a personal level, Blamey’s public drinking and womanizing damaged his reputation.”
His lasting legacy has been honored with streets and parks named after him across the country.
A statue of Sir Thomas stands in Melbourne’s Kings Domain, while the square outside the Department of Defense in Canberra is named in his honour, as is Blamey Barracks at the Army National Recruit Training Center at Kapooka in Wagga .
The controversial portrait of Sir Thomas was presented to the city of Wagga Wagga by the Commandant and all ranks of Blamey Barracks on 26 May 2001, to mark the 50th anniversary of his death.
‘Was it perfect? No,” said Mr McCormack. ‘But who is he? Wagga Wagga should always be proud of this man who is one of ours.
“Our country would be a very different place without him and his leadership – he led Australia through both world wars and we will always be grateful that his leadership helped prevent a potential Japanese invasion.”
Former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has harshly criticized the council for giving in to “symbolic wokism” by changing the portrait and wants it to be re-hung in the chambers.
‘When at times all seemed lost and there were well-founded fears that Australia would be taken, Blamey stood firm.
‘The Soldier’s Home, 1st Recruit Training Battalion in Kapooka, is appropriately named Blamey Barracks in his honour.
He has a local hotel and a suburban street in Turvey Park named after him.
“But despite all that well-deserved praise, he has now become the latest to fall victim to the wokeness that permeates society.
“Cancel culture has caught up with this hero.”
McCormack said he wanted the portrait immediately rehung in the council chamber and for the councilor who complained to publicly apologize.
“What an insult to the memory of Blamey and what Kapooka does for our city that this heartless act was carried out in the building to serve the people of this military city,” he said.
‘The anonymous councilor who complained would not be the type to stick his head above the parapet and defend our nation against our enemies.
Sir Thomas has been honored with a statue at Kings Domain in Melbourne
‘The portrait of Thomas Blamey should be returned to its rightful place in the chambers… today.
“And the councilor who raised their objection should issue an immediate apology…and then go and do what they were elected to do and fix some potholes instead of trying to rewrite history.”
That seems unlikely to happen. The council responded to Mr McCormack when Daily Mail Australia approached him for comment on Monday.
Wagga Wagga City Council general manager Peter Thompson insisted the portrait had simply been moved to a different building where it could be seen by more members of the community.
“Wagga Wagga City Council takes enormous pride in its relationship with the Australian Defense Force over the past 100 years,” he said in a statement.
‘The Member for Riverina, the Hon. MP Michael McCormack has used the media to criticize the Council; However, the substance of his comment on the portrait of Sir Thomas Blamey is misleading and false.
‘The portrait of Sir Thomas Blamey has never been stored.
‘In August this year, the portrait was displayed in a different location, which coincides with the routine rotation of many of our artworks.
‘The portrait hangs proudly in our beloved Riverina Historical Council Chambers Museum, just over 40 meters from its previous location in the council meeting room, which is not open to the public unless a meeting is being held. meeting.
“The portrait occupies a privileged place in a public museum that everyone can attend for free.”
The ‘Soldier’s House’, the Army Recruit Training Center at Kapooka, in Sir Thomas’ home town of Wagga Wagga, is named in his honour.
The city council did not comment on the allegation that the portrait had been moved following a complaint from one of the city councillors.
McCormack refused to agree to the portrait being moved as part of a “routine rotation policy.”
“Sir Thomas Blamey’s portrait has hung in the council meeting room for 23 years, since it was gifted to the city, so removing it for the first time in 23 years is not a routine rotation,” he said.
“They are struggling to find an excuse because they know what they have done is shameful and wrong.”