(Transcript from World News Radio)
They made sacrifices for their country - but the final resting places of hundreds of war veterans could be in grave danger.
As 99 year leases on cemetery plots expire, diggers buried outside protected areas could have their headstones removed and their plots reused.
Karen Ashford reports
Percy Bolte was wounded while serving at the western front.
When he eventually died in 1965 he was buried in the civil section of Adelaide's Centennial Park cemetery, so that has beloved wife Effie would be able to join him when she too passed away ten years later.
There's no mention of his military service on his headstone, and relatives say he rarely spoke about the war.
Grandson Bill Lasscock says come November, the grave lease expires and could be up for reuse.
"Very sad, you know, I always thought once someone was buried, you know, that was there for life long - I don't think it's fair."
He and a cousin are trying to pull together more than $3000 dollars to extend the grave lease for another 50 years.
But Bill Lasscock fears it's effectively dead money.
"It's not about the money but there are some people out there who can't afford the money. It's not just us - we're not rich but you can scrape it up if you have to scrape it up. But to save the grave yeah we'll pay it, there's no other option. But the point is after 50 years' time if there's no members of the family around it's going to get dug up anyway, so what we've done now is just a waste of time."
Deanne Harchant-Nicholls is from an organisation called Saving Graves South Australia.
She says many hundreds, perhaps even thousands of graves are at risk.
"It would go into the thousands, literally. At Centennial Park alone we've identified about 500 that would be in danger in the very near future. So across South Australia it would have to be in the thousands of men who served, whose graves would be coming up."
One cemetery authority is doing what it can to help relatives to manage costs.
Bryan Elliott is the Chief Executive Officer of Centennial Park Cemetery.
"The family do not have to buy a complete new interment right which is for 50 years - they can actually extend the interment right by 5 years at a time or as much as they can afford at the time. Rather than have to buy a complete new interment right they can in fact pay for the interment rights to be brought up to date, so we're doing what we can to ensure that the impost to the family, the cost to the family is as minimal as we can make it, but we still have to administer an expired interment right."
Deanne Harchant-Nicholls from Saving Graves South Australia says that doesn't solve the challenge of ongoing protection.
"What we're hoping to achieve is to come to some sort of compromise with the cemetery trust that veteran graves won't be removed and they will be saved in perpetuity. Similar to what's happened in Victoria where the legislation was passed in early March that no veterans grave would be removed."
The graves of soldiers who died in action or later from wounds are protected by the federal government's Office of Australian War Graves.
However those veterans who returned from active duty and got on with their lives, to be later buried without reference to their service, may not have any protection - depending on where they're interred.
In the early part of last century many burial leases were for 99 years, meaning grave leases from the era of the first world war are nearing expiry.
Leases were later issued for 50 years, meaning the graves of veterans who died during the 1960s could be close to expiry too.
The South Australian government struck a ten year deal at two cemeteries to preserve more than 8000 Diggers' graves outside of federally protected war plots- but only if there's formal notification of the veteran's status.
At Centennial Park thousands of veterans have been commemorated in a special section called Derrick Gardens as a result of the state government's arrangement.
That deal is due to expire next year, and cemetery authorities are hoping it will be extended.
Meanwhile there remain unknown numbers of veterans who have requested burial in civil plots - the future of which rests with families.
If there are no surviving relatives, it means there's no one to pay the plot lease.
Deanna Harchant-Nicholls says it could mean a loss of history.
" We're losing people, men and women who fought for their country and who the country promised to look after, and I don't think this is a way of looking after them. But I think what we lose also is a lot of history, just across the board. For example 4 years ago when we were in the UK I was able to visit relatives' graves that went back to the mid 1700s. Here we won't be able to do any of that."
Laws regarding the reuse of plots vary from state to state.
Victoria has full protection of all graves and no policy of reuse, whereas in Western Australia reuse of all graves is standard practice.
South Australian law was recently changed to provide for in-perpetuity protection.
But Bryan Elliott from the Centennial Park Cemetery says there have been practical obstacles to its implementation.
"The law in South Australia was changed last year to allow in-perpetuity. Obviously the cost of a 50 year interment right is a specific cost; in perpetuity means forever. And if we are to maintain the cemetery and grounds in the manner that people are accustomed to, that cost for perpetuity will be potentially significantly more than a 50 year interment right."
Bill Denny, chair of the RSL Anzac Day committee says the question of who should pay the costs of protection of graves forever is a contentious one.
"To expect government to be able to step in and first of all identify these graves, a big problem, then second how are you going to do them all or are you going to do some? If you're going to do some, who do you pick? How do you work all that out? And then actually pay for them knowing full well that some of those men and women who are buried may have no ancestors alive anyway. It's a very convoluted, very difficult way to find an equitable solution. And of course the cost would be absolutely astronomical. Many, many, many, many millions of dollars."
Deanna Harchant-Nicholls from Saving Graves thinks the first step should be national discussions.
"I think we really need to see a coming together of the government, of DVA - Department of Veteran Affairs, the cemetery trusts and also the office of war graves. I think everyone needs to talk about it. Obviously the cemeteries need to make money, they need to have money to be able to continue what they're doing. Ultimately we'd like to see no graves removed "
Centennial Park boss Bryan Elliott agrees a national approach could be useful.
"I believe that both the federal government, the South Australian government and all of those that, because the laws are different in each state, maybe there needs to be a collective arrangement, an agreement negotiated with all parties concerned, but that is for the governments to work out."
Federal and state governments have different views.
According to federal figures, more than two million Australians have served in the armed forces.
Of those, the Commonwealth takes responsibility for the graves of 103,000 Australians who died in active service and another 315,000 who died subsequently as a result of their service.
There is no entitlement to protection for those who simply undertook operational service.
Veteran's affairs Minister Michael Ronaldson says the regulation of cemeteries is subject to state and territory legislation, and he's encouraging the South Australian government to recognise the unique nature of military service by waiving fees for veterans' families.
However South Australia's Attorney General John Rau says state subsidisation raises significant issues of equity, and notes that some individuals may have intentionally sought burial outside of designated military areas and that their views should not be disrespected.
Bill Denny thinks it's a responsibility beyond the means of individual states and territories.
"Fighting for the nation was a national obligation. It wasn't a state thing. So you've got to remember that the state's being asked to pick this up on behalf of, effectively you'd think if anyone is going to pick this up it would be the federal government."
The continuing debate is of little comfort to relatives like Bill Lasscock, who want the certainty of their ancestors final resting place being just that - final.
"He deserves not to be dug up - or anyone for that matter. I'd like to see across the board that nobody gets touched, but obviously that's not going to happen. But that's the way I feel about it. He fought, he did what he had to do, Leave him alone."
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