Fed: Labor and Seven Network deny plan to move Anzac Day service

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2007
Fed: Labor and Seven Network deny plan to move Anzac Day service

CANBERRA, April 8 AAP - Labor leader Kevin Rudd and the Seven Network say reports they
asked Vietnamese authorities to hold an Anzac Day dawn service early so it could be broadcast
live on television are fabricated.

News Limited papers today said Mr Rudd's office and the television network hatched
a plan for a dawn service at Long Tan, Vietnam, to be shifted an hour earlier to take
advantage of peak morning TV ratings in Australia.

Under the supposed plan, which attracted anger from Vietnam veterans, the dawn service
would be broadcast on the Seven Network's Sunrise program at 4.15am local time (7.15am
AEST).

News Ltd used an editorial today to condemn Mr Rudd, saying the proposal was "a national
disgrace" and evidence of "miserably flawed leadership".

But Mr Rudd today said the reports were "absolutely false and without foundation".

"Neither I, nor anyone from my office, has spoken to or had conversation with anyone
whatsoever about requesting the changing of the dawn service time at Long Tan in Vietnam
or anywhere else," he said in a statement.

Mr Rudd said he had yet to confirm whether he would be attending the Anzac Day service
at Long Tan.

The Seven Network several months ago invited him to participate along with Employment
Minister Joe Hockey, who was unable to attend and had since been replaced by Liberal MP
Bronwyn Bishop.

But the Seven Network today said Sunrise had no plan to broadcast the dawn service
from Vietnam, because the time difference would make it impossible.

The network had been considering a live broadcast from Long Tan later on Anzac Day,
but high costs meant it was unlikely to go ahead.

"It seems some of the facts may have been overshadowed for the sake of a good headline,"

Seven presenter Lisa Wilkinson said in a live on-air statement today.

"Sunrise has never asked for the dawn service to be moved, nor do we believe Kevin
Rudd or Bronwyn Bishop did."

Mr Rudd said Anzac Day was sacred to all Australians.

"Vietnam veterans and their families would be justifiably outraged if the traditions
of Anzac Day were (in) any way being undermined at Long Tan - or anywhere else - on a
day which is sacred to all Australians," he said.

AAP jb/jm/cdh

KEYWORD: ANZAC NIGHTLEAD

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.