New NSW legislation also enshrined the Anzac monument as the central memorial in the state. Photo: NSW War Memorials Register.
The NSW Government has altered legislation and strengthened protections for the Anzac Memorial in Sydney’s Hyde Park, confirming it as the most significant monument to sacrifice in the state.
The NSW Parliament voted to pass the Anzac Memorial Bill 2025 to update the law surrounding the monument after being largely unchanged since the Anzac Memorial Act of 1923 and accompanying bylaws in 1937.
Recent updates consolidated the act and bylaws into a single piece of legislation to streamline government and bring outdated components of the law into the modern day.
Legislation guarantees the state of the memorial in Hyde Park as the principal war memorial in NSW and further guards the amenity of the building and its surroundings, which have been clarified with a new map that includes the Pool of Reflection and Water Cascade.
New legislation also makes it an offence to ride a scooter, skateboard or bike in or on the memorial building itself. Also, authorised security officers can now direct people to leave the area if the officer believes that the individual is violating the act.
“I am proud that the Minns Labor Government is delivering for our veterans and their families with legislation that enshrines in law the Anzac Memorial as our state’s pre-eminent memorial and strengthens protections around it,” Minister for Veterans David Harris said.
The government said recent acts of vandalism and antisocial behaviour at the memorial had highlighted its treatment.
“Our government is committed to honouring our veterans and their families, and this updated legislation sends a clear message to the community that any act to disrespect or damage the memorial is totally unacceptable,” Mr Harris said.
“These changes come thanks to extensive consultation with key stakeholders. Their input has been instrumental in shaping a modern, practical legislative framework that reflects the memorial’s enduring significance in the modern context.”
The bill works in tandem with the government’s Crimes Legislation Amendment (War Memorial Offences) Bill 2025, which passed Parliament on 22 October and increases penalties for vandals who seriously damage war memorials across NSW.
That bill increases the maximum penalty from five to seven years in prison for intentionally or recklessly damaging the war memorial.
