Former Liberal leader Peter Dutton is to join the Council of the Australian War Memorial, the Albanese government has announced, in a new public role for the former defence minister after his exit from politics.

Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said on Monday, 9 November 2026, that he intends to recommend to Governor-General Sam Mostyn AC the appointment of Mr Dutton as a member of the Council for a three-year period commencing on 14 November 2026.

The appointment is therefore a recommendation to the Governor-General, not yet a completed appointment. Mr Dutton will replace Glenn Keys, whose last council meetings are scheduled for 12 and 13 November 2026.

What the Council does

The Council of the Australian War Memorial is responsible for the conduct and control of the affairs of the Memorial and its policy, and for the displays and exhibitions at the Memorial, its Commemorative Area, and a major expansion project currently under way.

It is a significant governance role at one of Australia's most important national institutions. The Memorial, in Canberra, commemorates the service and sacrifice of Australians in war and conflict, and its council shapes how that history is presented to the public.

A return to public life

Mr Dutton served in the Australian Parliament for two decades and was defence minister under former prime minister Scott Morrison. He lost his seat at the federal election in May 2025, ending his time in Parliament and his leadership of the Liberal Party.

Since leaving politics, he has taken up a board position with the Queensland Investment Corporation, appointed in April 2026. The War Memorial role is his first major public appointment since then.

The Memorial, on Anzac Parade in Canberra, was opened in 1941 and holds the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier in its Hall of Memory. Its Commemorative Area, including the Pool of Reflection and the Roll of Honour, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and the expansion project now under way is the largest change to the site in decades.

His time as defence minister included a notable decision in 2021, when he moved to overrule a recommendation from the Chief of the Defence Force to strip a meritorious unit citation from about 3,000 special forces soldiers who served in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013.

The appointment comes at a time when the Memorial is undergoing a major expansion, and the Council's work on that project will be a central part of Mr Dutton's three-year term, if the Governor-General confirms the recommendation as expected. (Minister Keogh media release, Europe Says)