Memorial services across the country and in Bali will be held on October 12, 2022, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings.
The 2002 Bali bombings resulted in the death of 202 people, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians.
Hosted at Parliament House at 10am, the service is set to be hosted by minister for foreign affairs Penny Wong.
Journalist Ray Martin is slated to be master of ceremonies, with other attendees including governor general David Hurley and former prime minister John Howard.
Another ceremony will be held at 8am local time in Bali, with assistant minister for foreign affairs Tim Watts in attendance.
Travel assistance is available via Services Australia for victims’ families, survivors and first responders for those wanting to travel to Indonesia.
For eligible people wishing to travel to Bali, a one-off $1,500 payment is available. For those wishing to travel to Canberra, a $600 one-off payment is available, with $1,200 available to those travelling from Western Australia or the Northern Territory.
Extra assistance may be available to those in financial hardship.
To be eligible for the travel assistance, a person must be either a family member of a deceased victim, an Australian who was seriously injured, a first responder who was involved in the response to the bombing, or a nominated member from a club that was present during the 2002 Bali bombings.
The Western Australian government is hosting its own service in conjunction with the Bali Memorial Association at the Bali Memorial at Kings Park at 5.30am Perth time.
WA premier Mark McGowan said the date was a time for the community to come together.
“Importantly, it provides an opportunity to pay tribute to the extraordinary efforts of hospital staff that treated survivors, and the outpouring of community support in such a difficult time for so many Western Australians,” the premier said.
In NSW, Randwick City Council will host its own memorial service at the Bali Memorial in Coogee at 10am, with 88 doves to be released at the annual remembrance.
Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker said the service would be in tribute for those who survived and helped survivors.
“Our community has come together every year to remember those lost and support families and friends left behind. This year marks the 20th anniversary and we will do so again,” Parker said.
“The victims of the Bali bombings must never be forgotten.”
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