The Australian Government is obviously concerned with any proposal that would threaten Commonwealth War cemeteries and will do all it can to ensure that important war sites are protected. The A24 project, which is intended to rationalise and improve the road links from Amiens in France to Belgium, has been under discussion since the 1980s. In 2003 a formal consultation process that raised public awareness was developed. The proposed A24 motorway, if it goes ahead, will traverse an area where Australians fought and where the Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains a heavy concentration of cemeteries.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, of which Australia is a member, has been liaising with the French authorities on the road. It has been fully consulted, and has received a written assurance that no Commonwealth war cemetery or memorial will be affected by the development. A statement to this effect can be found on the Commission's website at www.cwgc.org The Australian Government will maintain its interest in deliberations on the route of the motorway and make the appropriate representation as necessary. French authorities have been sensitive to these matters in the past, and it is expected that this will again be the case.