SYDNEY, Feb 17 (AFP) - The historic alliance between Australia and New Zealand came under strain from an unlikely source Thursday as officials from both countries debated the pros and cons of having a rock singer perform at a memorial for World War I soldiers.
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark objected to soft rocker John Farnham's planned performance at the 90th Anzac memorial service at the Gallipoli battlefield in Turkey, a sacred site for Aussies and Kiwis.
Clark said songs from Farnham, whose breakthrough hit in the 1970s was an upbeat ditty called "Sadie the Cleaning Lady", would not be in keeping with the sombre tone of the memorial.
"I think it's totally inappropriate to have loud entertainment on a place which was a killing field," Clark told a New Zealand radio station.
"I have a great uncle who died at Gallipoli and so do countless tens, hundreds of thousands of people in Australia and New Zealand."
New Zealand radio reported that Farnham, 55, was personally selected by Prime Minister John Howard, who will attend the event.
The ceremony on April 25 marks the day in 1915 when Australian and New Zealand troops (Anzacs) landed at Gallipoli peninsula, meeting fierce resistance from the Turks.
The ill-fated eight-month campaign ended in defeat for Allied forces and the deaths of 35,000 Allied troops, including 11,410 Anzacs.
The Australian Returned Services League (RSL), an influential veterans organisation, leapt to Farnham's defence, saying he had not planned to sing any inappropriate numbers on the battlefield.
"John Farnham's program would have been subdued and appropriate," RSL national president Bill Crews said.
Democrats leader Lyn Allison called for Farnham's reinstatement.
"Shame, Johnny Farnham has a great voice," she said. "I am sure he would be terrific at whatever he sang."
But Treasurer Peter Costello backed Clark's stance, saying the Anzac service was a subdued occasion.
"I don't think John Farnham appearing in the ceremony would be consistent with solemnity," Costello told reporters while visiting New Zealand.
02/17/2005 07:22 GMT - AFP