A senior executive at the Australian War Memorial has clashed with members of the Canberra press gallery in a heated stoush at the launch of the new Anzac Hall.
Veteran political photographer Mike Bowers accused the memorial's head of communications Elliot Woods of "belligerent, rude and intimidating" behaviour towards media recording the arrival of guests at the $550 million development's official opening on Tuesday evening.
"We were complaining [among ourselves] about the light, because they had a spotlight that was shining directly at us, so it became almost impossible to do our jobs," Bowers told The Canberra Times.
The resulting images depicted guests arriving under a harsh, unflattering camera flash with black backgrounds, which Bowers and others felt did not do justice to the event or the new development.
"All the photographers were saying, 'you couldn't have found a worse place to put that light'," Bowers said.
"I didn't even know [Mr Woods] was behind me. He looked up and said, 'I don't give a s--- about your photos, I couldn't give a damn'."
Bowers, who plans to make an official complaint to the memorial's director Matt Anderson, said he told Mr Woods he "could have picked a better place" for the light and alleged that he replied: "Shut up and take your photos."
"I was flabbergasted," he told this masthead.
He said the press was there to show the public what the new taxpayer-funded building was like, and that hostility towards the media was inappropriate for a publicly funded institution.
"Australian taxpayers paid half a billion dollars," Bowers said.
"Not everyone could be there, they deserved to see what it was like."
Three other members of the press gallery who witnessed the interaction, speaking to this masthead on condition of anonymity, backed Bowers' account.
But Mr Woods denied making the comments alleged.
The War Memorial's director Matt Anderson said the matter had been reported following Tuesday's event and had been addressed.
"I am aware of an incident involving photographers and a staff member prior to Tuesday evening's event," Mr Anderson said in a written statement.
"The matter was reported following the event and has been addressed in accordance with the AWM's policies and expectations of staff conduct."
Mr Anderson said the Memorial held itself to the "highest standards".
"I am reminded daily of the critical role journalists play in society, not least because the Memorial was the vision of Charles Bean, Australia's First World War Official Correspondent," he said.
"The Australian War Memorial holds itself to the highest standards in every regard. Where there are learnings for the Memorial to do better and be better, including supporting coverage of Australian War Memorial events, you have my assurance we will."
In a video filmed by Bowers on his mobile phone immediately after the exchange, the photographer challenged Mr Woods to repeat his comments on camera.
"I never said that," Mr Woods replied. "I said, 'there needs to be a light there so people can get in and out'."
He gestured towards the spotlight that photographers felt was impeding their work.
The heated exchange took place as veterans, MPs including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who gave a speech at the event, and other guests were arriving.
Moments earlier, Australian War Memorial Council chair Kim Beazley had regaled the media pack with a Bowers anecdote from an election campaign when he was Labor party leader decades ago.
After being allowed to record the arrivals, journalists were escorted to a mezzanine away from the main event where they were allowed to watch the proceedings on a screen.
"The whole thing to me had an air of contempt for the press," Bowers said.
"It's a place of work, and you expect the director of communications to behave in a better way."
