Gallipoli rock concert 'totally inappropriate', says Clark

Prime Minister Helen Clark said today Gallipoli was not the place for a rock concert.

She made the comments after a row over apparent plans for Australian singer John Farnham to play at a 90th anniversary Anzac service at the site in Turkey.

Australian newspaper the Herald Sun reported Farnham's management team spent five months making arrangements for him to perform at Anzac Cove, but Helen Clark vetoed his appearance because she believed it was inappropriate.

She was also reported to have rejected Kiwi music legends Neil and Tim Finn for the same reason.

The Prime Minister told Newstalk ZB today: "I think it is totally inappropriate to have loud entertainment on a place which was a killing field.

"I have a great uncle who died at Gallipoli and so do countless tens, hundreds of thousands of people in Australia and New Zealand."

A spokeswoman for Helen Clark said the programme for the Anzac service was yet to be finalised. "It will be one of the subjects she discusses with (Australian Prime Minister) John Howard this weekend," she said.

Farnham's manager Glenn Wheatley said the 55-year-old star had been looking forward to the performance.

"John was extremely disappointed," he told the newspaper.

Australian Office of War Graves director Gary Beck said the change in the programme was because singing wasn't considered appropriate, rather than Farnham. "I'd love to see him there one year, he's a great Australian," he said.

- HERALD STAFF, NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB