Two leaders of the Australian War Memorial, who were deeply sceptical about a radical shake-up of its displays so they give prominence to the Frontier Wars between British forces and Aboriginal resisters, have left.

Neither former prime minister Tony Abbott nor former RSL national president Greg Mellick are listed by the AWM as a member of its governing council - but Veterans' Affairs minister Matt Keogh is yet to announce who their replacements will be.

Critics of the memorial hope that the departure of the two opponents opens the way for those conflicts to be given substantial space in the expanded memorial. They suspect there is heavy politicking going on behind the scenes.

The two departed council members have been very sceptical of what some people on the right call "black armband"

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