Political VIPs lose perks for centenary of Gallipoli PRIME Minister Tony Abbott will restrict the number of Australian politicians going to Gallipoli for the 2015 commemoration of the Anzac landing to just four MPs. Mr Abbott has directed the event not be a "pollie fest." The only political VIPs will be the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Veterans' Affairs Minister and Opposition Veterans Affairs spokesman. In a controversial decision, no state premier nor state MP will be allocated VIP tickets. Mr Abbott's ruling that there be no special treatment for politicians means many MPs who have served in the Defence Force, or have familial links to Gallipoli or the other bloody battles of World War I, will have to enter the public ballot. Australian has been given just 8000 tickets for the special ceremony on April 25, 2015. New Zealand has 2000 tickets and there are 500 VIP passes shared between Australia, New Zealand, Turkey and other nations. The Veterans Affairs Minister, Michael Ronaldson, wants the tickets freed up by dropping MPs, to go into the general ballot for members of the public. The Defence Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Treasurer, Speaker of the House and President of the Senate are among the senior MPs who would have been in line to attend the ceremony. Registration for the ballot will open at 12.01am on Saturday and close on January 31 next year. People can register at www.gallipoli2015.dva.gov.au but tickets will not be allocated on a first-in, first-served basis. Australia is allocating 400 double passes for direct descendants of World War I veterans, with a preference for sons and daughters. Another 400 double passes will be for any veterans, including representatives of the veterans community and ex-service organisations such as the RSL. The states will choose secondary school students and their chaperones to share 200 double passes, while the remaining 6000 tickets will go to the general public. Widows of World War I veterans will be invited by the Government as special guests. People who win a place will be notified in March.