5 April 2017 by 4 Comments

Whatever Happened to Ocker Land?

In a world of political correctness, be careful what you say

A slip of the tongue means exile and a high cost you will pay

Offer contrary views which upset our new regime, then watch out!

You’re branded racist, stricken with islamophobia or an ignorant lout

 

Don’t call politicians “useless basxxrds,”as once we used to do

There’s every chance that with today’s laws, Canberra Suits could sue

A new rule when watching a footy match is “never heckle”

Otherwise you will be an instant leper or the status of Doctor Jekyll

 

It’s fisherpersons now, so bite your tongue if you talk of fishermen

Sketch a controversial scene and you may forfeit more than your pen

Wait fort green lights flashing “him and her” before crossing a street

Standing up or doffing a hat to a lady is at your peril when you greet

 

How odd it is that some will march for women’s rights

Yet polygamy, female circumcision and other evils are never in sight

So be alert if you anger a feminist with your honest views

You’ll be on a hit list and frankly, cobber, its curtains for you

 

All is not lost if you travel far and visit our rugged Outback

Where commonsense and honesty are yet to be put on the rack

At the pub where tribes meet and if you shout “drinks for the guys”

“It’s Sheilas and Blokes, you silly basxxrd” the barmaid will cry

 

George Mansford © April 2017

Note. Basxxrd has been censored because many of my friends have politically correct computers

Filed Under: George Mansford, Home
5 April 2017 by Leave a Comment

Ross Eastgate Analysis – Hierarchy must give answers on drugs push

The Australian Malarial Institute has conducted questionable trials into both mefloquine and tafenoquine with recorded adverse consequences to many who have taken them.

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Filed Under: Health, Home
4 April 2017 by Leave a Comment

Ross Eastgate – Actions ‘in due course’ add to pain of veterans

         IT was never the intention of those who envisaged a dedicated system to care for Australia’s war veterans that those veterans would have to fight tooth and nail for benefits.

It quickly became very obvious during World War I that our young and emerging nation would need to care for thousands of young men, volunteers all, who had been grievously wounded in body and mind by their war experiences.

Visionaries like General Sir John Monash realised there was much more to that process than just ongoing medical care for those whose injuries were obvious.

The first pressing need was to bring the troops home at the end of the European war.

Monash was given that responsibility and quickly reasoned that they should also be given opportunities to ensure they returned to Australia better prepared for post-war life than when they left Australia.

Australia did not provide troops to the occupation army, so as they waited in British camps for a return passage Monash arranged for them to be taught useful skills, in some cases just to read and write.

This repatriation process as it became known was continued in Australia with returned veterans being given access to dedicated hospitals to address their medical needs and vocational training to allow them to re-enter Australian society.

Small pensions were made available to those who were physically or mentally unable to do so and provision was made to care for widows and orphans.

There was even a scheme to settle soldiers on the land on small holdings.

As with all good intentions, once governments and more worryingly bureaucracies became involved, the burden of proving they had a need shifted on to affected veterans.

For many that was a burden too great to bear and they chose to end their lives as the frustration of dealing with hard hearted bureaucrats and even harder hearted governments became too much.

Some things never change.

In August last year it was announced Townsville would host a veterans’ suicide prevention trial.
Several months later that trial has not yet started, nor have there been any obvious moves to identify people to conduct it.

On Tuesday the federal ministers for veterans’ affairs and health issued a joint media statement acknowledging receipt of the National Mental Health Commission’s (NMHC) review of suicide and self-harm services for veterans and members of the ADF.
“The Government will look closely at the recommendations in this review and respond in due course,” Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan said.
“We will also release the full review to the public on Thursday (today).”

Those immediately impacted by veteran suicide including too many here in Townsville can tell the minister what they do not need is another report, they need action.

They also know they don’t need it in due course, they need it now.
They needed it last August, in fact they needed it well before then.
Every day lost considering reports is potentially another life lost.
That is too great a burden to bear.
This column originally appeared in The Townsville Bulletin
Filed Under: Health, Home
4 April 2017 by Leave a Comment

Ross Eastgate – The Joy of Swearing

Proficiency in another language is always helpful, particularly when a discrete profanity is required. In a life not always well spent mixing with soldiers of multiple nationalities in exotic locations, discovering new swear words has proved a valuable education.
What passes as unacceptably profane in one language may be acceptable in another particularly when the words are unfamiliar to the listener.
It’s also handy to have tucked away some alternatives when you need to vent and your surrounding audience may find such language offensive.

Read the whole column at Spectator Australia Flat white

Filed Under: Home, Opinion
3 April 2017 by Leave a Comment

Event – War in the Sand Pit

Perspectives and Lessons from Australia’s War in Afghanistan & Iraq 2001 -2014 is a two-day Conference 12 – 13 May 2017. at the Monash Centre, Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, Brisbane.

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Filed Under: History, Home
1 April 2017 by Leave a Comment

Peter Cundall’s 90th birthday

The Regiment congratulates Peter on his 90th Birthday. Before he became the face of ABC TV’s Gardening Australia, he served in the Korean War with 3 RAR Machine Gun Platoon. He is the Honorary Gardener of The Regiment’s National Memorial Walk at Gallipoli Barracks Enoggera, Brisbane.

Read More of Peter’s memories of The Forgotten War 

Read more memorable moments to mark Peter Cundall’s 90th Birthday

Filed Under: Home, National Memorial Walk
31 March 2017 by Leave a Comment

Precious Memories of Yesterday

Precious Memories of Yesterday

I often try to open that magic door

Wishing and hoping for evermore

To find you waiting in the shade of our favourite tree

Where we would often rest, just you and me

Is it so long ago since you went away

To me it seems only yesterday

Friends tell me that life goes on and time will heal

I smile and pretend that’s exactly how I feel

I still see you waving as our troop ship slowly sailed away

Your comforting letters I read by night and day

Constant thoughts of you despite dangers, heat or drenching rain

The reassuring sweet embrace when I returned home again

Where ever I go, you are always there

Smiling, laughing, holding my hand, no matter where

At night I still reach out and call your name

Yet always the unwanted smothering silence, again and again

I seek you everywhere but only fleeting blurred images appear

There are times when the dark loneliness creeps so very near

Yet always I gather strength when I believe you are close by

It is then, my beautiful one, I ask the question “why?”

Although I grieve and long to be with you, here or there

There is always the comfort of the deepest love we did share

The sweetest memories of hand in hand, facing life together

It will suffice until that door opens and I’m with you again, forever

George Mansford © March 2017

Filed Under: George Mansford, Home
28 March 2017 by Leave a Comment

The Royal Australian Regiment Place

The Blessing and Dedication of The Royal Australian Regiment Memorial took place on 24th March 2017 at The Royal Australian Regiment Place, Ferguson Park ENOGGERA in Brisbane, it is a public memorial for the people of Brisbane.  It was officially opened by His Excellency, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd).

The Regiment’s National Memorial Walk is considered the spiritual home of the Regiment. However recent security restrictions on entry to the Gallipoli Barracks has created a major barrier in allowing the public to be able to visit it.

As a result it was decided to build a public RAR memorial in a suitable location close to the military base with all its history from the Boer War to the present, with easy access by public transport via Gaythorne Railway Station, 300 meters away and a Bus service which passes the memorial.

Brisbane City Council were very supportive and agreed to Ferguson Park becoming the preferred location allowing The Regiment to co-name our portion of the Park as The Royal Australian Regiment Place.  DVA also were instrumental in the Memorial becoming a reality through their approval of our application for a Saluting Their Service Grant.

The Memorial was designed by RARA (Qld) President Brigadier Neil Weekes AM MC (Retd) who passed away on 6th March just prior to the dedication and offical opening.  He was to host the event with this duty falling to his Deputy and now President RARA (Qld) Lieutenant Colonel EA (Ted) Chitham MC OAM (Retd).

The memorial was erected by Stonemason Peter Wrafter who does all our masonry at the NMW.  On the reverse side of The Memorial are the names and dates of RAR’s operational deployments

A feature of The Memorial is the gold inlay of the images against the black granite, at night, ground lights illuminate the images that from a distance in a moving car on Samford Road attract the eye with a certain spookiness that provokes thought and awareness of service and sacrifice of those who have served in The Royal Australian Regiment and put their “Duty First”.

All gave some, some gave their all, “Lest we Forget”

The Memorial will be maintained by the RARAQ’s Dads’ Army.

All requests to use The Royal Australian Regiment Place at Ferguson Park for a formal activity should be directed to the Secretary RARA Qld ([email protected])

 

 

Filed Under: Home, Memorials, The Royal Australian Regiment Place
28 March 2017 by 1 Comment

Government Welcomes NMHC Review into Veterans’ Mental Health

The Government today received the National Mental Health Commission’s (NMHC) review of suicide and self-harm services for veterans and members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Dan Tehan
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Dan Tehan and Minister for Health Greg Hunt acknowledged receipt of the review.
“The Government has a responsibility to the men and women who defend our nation and we are committed to addressing veteran and ADF suicide,” Mr Tehan said.
“The Government will look closely at the recommendations in this review and respond in due course. We will also release the full review to the public on Thursday.
“This review will complement other Government initiatives to tackle suicide.
“We have made mental health treatment free for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and drug and alcohol misuse conditions for anyone who has served one day in the full-time ADF.
“And last year the Government released the first-ever robust data on the incidence of suicide among past and present ADF personnel and more specific findings will be released this year.”

Minister Hunt said the findings and recommendations from the Review would be an important consideration in the rollout of mental health services.
“We’ve already announced the establishment of 12 suicide prevention trial sites across Australia – including one in the Townsville region that will have a focus on veterans’ mental health,” Mr Hunt said.
“The Commission’s report will be used as a guide to inform ongoing trial design and suicide prevention strategies developed and implemented.”

28th March 2017

Filed Under: Health, Home
27 March 2017 by 1 Comment

GOVERNMENT ABANDONS PLANS TO RELEASE VETERANS’ PERSONAL INFORMATION

The Federal Government will abandon its push for new powers to release the personal information of veterans should it wish to correct deliberately misleading public statements.

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The ABC revealed concerns about the legislation earlier this month with sections of the veteran community fearing it was designed to silence public criticism.

The proposal was wrapped into a larger Digital Readiness Bill aimed at improving veteran services and will now be dropped to secure passage through the Senate.

The powers would have given the department secretary the ability to disclose otherwise protected information about veterans provided they obtained a public interest certificate.

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Filed Under: DVA, Home