Author: jkirkby8712

Took some time off work yesterday afternoon, and went to the theatre – to the Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of Hamlet.  Generally sticking to the language of Shakespeare, it was however, a modern production/interpretation with the characters dressed in suits, and modern clothing, mobile phones, guns, computers, etc. While I had no real objection to such an interpretation of my favourite Shakespeare play, a gentleman sitting nearby was constantly overheard muttering ‘this is not my Hamlet’!! Fair enough I suppose, but he could have left his opinions until after the show , outside!!   This was the play which I studied in my final full year at secondary college – way back in 1964!!  One of my vinyl recordings, obviously purchased many years ago, is of a production of Hamlet, from the original play, and starring Richard Burton as Hamlet.

Very briefly explained, the story tells how summoned home upon his father’s death, Hamlet discovers his mother already remarried to his uncle and the country in disarray. A midnight encounter with a ghost sets him on the road to revenge. The question is, how can he be sure his cause is just? Not been a regular attendee at plays by the Melbourne Theatre Company [went to see ‘Boston Marriage’ last year], most of the actors were not familiar to me, however I was impressed by what I saw tonight, especially Ewen Leslie, as Hamlet, a very lovely Eryn Jean Norvill as the doomed Orphilia [well actually, most of the main characters in the play atre ‘doomed’!!], and as Polonius [father to Orphelia], we had the veteran actor & comedian  in Garry McDonald.  Also had Pamela Rabe, as Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother – she was one of the actors in the Boston Marriage, last year.  It was quite a long performance, almost three hours, to which time was acted a brief break early in the play, when an elderly lady in the audience decided to have a heart attack or something similar!  Hope she was okay.  Probably not surprising, with an afternoon performance of this nature – the majority of the large audience being senior citizens, apart from a large group of senior secondary school girls, who were obviously studying the text this year.  This was my first visit to the Sumner Theatre of the Melbourne Theatre Company, though of course, had been next door on many occasions, to the Melbourne Recital Centre.

Overall, a most enjoyable way to spend an afternoon, only spoilt perhaps by the weather outside – was raining, and miserably cold on both my approach and departure from the theatre. I parked up near my boss’s home in North Fitzroy, on her advice, because it was such a readily accessible spot to get into the city by tram[s]. Would normally have parked in my usual ‘expensive’ spot opposite the theatres but was unsure as to whether there would be spots available in the middle of the day, so decided not to risk it.  Saved $21 anyway!

Ended a cold night [Wednesday] with a somewhat reluctant attendance at a Family History Committee meeting, which was a lot more drawn out than usual this month, because of a particular need for the whole committee to prepare a grant application – didn’t really need all of us, and the tediousness of the process was accentuated by a couple of participants who tend to take some considerable time to make statements, etc, which usually leaves this ‘impatient’ member wanted to cry out  – please, just get on with it!!! Despite that, it is a good committee to work with, I guess this scribe was just feeling a little extra tired after what had been a very wintry, wet and cold day in Melbourne!

As for today, Thursday, well, a couple of weeks ago, my youngest son advised me that he had bought a part share in a horse – a trotter actually, for the harness racing. The major older was in fact it’s driver also, and the name of the horse – Dimensions. Had it’s first race [since Adam bought into it] today, down at Geelong  – the advice via Adam from the owner/driver was that  he was giving the horse another ‘light run’ so don’t go putting your wages on it!!! Hopes  to let it have a few runs before expecting much in the way of results.

Well I had as bit of a look at some recent form of Dimensions – some fair results, and looking at today’s field, it was placed about 4^th in the betting.  So I let Adam know that I was going to invest the vast sum of $4 on his horse!!!  Needless to say, that ‘huge’ amount was money spent, and lost  – listening to the commentary this afternoon, Dimensions seemed to be running last for most of the race [Race 4 at Geelong over 2100 metres  – prize money of $5,000 on offer], I was expecting a bit of a rush of blood in the final lap – but no, the owner/driver was as good as his word, giving it a ‘light run’!!! I don’t think it ended up last, but certainly, near the tale of the field, will check that out later!!  I’ve actually always dreamed of  having a share in a racehorse, but it is the ongoing costs & commitment that has always  deterred any fulfilment of that dream.  But with Adam now involved, well it gives his Dad a specific animal to take an interest in, and follow! All is good!

The death occurred this week of Nancy Wake.  As noted in the ‘Australian’ this week, she was the woman who risked her life to help the French Resistance against the German occupation during World War II when capture would have meant torture and execution.  RSL national president Ken Doolan said Wake was a great heroine. “She was an extraordinarily brave person who did an enormous amount behind enemy lines,” he said. Before the war, Wake witnessed scenes of Nazi brutality in Austria and promised herself she would do something about it, if given the chance. That opportunity arose when the Germans occupied France in 1939.  Wake, the former Sydney schoolgirl and Liberal aspirant who died in London on Sunday aged 98, led a force of French Resistance fighters in 1944 whose task was to pin down the Germans as the Allies invaded. Branded the White Mouse by the Nazis and with a bounty placed on her head, she flirted with German soldiers to get information, and helped 1000 Allied airmen return to Britain. She escaped from France when threatened with capture only to return by parachute to carry on the fight.

In his weekly newsletter roundup this week, Liberal Senator Michael Ronaldson, paid tribute to this famous Australian heroine, and the following points come from that reflection of her life. The passing of Australia’s most decorated ex-servicewoman, Nancy Wake AC, ends a remarkable life of service and dedication to our nation, and the world. Nancy Wake AC, ‘the White Mouse’ as she was known, served during World War Two in counter-intelligence in Europe. In 1943, Mrs Wake had become so valuable to the Allies that the Gestapo placed a five million franc bounty on her head if she was captured.  Whilst Mrs Wake was not captured, her first husband was tortured by the Germans and died, something Mrs Wake did not know until the war had ended. Following the war, Mrs Wake was awarded the George Medal, the highest civilian honour in the British Empire for her services and acts of great bravery during World War Two. Mrs Wake was also made an Officier de la Legion d’Honneur Croix de guerre by the French Government, the United States’ Medal of Freedom and the RSA Badge in Gold by New Zealand, her native country. Mrs Wake returned to Australia following the war and remarried. She unsuccessfully attempted to enter the House of Representatives on three separate occasions, going within 350 votes of defeating Opposition Leader ‘Doc’ Evatt at the 1951 election. In February 2004, Mrs Wake was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, the highest honour which the Australian people can award to someone. Although belated, the honour was truly becoming of this magnificent lady who left a remarkable legacy for all Australians. Mrs Wake’s example was one to which many young women in post-war Australia would have aimed to live up to. Interestingly, when an earlier effort had been made to reward her, she said the government “could stick their medals where the monkey stuck his nuts”. She mellowed and grew proud of her AC.

Nancy Wake c.1945

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Out again tonight – the Annual General Meeting [AGM] of the Radio Station – where I found myself in the temporary roles of both  secretary & treasurer in the absence of the former.  A reasonable attendance, though disappointed at some of the absentees, who as I’ve noted before, usually are the members who complain the most when they don’t like something. Not in call cases however, as we did have a number of legitimate apologies. Anyway, the outcome of this meeting, was that I found myself re-elected as Treasurer again, for about the 4^th year in a row, I think, while the committee overall lost a couple of general members [by choice] and welcomed two new members [who were also relatively new presenters at the station].  Let’s hope they remain invol.ved a little long than some have in the past.  The formalities of the AGM were over fairly briefly, the new committee introduced by re-elected Present, Olly, the presentation of certificates to some newish presenters, with those proceedings followed by a slightly longer general meeting of the members present.  All of this followed by a nicely prepared supper, as per usual form, thanks to one of our committee members in particular –  Maureen puts together a great sandwich!!

What a degraded bunch of human beings we sometimes are!!  I note that, as I read reports of the rioting, burning, looting and general thuggish and criminal actions taking place in London and other parts of England at present.  Yes, perhaps the initial genuine peaceful protests might have had some justification attached to them, I don’t know the real story, but since when, we have seen what I believe is the [as I began my Face Book entry earlier this morning] with the remark that it’s  ‘Sad to think that there is such an underbelly of potential violence and mindless thuggery simply awaiting the excuse to unleash itself – those criminal gangs and thugs are England are lucky they are not in a place like Syria today, they would be facing more than just riot police and shields!!!’ Created one or two interesting brief responses, eg, from  Rosie [in a relationship with an English guy] –  ‘I say send in some tanks! show some real muscle. hats off to the police but they needs bigger more armed help, get those chavie townies back in school!’   Or Jane, from England itself  –  ‘i know Bill its a disgrace ship them out to Somalia and kenya where our brothers and sisters are dying needlessly …shame on them i dont think any of us can believe this rubbish’,  while Ruth felt that  ‘In Syria today, it is probably people like them that are committing the atrocities- those are very useful people at times’.

 

My response to all that:-      ‘Probably some truth to that Ruth! And Jane, is your comment suggesting that the thugs are from that part of the world [Kenya, Somalia?], the pictures we are seeing here mostly look very English, sadly. But you are right – on the surface, seems hard to believe it is happening in London and elsewhere….does this mean visitors to the Olympic Games in London next year have to do so with the same trepidation they faced in Delhi at the Commonwealth Games [a country where such a response would not surprise me]. Though as I suggested in the original post, who knows what kind of violent simmerings exist below the surface of many people, we are seeing that exposed now.   I often wonder if such a thing could occur here in Melbourne, for eg, if the police went out on an extended strike or something. Unfortunately, there are always groups and individuals , even in so-called civilised nations, who will take advantage of any situation, any excuse, to defy authority. Forget the original protests, it seems in the main that this is simply what is happening in the UK now, an excuse to riot, burn and loot!!!  Yes indeed, what a degraded bunch of human beings we can be sometimes!!’

Ruth reminded me that ‘I think Jane meant that to go to Kenya and Somalia would be to see what suffering is….
There is probably real anxiety about the economic situation behind all this but opportunists have made it much, much worse  If you were in Syria, Bill, you’d be first on Assad’s list …and that’s a complement :)’      Well, thank you Ruth, perhaps I’d better rehire that personal security guard, lol!!! But yes seriously,  whatever any of us wishes to say or think about Julia, or Tony, or Bob here in our ‘lucky country’ – we can do so without fear of suddenly been placed on a hit list [I hope!!!].  I heard the comment made this morning – the UK situation, the story of the underprivileged rising up against the privileged!  Another ‘tame’ excuse for pure thuggery and criminality, have we learned nothing from history, such as the French Revolution?

 

I’ve probably commented on ‘The Fig Tree’ previously, but tonight, in my third last ‘Showtime’ program,  I brought the music back to my listeners. As I commented to a friend, who sent me a text during the program, it is a CD of music that always leaves this presenter feeling quite emotional, as he listens to the music, and talks and reads about the book and Cd. Tonight was no different, and while nobody commented on the fact, there were a few moments there, when my voice was beginning to ‘crack up’ as they say, as the sadness of what I was reading, began to hit home, again.  In describing ‘The Fig Tree’, I won’t try and reinvent the wheel, but will include a combination of notes below, from various unnamed sources, about the story.

Arnold Zable is a dynamic and highly acclaimed storyteller. His books include the award winning Jewels and Ashes (1992), The Fig Tree (2002) and the novels Café Scheherazade (2001) and Scraps of Heaven (2004). He is president of the International PEN, Melbourne.   Zable was born in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1947, and grew up in the inner Melbourne suburb of Carlton. He attended Melbourne University and Columbia University. He has travelled and lived in the USA, India, Papua New Guinea, Europe, Southeast Asia and China. Zable speaks with passion about memory and history, displacement and community, the experience of the Jewish diaspora, aboriginal issues and indigenous education, and the multiplicity of cultures within Australia. He has run workshops for migrants and refugees, and has recently spent considerable time with refugees held in Australian detention centres. Arnold Zable lives in Melbourne with his wife and son.

The Fig Tree, released in May 2002,  is a book of true stories with an extraordinary scope. It is about family, about home, about the journeys that reveal to us who we are, and the ways in which contemporary tales reflect ancient myths. Arnold Zable begins with his own family, whose memories inspire him to travel to Ithaca, the land of Homers great voyager, Odysseus. He also weaves tales set in Athens, Thessaloniki, Poland and outback Australia. At the heart of this book is Zable’s understanding of our obligations to the wanderers among us, the dispossessed and the stateless.  One critic described the book as a ‘tender book of haunting true stories filled with memorable people, from families in both Australia and Europe. Zable tells of the lives of Jewish and Greek migrants to this country, about refugees and wanderers, about actors, singers and poets. These are stories about displaced people coming to a new home, and have a tremendous relevance to our current refugee situation. Zable’s tales of individual experience are universal stories about life and love, trust and doubt, and about the bonds within each family. The Fig Tree is a book about journeys to and from ‘home’, about belonging and feeling out of place. The Fig Tree began as a book. Inspired by the birth of his son, in it Zable retraces the steps of his wife’s family from Greece and migrants like them. At its launch, he asked some friends to perform their music. They included Melbourne’s singer song-writers Kavisha Mazella, Anthea Sidiropoulos and Costas Tsicaderis, plus Klezmer musicians Freydi Mrocki and David Krycer’.  This was the concert, I assume, which led to the creation of the Fig Tree  CD,  produced in 2003 as a companion to the book, won the 2004 National Folk Recording Award.

 As Arnold Zable himself says:   “We need to cross cultural boundaries,” he says. “We need to see that there is something that transcends. We constantly have to keep seeking our common humanity that goes beyond our cultural boundaries.”\  The result is an attempt to make the personal universal. Zable’s stories reflect experiences common to all: adventure, hope, nostalgia and pain.   “One of my favourite songs in the concert [and one of the songs from  the CD which this presenter played tonight] is Wedding Sheets,” says Zable. “To me, that song has a personal resonance, but also a universal resonance – it is one of the great songs about the migrant experience written in this country.” The song, by Mazella, tells the story of proxy brides – women who came to Australia to marry men they had never met.  “What an incredible undertaking it was. Can you imagine what it was like giving your body to a stranger? What it must have been like that first night.  “As a novelist, you want to delve into things like this, to try to imagine what that was all about.” In the song, the proxy bride is Italian. In Zable’s book she is his wife’s Greek grandmother, a migrant, who came to Australia to marry in the 1920s.  “I think it’s all too easy for subsequent generations to forget what the journey really entailed. The courage, the risks, the dangers. For some, the sense of adventure and for all too many the desperation,” he says. Zable was a political scientist before he became a writer and story-teller. His awareness of political context gives his work a conscience.  He dedicated The Fig Tree to a woman who gave birth on a sinking boat on route to Australia from Indonesia.  “Whilst, on the one hand, I tell stories of immigrants of an earlier generation who are connected to my family, this is a continuing story: what happened when that boat sank was a dramatic example of the dangers immigrants face, the courage they must face to make the journey,” he says. “It’s also to do with birth. The book is partly inspired by the birth of my son, Alexander. And here we have a woman who is about to start a new life and she never gets the chance.”  All so very relevant, still today, in the context of Australia’s refugee concerns.

One of the other singers on the CD is Maria Farantouri.  Maria Farantouri has been referred to as the “Joan Baez of the Mediterranean” by “Le Monde”. “Her singular voice is a gift of the Olympic Gods”, wrote “The Guardian”. And François Mitterrand enthused : “For me, Maria is Greece. This is how I imagine the goddess Hera : strong, pure and vigilant. I know of no other artist who has given so much meaning to the word sublime.”
  Maria Farantouri has had huge successes with her innumerable concerts all over the world and has left an indelible impression everywhere. She is considered the ideal performer of the songs and other works of the world-famous Greek composer, Mikis Theodorakis, and thus of the New Greek Song. Born in 1947, music and singing soon became a passion for Maria. After early performances with a choir, her unique contralto voice fast turned her into a celebrated soloist. She was only 16 years old when Mikis Theodorakis discovered her, announcing : “You will become my priestess.”  She sings the ‘Song of Songs’ [English sub title], and for myself, this is one of more emotional tracks on the CD –  singing of the concentration/refugee camp at Maulthausen, in Nazi Germany in World War II, and the ‘lost souls’ there. Some of the English lyrics, reads as follows, and as you listen to Maria’s ‘Greek’ singing of those words, it is difficult not to be moved to tears, the tradegy and emotion comes through her voice, and there is no need to be able to understand the actual words, the tone of Maria’s singing paints a complete picture.  Or as a more articulate critic wrote – ‘Even if you don’t understand the moving lyrics, just the music and Maria Farantouri’s voice are enough to convey a touching feeling. It is difficult to believe that a poet could be inspired to write about love in the horrible environment of a concentration camp of the WWII. It is a dream of love. The way  for a great soul to survive so much terror’.

 

‘Song of Songs’
by Maria Farantouri

[English lyrics]
How beautiful my love is
In her everyday dress
And a little comb in her hair
No-one knew how beautiful she is

Young girls of Auschwitz
Young girls of Dachau
Have you seen my love?
We saw her on a long journey
She no longer had her dress
Nor the little comb in her hair

How beautiful my love is
The caress of her mother
And the kisses of her brother
No-one knew how beautiful she is

Young girls of Mauthausen
Young girls of Belsen
Have you seen my love?
We saw her in the frozen square
With a number on her white arm
With a yellow star on her heart

How beautiful my love is
The caress of her mother
And the kisses of her brother
No-one knew how beautiful she is.

 

Maria Farantouri

Another highly significant song from the CD is titled ‘Anytime the wind can change’ and tells the story of the rescue of 700 refugees from their sinking ship by the coast guard, and their warm and joyous welcome by the residents of a small town  where there were 700 bread rolls baked for the survivors. Another emotional rendering, particularly when one thinks of the manner in which Australia is currently welcoming it’s boat people – by sending them away!!!  In general, I must agree with the words of an American critic who wrote of the CD, that ‘This is a heartbreakingly beautiful CD. It is also a wonderful affirmation of life and the human spirit, and, of course, the travails of our travels, and the joy of being welcomed in a new land’.  I was glad  to have the opportunity, through my radio station, to share that message with my listeners, described by one of them last night as ‘fantastic music’!!

After all that, I did remember to complete my Census Form tonight, probably won’t be picked up for a few days, but wanted to ensure it was ready and available. Some brief assistance from daughter, Susan, on a couple of questions concerning her – at least, we were both here tonight!!

 

I noticed in this week’s online news from ‘National Seniors’ that they are about to send out the 4^th edition of their travel publication  ‘Journeys to Remember’, to be sent directly to registered members in October.
Compiled exclusively for National Seniors members, Journeys to Remember features a great range of escorted tours and holidays. This edition will also highlight a couple of NEW soft adventure holidays – ideal for the more adventurous traveller. I’m a bit surprised by the word ‘soft’ being used in regard an ‘adventurous’ traveller!!! Will be interesting to see what comes of that!

Meanwhile, news on Tasmania’s forests came through from GetUp, via email, over the weekend – ‘Exciting news: yesterday 430,000 hectares of Tasmania’s magnificent native forests, including spectacular areas such as the Blue Tier, Tarkine, Upper Florentine and Styx were announced for immediate protection by Prime Minister Juila Gillard and Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings.  Just weeks ago it looked as though the forests would only be declared ‘informal reserves’ — but now those forests will be protected from logging by a legally binding Conservation Agreement, which can only be removed by both houses of Federal parliament. The Federal Government has also ruled out providing any funds for Gunns’ proposed pulp mill.

Hundreds of thousands of Australians have fought long and hard for over thirty years to see these forests saved, especially through community groups and conservation groups such as Environment Tasmania, The Wilderness Society and the Australian Conservation Foundation. Congratulations to the tens of thousands of you who over the last two weeks have written to the Prime Minister calling on her to give the forests immediate legal protection. As a result of that pressure, combined with the work of other groups and the parliamentary Greens, the forests that go into informal reserves will also be given additional protection by a legally binding Conservation Agreement.   Many forests, including high conservation value forests on public and private land remain threatened. There still remains a lot of work to do before we can feel secure that Tassie’s forests have received the permanent and lasting protection they deserve as globally significant treasures.
The Federal and State Governments have committed a total of $276 million to deliver the agreement, including funds to manage the new forest reserves and to initiate regional development opportunities.

Our ongoing efforts will be required to ensure the passage of the National Park legislation through the Tasmanian parliament. We will also need to keep the pressure on Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to make sure all 572,000 hectares of Tasmania’s high conservation value native forests are permanently protected, including giving the globally significant areas World Heritage status’.

At the same time, a Court injunction, has delayed the first ‘shipment’ of new boat refugees from Christmas Island to Malaysia, due to happen today, I believe. While I guess the process will eventually go ahead, I’m pleased to see that there is enough pressure been put on the government, over this matter to at least delay proceedings, and perhaps give some hope to this rather heartless policy of our government.

On the personal front, another very enjoyable Monday night on the radio for 3 hours up until midnight, and as indicated previously, were it not for work on a Tuesday morning, I’d happily continue on beyond that hour! Maybe later in the year! Meanwhile, a little element of concern about my two ‘student’ children [adults] – one seems to have given the study away, and appears a little directionless at present, while the other is revealing signs of general disillusionment with some aspects of his work and lifestyle!!   In both cases, aspects to keep an eye on, despite feeling somewhat inadequate in terms of providing direct assistance, or more realistically, having that ‘attempt at assistance’ accepted! Life continuers to throw up a range of challenges, though of course, little compared to the kinds of challenges many have to face in this world today. Quite disturbing in fact, to read and hear of the riots and  bare violence currently happening over in the UK, ostensibly in the name of ‘protest’ but quickly going far beyond that.

 

I received correspondence from the GetUp organisation today, and had to agree that this particular cause deserved to be supported. Quite often, I find the GetUp campaigns to be a little too far to the extreme of the direction I want to go, but in the case of the latest government action on refugees, it is right in tune with my feelings. Not in my name!!   GetUp describes itself is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group who use technology to empower Australians to have their say in important national issues. They receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign they run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. I like to keep in tune with what they are campaigning for from one week to the next, and while as indicated, I don’t always agree with their particular directional push on a matter, it is important to have such an organisation bringing to our attention, matters that we all should have some viewpoint on, and to provide the opportunity, should we so feel inclined, to support that view.  

So, as GetUp pointed out in their latest communication, in the papers this week there was a picture of a little boy – a boy who has just arrived in Australian waters, in a boat powered by hope for a better future. Aged about ten years, he looked worried and confused. And he is right to be. Right now, our Government is weighing up whether to deport children like him to Malaysia, despite the ordeal he’s already endured on his precarious journey to Australia.  With reports that the execution of the Malaysia Deal could begin within the next day or so,  it is necessary to make sure that our Government knows that they do not have our support to treat vulnerable children in this way.  As a response, this week, the GETUP organisation plans to put full-page ads in newspapers across Australia, with the headline “Not In Our Name” – and the names of as many Australians as possible printed below. The more names they have to squeeze in, it is considered, the more powerful will be their message.

The advice from GetUp also noted, that the iconic image in the papers of a little boy standing in front of a customs official reminds us that each and every human being arriving in Australia as an asylum seeker is full of hope and potential – two things that can be crushed by our immigration system. We may never know this little boy’s full story, but here are some things we do know: someone thought his prospects were bleak enough that risking a frightening journey and an uncertain future in a scary new country was better than his alternatives. That same person cared about him enough to spend a significant portion of their life savings trying to get him here. And after a long, arduous, dangerous journey, he made it here alive.

In a democracy, the government speaks for us, the people. But when those we elect act so far outside the bounds of moral decency as to even consider putting innocent children in harm’s way, we have a duty to speak up. As Australians, we must say: ‘If you do this, it is not in our name’.

The “Not In Our Name” ad campaign is different. Its power doesn’t come from wit or impressive design. Its power comes from our names. As the Immigration Minister finalises arrangements on Monday, let’s make sure he knows that tens of thousands of Australians demand respect for the rights of children.  Many of us feel helpless as we watch the images of children arriving here. We know enough about what awaits many of them, and enough about what they have already survived, to wish we could do something, anything to help. Today we can all do something – by not being silent when we should speak, and  with hope and conviction,  While it’s understandable that the Minister cannot offer a blanket exemption to any class of asylum seekers, for fear that people smugglers will exploit it to their advantage, the most vulnerable children and their families shouldn’t be used as pawns in a political debate. It’s time that humanity and reason overrule fear and xenophobia.

That is, as mentioned on earlier occasions, my principal concern about this whole situation – that our two major parties are over focused on this scare campaign tactic of concentrating on stopping the people smugglers – and in the process of which, the real victims of this refugee situation have been forgotten!!  That attitude has to change.

Meanwhile, on the home front, quite a cold day after our ‘Spring-like’ weather, and I seem to notice it more as the day wore on, after this morning’s program at the radio station. Had some beautiful music included in this morning’s listing including a number of tracks from one of Benjamin Britten’s ‘orchestral song cycles’, and a very lively and inspiring 9^th Symphony from the Russian composer, Dmitri Shostakovich – composed in 1945, and at the time, a piece of music that was much maligned and criticised by the Russian authorities who did not consider the work to be patriotic enough in praise of Stalin and the Red Army!!  Personally, had I been a Russian citizen at the time, I would have been suitably pleased and inspired!!

 

 

On this dull Saturday morning, the ‘Spring like’ weather has disappeared, but although it is much cooler than during the past week, not much rain has been seen around here – it is overcast, and remained that way when I went for an early walk this morning.   A little later, it was just 13 degrees, going up top a predicted maximum of 14 degrees, but I doubt it will climb any more from where it currently sits. Looking ahead for the coming week, we won’t be seeing any more runs of 20 degrees+ for the time being.  Our tease of Springtime warmth has moved on!!

 

Email news from my former university, the University of Melbourne, notes tomorrow holding a vote for the University’s new Alumni Council, for which nominations have been called for over recent weeks. I actually vaguely thought of putting  my hand up as a ‘self nomination ‘ but eventually thought the better of it. While I have kept in touch with the university publications and activities since finishing my degree in the 1970s, I certainly haven’t had any active involvement with the Alumni group, and while the role as a Council member could have some interesting aspects, I didn’t feel justified in expressing interest, and in any case, the time and commitment would probably be beyond me, especially with the university’s location in Carlton. I’m trying to get rid of unnecessary city traffic woes, that would only be adding another dimension!!

 

Anyway, I can still have a voice – for the first time all alumni will be able to vote via an online election and determine who will be the formal voice of the University’s alumni community. Nearly 40 candidates will vie for one of six elected seats on the new Council. This body will ultimately have 16 representatives and report to the University Council. In addition to the six elected by alumni, eight members will be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor and two non-voting staff representatives will take up the charge and form the Council.  Graduates, such as myself, have previously had representation through the Committee of Convocation, a longstanding group that dates back to the 1860s and that originally assisted in university governance.  However as the University’s governance arrangements strengthened, the role of the Convocation over time changed. In 2009, the state government initiated a review of the University Act.   ‘This prompted a reassessment of the best mechanism to represent all alumni, and in 2011, led to the creation of the Alumni Council’, which will be tasked with identifying key issues and providing constructive input to assist and address these.  Broadly, these could include enhancing the student experience, supporting career-focused initiatives to assist alumni and students, guiding alumni programming, promoting the University and helping raise philanthropic support. Ultimately, it’s hoped  that the Council will encourage greater two-way communication with the alumni community and strengthen connections between the University and alumni.  There are over 275,000 alumni worldwide and last year only 11,000 of this group were involved in alumni activities. The university wants to double this in the next three to four years. The aim is to encourage alumni to identify with the University and its mission, and be able to pinpoint areas that  are directly relevant to their lives. This may be through learning, networking, online content, access to leaders and innovators, career opportunities, discounted services and study, provision of targeted information, and some things that have yet to be created.  The new University Statute 3.1 is clear in articulating that the Alumni Council needs to represent the diversity of the alumni body.  It is hoped that members will represent both local and international interests, as well as representing all age groups and coming from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds.   ‘The alumni election may or may not achieve this, however the Vice-Chancellor’s appointed members will serve to assist in this regard’, says the university. The alumni body worldwide is made up of an enormous wealth of experience and talent. Having some of this expertise represented on the Alumni Council creates the potential to do things that have not been considered for many years.  This is a great chance, the first in over 150 years, for a small group of change leaders to really make a difference. Personally, I think it an impressive situation to have a university which is thinking well beyond the end of it’s graduate’s learning and qualifications, and attempting to get their ongoing input and participation beyond their physical association  with the institution.

 

Meanwhile, the Carlton  selection committee made one change for this afternoon’s game against Melbourne, the team, defeated by a mammoth total week which resulted in the sacking of their coach!  Dennis Armfield has recovered from the ankle injury that forced him to leave the ground during last Friday night’s victory over North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium. Aaron Joseph has been recalled to the team after missing two matches with a hamstring strain. Joseph injured his hamstring in the round 17 match against Collingwood and missed the victories against Essendon and North Melbourne.  Out of the side is my favourite,  Ryan Houlihan who celebrated his 200th AFL match in last Friday night’s victory, but didn’t do enough to earn a permanent place back in the team.. Houlihan has been named as an emergency, along with  the Irishman, Setanta O’hAilpin, and Kane Lucas.  Match TV coverage begins at around 3pm, so I guess that’s where I will be at that time. As the Club advised yesterday,   all roads lead to Jolimont this weekend, when the traditional Victorian counterparts Carlton and Melbourne meet in the equally traditional Saturday afternoon timeslot at the MCG. While the Demons have understandably been the focus of the media’s attentions since the Geelong contest, and will undoubtedly be fired for their new coach, nothing changes for the Blues in terms of their pre-match preparations.  For the Carlton players, it’s about bringing their A-game to the ground regardless.

Well I hoped that would happen, and the quarter by quarter scores below, indicate the outcome. Prior to the game, Houlihan got into the team, when Armfield’s injury didn’t improve enough for him to play.  A slow start to the Blues against a very aggressive Melbourne in the 1^st quarter, followed by an avalanche of Blues’ goals in the second quarter set up the rest of a strong win to Carlton.

 

Carlton Blues:                  6.1.37        14. 2.86       18.7.115             FINAL:    21.8.134

Melbourne Demons:        3.7.25        3. 10. 28        6.12.48              Final:         7.16.58

 

Moving away from today’s football, as I try not to gloat over another great win by the Blues, I was reminded last night of next week’s Census, with the arrival in the mail of my Census forms.  I referred to this a few days ago, the fact that the 16th Census of Population and Housing will take place on the night of  9 August 2011 [next Tuesday]. The 2011Census also marks a significant milestone – 100 years of national Census taking in Australia. An email received today from Victorian Liberal Senator, Michael Ronaldson [had not even realised I was on his mailing list], also reminded us of the importance of these Census counts.  The Census underpins Australia’s democracy and is crucial to communities, private institutions and all levels of government when planning infrastructure, community services and facilities where you live. For example Census information helps to determine where schools, hospitals, and roads are needed. Federal funding arrangements to the states and territories, including allocation of GST [General Services Tax] revenue, are also based on Census information.  The Census of Population and Housing aims to accurately count the number of people in Australia, their key characteristics, and the dwellings in which they live. It is conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) once every fi ve years. During the Census every household and person in the country is required to answer specific questions on the paper form or through eCensus online. As a bit of a traditional guy, I will probably stick with the handwritten form. The Census is compulsory, and is authorised by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.

 

A quiet Saturday night ahead of this writer. Susie has gone out somewhere, and I imagine it will be the early hours of the morning before she returns.  In the meantime, I received advice today of the death of one of the ‘girls’ from our days at Wesley Uniting Church, and the Young Adults Group [WYA] that I was a part of for a number of years.  Barbara M had been suffering from various cancer concerns for a couple of years now I believe, and our WYA contact had been keeping former members up to date for her progress.  She came to the ‘reunion’ dinner I attended early in the year, with husband Bruce, but was then only able to manage such an outing in a wheel chair. This was the second death of former members of that group from the late 1960s/early 70s this year!  A sobering thought to end my Saturday evening with…….

 

 

Certainly, not anything to complain about –  five rather pleasant, and for the most part, sunny days – so much so, that in the northwest of the State, and southern New South Wales, farmers were worrying about July’s lower than average rainfall, and early August high temperatures not attuning to crop growing, etc.  A new month, and the first week with almost Spring like conditions, though the weather people tell us it won’t last!  It would be a quiet week at the office – in fact, too quiet, as by Tuesday, this writer was feeling extremely ‘tired’ and lethargic, and would certainly have preferred to have been elsewhere, in fact, found himself off colour for most of the week – for sure, being well away from the office environment would have been a nice option. Did take some time off  late Wednesday – drove into the CBD [but should have left my car behind], ostensibly to visit the Public Library for a bit of family research. Eventually gave up trying to park the car, and not wanting to pay an exorbitant parking fee, gave that idea away, and found my away across to the Public Records Office in North Melbourne [traffic and parking a little quieter there] where I carried out some brief investigations and enquiries.

 

With Monday and Tuesday nights on the radio, and a radio committee meeting on Thursday night, not many complete evenings at home.  Susie arrived back from Bendigo on Tuesday evening, from memory, and while it was difficult to get much out of her, it seems she has given away her studies. She and Jodie drove up to the Gisborne College on Wednesday, to return some books that Susie had been using while she was on placement there last week!! After a  good conversation on Sunday about her future, I was a little disappointed that she was unwilling to share future plans now, however I didn’t push the issue. As it turned out, the car problems she had been experienced reached their climax, when she went for a drive over to Goonawarra – car would not start [faulty immobiliser, as warned], and so arrangements would need to be made to remedy that problem. Again my help not needed, she would arrange it all. That was all finalised and fixed [at a much cheaper price than had been anticipated] by Friday afternoon.

 

It’s interesting how neighbourly ‘disputes’ [minor or otherwise], so dominate our lives sometimes, and I guess because of that, it is little wonder that nations and cultures are so quickly at war.  In correspondence received from a friend during the week, she had a couple of brief examples of what are probably minor occurrences, but which if not acted upon quickly, as in these cases, can soon escalate into more unpleasant situations. My friend wrote: –  ‘Lots of drama here recently– a neighbour’s large gum tree has been  hanging over our property & was gradually leaning more & more towards  the rear of our house & verandah. If it did fall it would damage 2  bedrooms & part of the verandah. So that was done yesterday, at our  cost. No use arguing about it, if we wanted it done we could pay for  it. Mind you, they go to Europe almost every year for at least a month.  So of course you can see where their priorities lie. Another neighbour at the rear of our property has been complaining of a  large amount of water flowing done from our place. So the last few days  we have had Yarra Valley Water & the local council guys running  everywhere there are storm water drains. There is nothing leaking from  our property as the metre shows that & there is no problem with the  storm water or the pit. So they are now looking at our neighbour’s   place. Unfortunately for them the previous owners erected the garden  shed right in the corner of their property just where the storm water  pipe & it’s pit are. It has a concrete base, so I do not think the current occupiers will be best pleased’.  The question of trees and other large vegetation intruding into neighbour’s properties is quite a common cause of friction – I recall the lady over the back fence from my place expressing ‘concern’ at one stage that the branches from one of my trees were dropping all it’s leaves on her garden beds!!! Could she ‘chop’ off the offending branch. I didn’t really have any concern with that, just didn’t have the time to do it myself, so she was welcome to organise the ‘operation’. She did eventually, and I came home one evening to find all of the discarded branches and other material over my side of the fence!! Oh well!!  I got rid of them eventually.

 

Meanwhile on the political front, with Labor having negotiated their ‘reforms’ on things like the carbon tax, and refugees to Malaysia, I think they are trying to divert attention from Tony Abbott’s ongoing attacks with the announcement of various other ongoing initiatives such as health reform, etc.  Of particular interest to me, as I approach retirement, we have coming up next week, the Prime Minister’s release of the Productivity Commission’s long awaited final recommendations into aged care reform and the challenges of an ageing population. As the National Seniors organisation noted this week, currently aged care is a nightmare to navigate, dogged by staffing and bed shortages, crumbling under financial pressures and unable to meet the future demands of an ageing population. As a progression from the Productivity Commission’s draft report released in January, older Australians want to see: a greater emphasis on care, staffing levels wages and conditions; alternative funding options beyond the low-hanging fruit of the family home via bonds and reverse mortgages, and an independent aged care ombudsman. The National Seniors chief executive plans to attend the Parliament House briefing on the report in Canberra next Monday, and hopefully from that we might get some idea of what the future holds in this area.

As for Labor’s health reform policy, our Opposition Party in Parliament [‘my’ team, who of late seem to frustrate me more, than please me] had it’s usual negative response!  Maybe they are correct – as in most of these things, you so often get such conflicting stories from the opposing sides, that unless you are an ‘on the spot’ expert on the subject in question, your acceptance or otherwise of the facts presented simply depends on which side you voted for!  Unfortunately, I’m not so easily swayed by some of the Liberal tactics irrespective of what I think of the government.  On Wednesday, this was the official Liberal response to the Government’s health reforms –   ‘ Julia Gillard announced yesterday that Labor’s long awaited agreement on health ‘reform’ had been completed.  This is the third time in 18 months Labor has claimed to have reached an “historic agreement” on health reform and, once again, Labor fails to deliver on its promises in health. Key changes will not be implemented until at least 2014-15 – seven years after Labor promised to fix public hospitals or hold a referendum to take them over. Yesterday’s announcement does nothing for patients, but it is great news for health bureaucrats. Julia Gillard has simply given the states billions of dollars with no guarantees of better health outcomes for patients and has failed miserably to deliver any fundamental reform.  As Coalition Shadow Health Minister Peter Dutton said on Tuesday, ‘Julia Gillard has capitulated and given the states billions of dollars to get them to sign an agreement that this desperate Prime Minister needs to look like she is actually achieving something”.  Yes, well, a great bit of political spin, but it doesn’t really put up any concrete alternatives.

 

Meanwhile, the Government’s perspective on a national basis, was demonstrated at a local situation, when the Prime Minister visited one of Melbourne’s outer hospitals –  the comments arising from that visit, well they could be described as a whole lot of publicity spin also, but in some ways, so long as it all happens, it sounds like reform is on the cards.  Regardless of how you see this sudden agreement [or capitulation] by the various States to accept the Federal Government reforms, that in the past three years, some states have refused to agree to, perhaps over in the USA, they might take note of our ‘methods’ of getting agreement on reform measures, something the US seems to have problems with at present. Anyway, in respect to the Victorian situation  [where I believe a year or so ago, our government was arguing that Victoria already had the best health system in the country, and that national reforms proposed at the time, would damage that success], the following announcements were part of the reform package introduction. 

‘Patients at Maroondah Hospital will benefit from better access to elective surgery, emergency treatment and sub-acute hospital bedsas a result of the Gillard Government’s historic national health reforms. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the national health agreement will deliver a better deal for patients: more beds, more money and more services.  In visiting Maroondah Hospital today, Prime Minister Gillard was joined by Federal Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon and Local Federal Member for Deakin,  Mike Symon and said the local community would benefit from faster access to emergency department and elective surgery procedures. Under this agreement, the elective surgery target for patients to be treated within clinically recommended times has been increased from 95 per cent to 100 per cent by 2016. Patients will also benefit from reductions in emergency department waiting times with the new target ensuring that by 2015, 90 per cent of all patients presenting at an emergency department will be seen to within four hours This is on top of the 20 sub-acute beds already announced for Maroondah Hospital. Patients at Maroondah Hospital and around the nation can be confident that these health reforms will deliver world class care in their community. Victorians will benefit from up to $822.1 million of Commonwealth Government funding including over $12 million for Eastern Health to improve elective surgery and emergency department services, increase the availability of sub-acute services and to undertake clinical redesign projects across the region over the next five years. As part of the funding for Eastern Health, in November this year Angliss Hospital will commence work on creating ten new sub-acute beds and in February 2012 Maroondah Hospital will begin work on 20 new sub-acute beds. These new beds are being funded under one project totaling $5.7 million’.

Applying all this to the national picture  –  “This is a great example of what this new health deal will deliver – more Commonwealth investment in public hospitals, which means more beds, more services and better care for patients”, Ms Gillard said. The Australian Government will step up to permanently pay for 45 per cent of growth in hospital services in 2014-15, increasing to 50 per cent in 2017-18. This means the Commonwealth and States and Territories will share future funding growth for hospitals in an equal partnership. Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said that this year alone the Victorian Health and Hospital System will receive up to $179.5 million from the Commonwealth, building on $250 million already received by Victoria to begin work on 160 projects. “The benefits Victoria has already received demonstrate this Commonwealth and State partnership is providing the resources needed for much better health services closer to home,” Ms Roxon said.

I guess time will tell on all of these reforms  –  history has shown that since 2007, most the major Labor Government ‘reforms’ have failed dismally  –  it will be interesting to see if that trend can be reversed with a number of initiatives currently in progress!!

 

Whilst thinking of the Liberal Party, I notice that there has been a reprint of the book written by the founder of the Liberals, Sir Robert Menzies, the first reprint since 1943 – called ‘The Forgotten People and Other Studies in Democracy’. It was written against the backdrop of a then young nation, at the time, confronting war in the Pacific, and the basis of the book was a series of weekly radio broadcasts delivered by the late Robert Gordon Menzies, Australia’s longest serving former Prime Minister. These broadcasts explored the principles upon which the post-war world should be constructed [presumably in Menzies’ view], and gave a personal insight into the political soul of the founder of the Liberal Party. I suppose that as a supporter of that Party through most of my working life, I should try and get hold of a copy of the new publication. Apparently this new edition has a forward in it written by David Kemp, author, academic and former Howard Liberal Government Minister. He introduces ‘The Forgotten People’ with a searching portrayal of the political philosophy of the father of modern Liberalism in this country. He bridges the decades for a new generation of readers [I wasn’t even thought of in 1943] and pays tribute to the vast contribution of one man whose political beliefs remain central to politics and national policy making today.  I guess to many people, that sounds like a very ‘dry’ and boring read, and while I will no doubt find it ‘slow reading’ when I get to it, I’m sure the historical nature of it will prove, to me anyway, as interesting as have similar ‘political and Australian related’ publications I’ve read and commented upon over recent years through these pages.

 

As indicated in this blog heading, not much writing was achieved over the past five days, hence this rather lengthy compilation of some of the thoughts and interests that have attracted my attention during the week.  A number of special events coming up over the next 3 weeks or so, and as a consequence, the pace of the days will no be slowing down in the near future.  Despite some apprehensions, I continue to count down the days to that date in October when ‘officially’ retire from fulltime work.  I was given the opportunity to stay on a bit longer, and perhaps, if the work place was located here in Sunbury instead of inner suburban Melbourne, I might have given it some consideration, but under present circumstances, the daily commuting in the peak hour traffic, is becoming a bit much for this guy to wish to continue to cope with!!  My ‘Brisbane’ based brother [Ian, ex Army] had a birthday on Wednesday –  he has been retired for nearly 3 years now, and when I told him of my plans during a birthday phone call that morning, his response to me was ‘It’s about time’!!~!   Ian, because of circumstances which occurred earlier this year, is now living permanently in a caravan park, north of Brisbane, and seemed resignedly happy with his new lifestyle, particularly the fact that he was given approval to create his own beloved vegetable garden on his site!!

 

 

A bit of disappointing news received late this afternoon, but all part of life’s events when one has a family, and with support, etc, we shall all move on, to more opportunities and lifetime changes. As for myself, well I think I have enough ‘changes’ coming up in the approaching months, don’t need to look for any more!

 

Meanwhile, a couple of very one sided AFL football matches over the weekend including that inflicted upon the once powerful Melbourne football team  – a loss by 186 points to potential grand finalist, Geelong, saw an immediate reaction this evening, with the sacking of the Melbourne coach, Dean Bailey – he was the second AFL coach to be sacked within a week, with one of the Adelaide coaches replaced last week.  Personally, I usually feel sorry for the coaches, who always seem to be the first person to go, when a team is playing badly  –  I mean after all, it is generally the players out on the football field, who are putting in the poor performance. But, blame begins at the top in these situations!  At Carlton, while the team is going along fairly well this year, it is generally accepted, that if the team do not manage to win at least one Finals game this September, the  coach Brett Ratten  will be replaced!!  As it currently stands, the Blues are still in the likely position of dropping to 5^th on the ladder before the interim season finishes, which would mean they will only get one opportunity to win a finals game, and despite their relative strength during most of the current season,  such a win cannot be a guarantee!   With 5 rounds to go, of which Carlton has a bye in one of those weeks, the Top 8 situation currently stands as follows, with only 8 of the 16 teams in the competition to move into the final series of matches through September:

 

1. Collingwood Magpies:               64
2. Geelong Cats                              64
3. Hawthorn Hawks                       52
4. Carlton Blues                             50
5. West Coast Eagles                     48
6. Sydney Swans                            38
7. St Kilda Saints                           38
8. Fremantle Dockers                    36
9. Essendon Bombers                    34
10. North Melbourne Kangaroos     32
11. Melbourne Demons                    30
12. Western Bulldogs                       28
13. Richmond Tigers                        22
14. Adelaide Crows                          20
15. Brisbane Lions                           12
16. Gold Coast Suns                         12
17. Port Adelaide Power                     8

 

Next weekend, Carlton comes up against the luckless Melbourne team, though again, despite the latter’s poor effort on Saturday, a win should not be automatically assumed!  A danger game!

 

In the meantime, with the next newsletter of the radio station due for release within the next week or so, I decided to make a little contribution, and the following is part of that piece of writing. It was headed ‘Be careful, it will become addictive’………………

 

‘When I ventured into my first Showtime program at 3NRG at 9pm on a Thursday night in May 2005 [after dashing in from a School Council meeting, or was it a Church Council  meeting??] under the watchful eyes of Harry Beckwith, I could never have imagined that  6 years later, I would still be collecting that ‘damn’ key from you know where, or playing that Southern Star promo, or waiting for the infamous 3NRG midnight ghost to put in an appearance!! 
But here I am, still here!! Almost a 1000 shows later [all up including Fill-ins], I’m still signing that book, or grumbling about Mr Walker, or presenters quoting the temperature from that faulty weather gauge in the studio, or presenters who simply don’t turn up, or my coming in at 6.30am on a Sunday morning, and finding the studio window was left open overnight, etc, etc –  and still loving it all!!
 
So a word of warning to all those new presenters who have joined us in recent months  –  it ‘does’ become addictive, but an addiction with positive results, and generally, not harmful to one’s health – unless you are stupid enough to volunteer to do a program first thing on a Sunday morning!!!!!  Yet, it is a wonderful experience to arrive up at the studio at that time and be greeted by 635 rabbits and 3 magpies each week – although sadly, none of them stay around!!!   The rabbits take one look at this person, and then scatter in all directions, while the magpies, well they simply realise immediately that I’m not Sandie D, and I don’t have a bag of bread in my hand!!! 
 
Anyway, I’d just like to say after these six years  – enjoy what you are doing, and most importantly, make sure you ‘sound’ as though you are enjoying it, because if you don’t, your listeners will pick up on that, and switch off!  Like most of us I suspect [there are the obvious exceptions],  I don’t get much feedback, calls etc, but that doesn’t really matter –  it’s all worthwhile, if the occasional call you do get,  is from someone you don’t know, but who wants to tell you, that the song you just played, has brought back so many memories, and made their day!!!  You can go home from that program feeling content that you made someone happy!
 
I’m finishing up with ‘Showtime’  –  last program will at 6pm on Thursday, 23 August – Showtime Program No. 300.  From now on, I will concentrate on Sunday Classics [6.30 – 9am Sundays] and Smorgasbord of Music & Entertainment [9pm – Midnight, Monday nights], plus very happy to fill-in at other times as and when required. I enjoy and play ‘most’ forms of music [just a couple of genre exceptions!!!].
It is a great organisation to be a part of, and while at times, we might feel that ‘things’ are moving too slowly, the advances that 3NRG has made, particularly over the past two years, in so many areas, means it is a privilege and a pleasure to continue to be a part of the place. But we can only be as good and as vibrant as the Membership allows us to be – become involved in some way, beyond your lonely 2 hours a week, and in doing so, you will find your enjoyment of the role grows with that added involvement…………………………….one of the best decisions I have ever made, in joining 3NRG’.
 
Susan headed back up to Bendigo shortly before 5 o’clock this evening, although not long afterwards Jodie turned up to make use of her sister’s computer [Susie knew she was coming], so I had her company [in a fashion] for a few hours tonight. But, it was back to the empty house for the night again, later on!

 

I have a habit of remembering dates, but forgetting lots of other important facts!!  Today is the birthday of a friend I used to work with – have only seen her once in the last 16 years, just where have those years flown to?   Anyway, wherever you are, CL, enjoy your day, and keep smiling that beautiful smile I will  always remember J

 

Meanwhile, this writer is not really in the mood for doing any of those many tasks he should be attending to this weekend. A reasonable sleep for a change overnight, following last evening’s brief ‘party interlude’ for son James, and his celebrations at Briodie’s  [Irish] Hotel in Brunswick. He had all of his family there at different stages plus a bunch of ‘hard drinking’ friends and fans, the majority of whom turned up ‘after’ I left!!  Adam & Jodie were still there, presumably for the bulk of the evening, Interesting to learn that Adam had bought himself a share in a racehorse  – well, a ‘trotter’ to be precise, with a guy he works with, and the owner/driver of the horse. Another interesting expense for him to take on, perhaps I can begin to feel not so guilty about passing over to Adam some of his car related expenses that I continue to support him with!!!  Certainly,  he seems to be doing much better for himself these days. As for the later stages of last night’s celebrations, I’m not sure I want to hear too much about them, or what eventuated.   A very tired Susan, after her week at the school in Gisborne, came back home with me, and I think she was asleep before I even finished watching the football!!

 

Speaking of the football  –   well I am now anyway  –   I got home last night to find the TV coverage of the game, Carlton vs North Melbourne was beyond the halfway stage, and  the Blues were behind. However, as a Carlton supporter, I did get to watch the better part of the game, and  my Blues eventually got on top of their opponents, and went on to a reasonable, if not below form display! The Blues moved back into 3^rd position on the Ladder, for the time being, but could end the season down in 5^th position, depending on th their results and that of other teams around us!!  I hope not.

Quarter by quarter scores were as follows.

 

Carlton Blues:                         1.4.10     3.9.27     6.12.48      FINAL:  11.14.80

Nth Melbourne Kangaroos:   3.2.20     6.2.38     7.6.42        Final:      9.8.62

 

My earlier relaxed  mood stayed around today – it was a dismal and chilly day in Sunbury, and not an encouragement for outside work!  So I spent part of the afternoon cooking a roast for Susan and myself  [which, in retrospect, didn’t turn out as good as I had anticipated – the half leg of lamb I had purchased this morning, had more bone in it than had been obvious, and I was a little disappointed at the outcome  –  my cooking needs some attention [or maybe, I need a cook!!].

 

Meanwhile, I think I have mentioned previously that Sunbury is celebrating it’s 175^th anniversary this year since the town’s formal establishment in 1836, and the following brief extract, outlines some of the town’s history, as detailed in the Australian Heritage magazine recently. The comments below, in italics, are my notes.

 

‘The Sunbury area’s first white settlers were George Evans and William Jackson, who arrived in July 1836. It was Jackson, who, together with his brother, Samuel, named Sunbury after the English Sunbury-on-Thames. Evans took up the Emu Bottom run. His original sandstone homestead (1836) remains today as part of a more substantial building [and is today, one of Sunbury’s historic tourist and entertaining venues].  W.J.T. ‘Big’ Clarke was another early pastoralist to obtain land in the Sunbury area. The double storey, bluestone fifty room ‘Rupertswood’ mansion  [a painting print of which  was recently commissioned for the 175^th anniversary, and I have just recently purchased a copy  – currently trying to decide which location in the house I want to display it] was built by his son, Sir William Clarke, from 1874/76. The mansion features a 100 feet high tower and a description from the time states that it was built in the ‘Byzantine order of architecture’. A ballroom was added to the building in 1881/82.

Rupertswood, one of the largest residences in Victoria, was also an important social centre [and remains that way today] and played host to parties, balls and hunt meets. Clarke, who was the president of the Melbourne Cricket Club, met the English cricket team while sailing home from a European tour in 1882 and invited them to join him for Christmas and New Year at Rupertswood, a visit which has been credited as giving rise to the existence of the Ashes trophy. The Ashes, today a biannual series of test cricket matches played between England and Australia, was born as a result of Australia’s surprise seven run victory against the English team in a one off test match at The Oval in England in 1882. This was the first time that an Australian eleven had played an English eleven.

The English Sporting Times ran a satirical obituary, written by journalist Reginald Brooks, after the match which lamented the death of English cricket and stated that, ‘The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia’. The English team, captained by the Hon Ivo Bligh, travelled to Australia to reclaim ‘the Ashes’ in 1882/83, winning a three test series 21. Though there was a long held view that the Ashes trophy was presented to Bligh after the third match, further research around the centenary of the Ashes gave rise to another version of events. This account tells the story of the Ashes urn being presented to Bligh after a social game at Rupertswood. The urn was said to contain a burnt bail, but it has also been stated that the urn

contains the remains of a burnt stump, ball or ball cover. It was also

suggested by Bligh’s daughterinlaw that the urn actually contains the

remnants of her motherinlaw’s veil. Bligh retained the urn until his death in  1927. It was given to the Lord’s cricket ground in the 1930s and remains there today.

The Clarke family sold the Rupertswood property to Sunshine Harvester manufacturer, H.V. Mackay in 1922. Rupertswood was subsequently subdivided and the remaining property was acquired by the Salesian order of Catholic priests and brothers in 1927.

The railway reached Sunbury during the construction of the line between Melbourne and Bendigo from 1859 to 1862, around which time Sunbury’s first vineyards were being planted. The Sunbury region grew into an important winemaking area and Victoria was producing half of Australia’s wine at one point during the 19th century However, an infestation of the ‘Phylloxera’ vine louse devastated the state’s vineyards (though it bypassed Sunbury) after entering Victoria in the 1870s and the depression of the 1890s signalled the further decline of the winemaking industry

The ‘Craiglee’ vineyard was established in 1863 by politician and

businessman, James Stewart Johnston, who constructed the property’s

bluestone winery between 1865 and 1868. Winemaking at Craiglee ceased in the 1920s due to the economic circumstances and public tastes of the time. Vines were replanted on the site of the original vineyard by Patrick Carmody in 1976 [and on a couple of occasions in the late 1980s,  I helped  to pick the grape crop at that winery, as part of my kids’ school community outreach]. James Goodall Francis, who became the Victorian premier in 1870, also established his Goonawarra  vineyard in 1863 [the family home here in Sunbury, where my wife,, her mother and one son & daughter still currently live was built in 1983, just over the hill from this winery, on the estate which is known as the Goonawarra Estate  –  the name derived from an Aboriginal name for black swan]. The vineyard continued to operate for a while after Francis’ death in 1884, but the land here too was eventually given over to other farming activities [and then eventually, the housing estate referred to]. The remaining 17 acres of the Goonawarra property was bought and replanted as a vineyard in 1983 by John and Elizabeth Barnier. Original buildings such as the homestead (1863/75) still remain on the property today [and is used as a restaurant and winery for sales, etc]

The Sunbury township was also developing in the 1860s. A Catholic church and school, as well as an Anglican school opened in 1860. In 1867 a permanent Anglican church was established, and a Presbyterian church was built the next year.  An industrial school opened at Sunbury in 1864 [on the top of Jacksons Hill]  and was converted to a mental asylum in 1879. Extensions were made to the building between 1891 to 1914. The asylum was renamed the Caloola Centre in 1985. It was decommissioned in the early 1990s and opened as a campus of the Victorian University of Technology in 1995  [which institution subsequently ceased operations in Sunbury about 18 months ago –  Radio Station 3NRG is now one of a number of community facilities which operate out of  some of  the former buildings].

Sunbury, around 35 kilometres northwest of Melbourne, began to develop as a commuter suburb of Melbourne from the 1960s. In the 2006 Census Sunbury’s estimated population was recorded as 31,004 people [I continue with people who try and describe Sunbury as a Melbourne suburb –  we are a town in our own right, and while development of business and retail establishments, and residential areas have grown enormously since our arrival in 1983 – encouraged to come here by the motto ‘Country living, City style –  I will continue to regard our town in that manner – certainly, it is a beautiful relief, even today, from the inner suburban pandemonium of the areas I work in during the week].

 

As part of the 175 celebrations,  a ceremony to retrieve time capsules, which were interred 25 years ago to commemorate the 150th year of Sunbury, will be held on 15th August, 2011 from 2pm at the George Evans monument which is situated outside the Sunbury Library and

George Evans museum. The contents will be on display at the George Evans museum later in the year.  Back in 1986, sixteen community groups and schools filled plastic pipes with local memorabilia from the day and they have now been sealed for 25 years. It is hoped that another collection of time capsules will be buried with a view to

retrieval during Sunbury’s 200th anniversary in 2036’.

Over the coming months, I hope to include a few more little historical notes about my town in these pages. The local Sunbury Heritage and \Historical Society has recently produced a series of short ‘messages’ about our young history, and these are broadcast daily on our radio station.

 

 

First of all, for all those thousands of people who attempted the sample questions from Australia’s Citizenship Test, here are the correct answers – you will have to refer back to yesterday’s entry to refresh your memory about the questions!

 

1a, 2a, 3c, 4b, 5a, 6b, 7b, 8b, 9c, 10a, 11a, 12b, 13c, 14b, 15c, 16b, 17b, 18b, 19b, 20b

The source was which that little exercise came, was the National Seniors organisation, and they had a couple of other items, which in view of my pending retirement, are of particular interest at this stage. One related to the current Government changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme [PBS], where it has been decided to defer the listing of new medicines on the PBS. Not sure what the basis of that decision is [other than a cost cutting exercise] because their inclusion has being recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.  National Seniors is concerned about the potential negative affect of this on older people. Their view is that   “Anecdotal evidence from our members suggest that already there are some older people, including concession card holders, who defer buying prescription medicines subsidised under the PBS because of the co-contribution they have to make. “We are concerned about the impact of the deferral decision on consumers, especially low income and disadvantaged Australians whose ability to access medicines and health care services heavily depends on Government assistance.”  I shall keep an eye on that topic, as will National Seniors who have promised to keep its members in the loop regarding any changes to the PBS issue.

The second item relates to future concerns about our ageing population.  The Victorian Government is holding an Inquiry into major issues facing senior Victorians including productive ageing, the workforce, services for seniors and more. The Family & Community Development Committee is calling for submissions to its current Inquiry into Opportunities for Participation of Senior Victorians.  The Inquiry will review national and international literature on preparing for an ageing society; examine the contribution of, and challenges facing, older members of Victorian community from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds; identify the role of government in supporting older Victorians as well as look at ways to promote positive ageing.  It also plans to look at the economic significance of older Victorians in the paid workforce and the voluntary sector and barriers to participation for those seniors who desire to work or contribute to the community, and how willing economic and social contributions can be fostered.
The final report will develop recommendations or strategies for whole of government and community responses to the needs of older Victorians now, and into the future, and incorporate in the recommendations the best international practice in support of ageing well. Submissions close on 2 September 2011.  An interesting exercise, and even more so, because it is happening at the same time as Australia’s national 2011 CENSUS, which I believe has just commenced, and I can expect a visit shortly.

In our last CENSUS [in 2006], that period was in between my permanent jobs, and I had the opportunity to be employed for a few weeks as a CENSUS collector. Certainly not a job I would have previously imagined undertaking, but it proved to be quite a fascinating and ‘educational’ exercise.  I was given the opportunity to do the job again this year, but the experience of 2006, where I had the time to do most of the work involved during weekdays , made me realise that 5 years  later and still involved in full time employment with various other commitments to the radio, etc, it would be taking on too much. I was also not too keen on wandering around unfamilar streets in the evening and knocking on householder’s doors after dark – I know how annoyed I usually feel at evening visits from salespeople – CENSUS collectors are often regarded as ‘government salesmen’!!!  I was reminded of the CENSUS today, when a collector called in at the office to advise that he would be delivering CENSUS forms throughout this housing estate throughout the day. An interesting exercise in itself, considering the high population of migrants and refugees living on the estate, in respect to language difficulties, etc.  Back in 2006, for the area of Sunbury that I was responsible for, communication difficulties in respect to language was generally not a problem ass most of the population were Anglo-Saxon or long term migrants, who were familiar with the process, irrespective of whether they considered the census project with much respect or not.

CENSUS night this year, will be Tuesday, 9^th August –  more accurately described as the Census of Population and Housing, it aims to accurately count the number of people in Australia that night, their key characteristics, and the dwellings in which they live. Every household and person in the country is required to answer specific questions on the paper form [distributed to each household by t5he Census collectors], or  provide their responses through  eCensus online.

It’s an event undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics every five years.  This year’s Census also marks a significant milestone – 100 years of national Census taking in Australia. The Census underpins Australia’s democracy and is crucial to communities, private institutions and all levels of government when planning infrastructure, community services and facilities where Australians live.  For example Census information helps to determine where schools, hospitals, and roads are needed. Federal funding arrangements to the states and territories, including allocation of GST revenue, are also based on Census information, together with a whole host of other factors, etc.  As indicated above, I often wonder just how seriously some people take this responsibility, and therefore what kind of inaccuracies must arise from such a massive exercise.  Certainly, as a genealogist, the Census results from the past 100-200 years where they have been undertaken, are a valuable source of family history, which of course depends on accuracy. With that point in mind, I’m not sure how that reconciles these days with the advice that comes with the CENSUS information, that all information collected through the CENSUS is strictly private and confidential.  No one outside of the ABS (including other Government agencies) will ever see your Census responses. Also, individuals or households cannot be identified in Census results or data.  I think the laws have changed a little in recent decades, and it is probably only the historical census data that is available, as far as family records, etc, are concerned.

Speaking of family records, my son, who celebrated his 30^th birthday last weekend, is having his own planned ‘celebrations’ tonight at one of the inner city hotels. I think most of the family are attending, although I think the bulk of his ‘invites’ have gone to a wide circle of friends, and I fear it is going to be a bit of a drink fest!!  I will certainly not be staying too late after as meal, etc, and intend to leave the ‘real’ celebrations to the ‘younger generation’. James’ mother and her 90 year old mother are attending – I hope they don’t stay around too long – I don’t think this venue has the reputation of being a quiet and peaceful abode, especially on a Friday night, and can be become very crowded and noisy!! We used to frequent this same hotel [living just down the road] back in the early days of marriage because the ‘kids’ started to arrive, although it has changed much since those days – now regards itself these days as an ‘Irish Pub’  although the genuineness of that has been sharply disputed by my Irish friend – who doesn’t consider such places to be ‘authentic Irish pubs’. I bow to his opinion on that!! Anyway, James’ mother and his Nan are booked into a motel around the corner from the pub, so they well be able to ‘escape’ from the pub without hazzle whenever they want. James himself has also booked into that motel, but I would advise his mother to stay well clear!!   It had been suggested that I do the same thing, however decided that would commit me to staying at the venue much later than I intended, and decided I would return home later tonight!  Will have at least one passenger – Susie, who has probably had the most strenuous week’s work in her life, the first of four weeks teaching placement at a school north of Sunbury, considers she will be too tired for a late pub night, so is strangely grateful that her Dad does not intend to stay late!!

I just hope the night passes without any incident of concern!

Meanwhile, with that function happening, this Blues’ fan is going to miss his team playing tonight, in their match against the North Melbourne Kangaroos at the Etihad Stadium!  I haven’t been for a few weeks, but would in fact have gone straight to that game from work, until I realised the ‘clash’. Oh well, perhaps for the better –  it is a huge game for Carlton with the Blues having won just one of the last eight matches against North Melbourne!!!!  However, my team will welcome experience back into the side with the return of one of my favourite players, Ryan Houlihan, who has been recalled to the team after playing the last three weeks for the Northern Bullants in the VFL.  It is a huge game for him also, his 200th AFL game,  after making his debut for Carlton back in round 11, 2000 against North Melbourne. Just a pity for him that for much of that period, he has played with a Carlton team at it’s lowest historical ebb, prior to the last couple of years. 

[Incidentally, over the last few days, the World Swimming Championships have been going on, in Shanghai, China. Although our Australian swimmers, particularly the girls, have been performing pretty well as usual,  surprisingly, last night, just three days out from the end of the competition, saw our first individual Gold Medal  – with James Magnussen winning the Men’s 100 metres.  Equally surprising, that was the first ever 100 metre World Championship Gold Medal for Australia in that event, and Magnussen is the youngest winner [19 yrs, 3 mths] since 1975.  Looking at the overall results, it seems as though China is dominating the results [home ground advantage!!] with Russia and the USA close behind!  Apparently, we have also won Gold in one of the Men’s relays – in which Magnussen also was a part. Interestingly, Australia is 5^th on the medal table – 2 Gold, 8 Silver and 2 Bronze, behind China, Russia, USA and Brazil]