Author: jkirkby8712

Sue Cook’s  novel,  ‘On Dangerous Ground’ was published on 6 November 2006 by Hodder Headline. Her second, Force of Nature, is published in hardback edition in July 2008, also by Headline. She is a British broadcaster and author, who lives in North London with her husband, film director Ian Sharp. She has two children, Charlie Williams, son to former husband John Williams, the classical guitarist, and Megan Macqueen, daughter to children’s television producer Billy Macqueen with whom she lived for almost fifteen years. Apparently she is, or was, working on a third novel.  As suggested yesterday, I did manage to finish her book last night, and I found it a simple but quite touching and at times, emotional book to read.  The following little précis of the storyline provides a broad outline of the plot. I think the ‘message’ which came out of the book, was that while Vietnam is a beautiful country,  as are it’s people in the main, it is still a communist country which likes to maintain a tight control on what and where visitors to the country get up to. I don’t know whether that has changed since the book was written, but it certainly hints at a certain degree of authoritarian paranoia. 

But to the story:-       ‘A gripping and dangerous voyage of discovery for a mother and daughter in Vietnam. It’s devastating enough when Pru’s husband confesses to a long term affair on their 20th wedding anniversary. Then when her daughter, Molly, announces she’s leaving for Vietnam on a Gap Year project, Pru knows her comfortable family life is over for good. Just as she’s picking up the pieces, an email brings news that Molly has become involved with political activists and could be in serious danger. Arriving in this beautiful but alien land, Pru embarks on a desperate search for her recalcitrant daughter and meets Ben, a veteran of the US war. He’s intelligent, funny, handsome, but damaged. Together they tackle corrupt police, greedy property dealers and a ruthless local party cadre; and when eventually Pru finds her daughter, she also discovers an inner strength she never knew she had.

Admittedly, this reader was content with the way the story ended, being a romantic at heart!! The descriptions of life in Vietnam, thirty years after the Vietnam War [as per the time line in the story] was an interesting insight, particularly the reasons which was leading many ex-Americans were returning there years later, almost as an act of apology for what their presence in the country previously had represented.

 

Now, with the recent London riots, etc [which hopefully are over now], the question has been raised in various quarters in Australia as to whether such a ‘people’s revolt would be possible or likely here. There have already been various scenarios set as to just what the ‘anger’ [violence, looting, burning] was all about, and I think the jury is still out on that one.  Others describe it simply as outright hooliganism., while some think it was socially motivated as a result of poverty, inequity and recent government financial cut backs in the UK.  My personal view is that in many situations, the unrest was purely an  example of opportunistic thieves taking advantage of a weakened security situation. 

When ‘National Seniors’ recently asked it’s members if it could happen in Australia, the general response seemed to be that it already had, to a smaller degree, the Cronulla riot of a few years ago in the southern Sydney area being cited as one example. The view is that it will happen again,  due to the soft reaction by government and police at the time which provided no deterrent to the lawbreakers involved,  That in fact appears to be the main criticism [justified or not] of the police in London.  One comment for eg, was that  ‘The goody goodies take away police power in the name of “privacy” and “human rights” so we can’t do anything about trouble makers until they ACTUALLY hurt people. Parents defend their children even though they KNOW they’re in the wrong. People that are too lazy to go out and get a job can quite happily live on handouts for the rest of their life. What do you expect? Of course it’ll happen here. It already has!’  Another noted that  ‘we’re too politically correct these days and too soft of crime and until the police claw back some of their eroded power, there are some areas of Sydney I wouldn’t even contemplate driving through … sad but true’.

  One concern here, as far as major cities like Melbourne and Sydney are concerned, is that while we don’t necessarily have slums, we do have a few large Dept of Housing sites in Sydney and Melbourne – I’m not sure about the other major cities, but I actually work in one of those environments in Melbourne. While I would find it difficult to imagine major problems occurring in ‘my’ estate’, there are enclaves of cultural groups in Sydney, eg Cabramatta has a large Asian population, Auburn, Bankstown, Punchbowl, Lakemba etc – there are many Arabic speaking people in those suburbs which have experienced some level of violence in the past, but not on the same scale as UK. I guess the likely long term affects of what has just happened in England will be looked at closely, and any examination or outcome of investigations as to the real causes of what occurred, will hopefully be taken careful note of, out here.

With Susan back up in Bendigo for a few days – not sure if for social, or study reasons –  things are rather quiet here today, and in some ways, I’m enjoying the solitariness of the house environment. Not really, but things have been a little tense over recent weeks, so  that aspect is missing at present. Exchanged a couple of emails over night with brother Robert, in Sydney, regarding Cadel Evan’s reception in Melbourne on Friday. I had noted to him that I had been a bit apprehensive that all the build up to the planned reception for Cadel Evans might be a bit of an ‘over play’, so was rather pleased that the eventual reception by the Melbourne crowds yesterday was so successful, with a fantastic turnout. I guess it’s the usual story, everyone loves a hero, and while you probably couldn’t describe cycling as a mainstream sport [as far as spectators are concerned] in Australia, success breeds popularity, and yesterday was proof of that in the CBD.  Rob replied that Yes, it looked like a good turnout, and from the bit I saw on news he seemed genuinely thrilled by the response. Liked his response to the inevitable question, what’s changed since your TDF win – response, “riding up hill is still hard”.
He also mentioned that he intended to be in South Australia this January, when the ‘Tour Down Under’ international cycling event would be taking place. Obviously, his fitness and bike training schedule was continue to go ahead at full power up there in Sydney!

Pleased to hear that Australia’s female tennis star, Samantha Stosur, has found her way into the Final [tonight I think] against Serena Williams in the Rogers Tournament in Toronto, a big lead up to the coming USA Open Championship. Let’s hope that this the beginning of the return to the form that had Sam in the top 10 women a few months ago, before recently dropping out. Pity I can’t see that on any kind of TV coverage here, but will be keeping an ear open for an outcome. Also representing Australia tonight, is motor cycle champion, Casey Stoner, competing in the Czechoslovakia MotoGP. If still awake at that stage, will, try and have a look at the race.

A chilly overcast morning, didn’t feel encouraged to go out for a walk, or do some of that much needed work in the garden, or even the many writing jobs, etc, I currently have on the go – simply wanted to do some reading when I eventually got up this morning.  I love books, but over the last few months, not much reading has been done, with time spent in other directions. Sometimes, I think I try and do too much, and end up, never really giving anything a 100% attention. Feel a little that way this morning – there are a number of books on hand that I’ve begun to read this year – some serious and biographical, others a more lighter, easily read novel. Got into one of the latter today  –  ‘On Dangerous Ground’ by Sue Cook, the story of a mother, whose comfortable family life seems to have evaporated, with the separation from your husband, and her teenage daughter leaving home [in England] for a gap year working in Vietnam. When her daughter ‘disappears’ from her job, and is rumoured to be working with a group of activists in rural Vietnam, she packs her bags, and immediately flies out to Vietnam to look for her daughter. If I devoted the day to it, and forgot everything else, I could finish this novel before Sunday, already the storyline is ‘tugging’ at my heart strings, and I don’t really want to put the book down.

However, in Bill’s usual fashion, the pleasure of doing one thing, is always negated by the feelings that there are other tasks I should be attending to.  I must even keep an eye [or an ear] to this afternoon’s horse racing program in Melbourne. As part of a small ‘betting social’ group, associated with the radio station, it has been my turn this weekend to spend the group’s weekly ‘betting allocation’  –  in fact, last week was my turn, and because I came out in front [won back more than we spent], I get another go at the role!  So I will be interested to keep a track of how far my $40 investment is proceeding this afternoon!!  In the meantime, my football team is playing over in Perth [Western Australia] this afternoon – no free to air TV coverage, so I shall have to depend on the radio for progress there also. I’m glad it’s a cold and potentially wet afternoon, the perfect excuse to remain indoors!

As for the Carlton football team, the Club ‘tells’ me that the team flew out to Perth early yesterday,  to prepare for this afternoon’s match against the Fremantle Dockers  at Patersons Stadium. Twenty-three players were joined by coaches and officials on the flight to Perth.  Saturday’s game will be the final time for 2011 that Carlton will wear the light blue clash guernsey. The AFL requirement is for Carlton to wear a clash guernsey in away matches against Fremantle, Melbourne, Port Adelaide and St Kilda   Dennis Armfield, who was a late withdrawal last weekend, has returned to the the team after overcoming an ankle injury. Armfield was very close to playing against Melbourne last weekend but it was decided the additional recovery period was the best option.  Andrew Carrazzo has recovered from a calf injury that has kept him out of the team for the last five matches. The two players to make way for the return of Carrazzo and Armfield are Ryan Houlihan [I feel sorry for him, he has been emergency for the past two matches, and was given very little match time to prove his worth] and Brock McLean [whose performances have been a bitr disappointing this season],  Meanwhile, young Indigenous player,  Jeff Garlett will play his 50th game for Carlton today.   Garlett joined Carlton via the 2009, and  made his AFL debut in round one, 2009 against Richmond at the MCG .  He was the 1,116th player to represent Carlton in the AFL/VFL. A rising star nominee in 2010,  Garlett was runner-up in Carlton’s goalkicking last season and is also second on the list this year with 40 goals.  Always an exciting player to watch, during a game.  More about today’s game, later on.

I’ve received quite a deal of email correspondence recently from a distance family connection, and in the process, he has forwarded me many copies of old newspaper and official documents, concerning one particular branch of the family, connected to descendants of my great great grandmother [a Kennedy] who married our original ‘Kirk’ settler here in Australia. Interestingly [as a Blues supporter], I’ve learnt that one of the descendants on her side of the family tree, played for the Carlton football team, way back in 1871, and in fact I how a photo [did they have photography back then?] of the complete team,, including the Kennedy in question, dressed in their neck to toe football outfits that they would grace the football ground wearing, in those days. I must pass this little piece of history onto to my eldest son, at some stage.

The Carlton visit to the other side of the continent was successful this afternoon, and the Blues proved to be a bit too classy for the Dockers team, with a win that should have been even more convincing had they kicked a bit better for goal.  The relative closeness of the final scores were probably not a true reflection of the difference between the two teams, particularly with Carlton being outscored in the last quarter, bit of ‘relaxation’ happening there, I think.  Final quarter by quarter scores were as follows.

Carlton Blues:                     5.5.35        7.10.52        11.16.82         FINAL:   16.19.115

Fremantle Dockers:             3.0.18        4.2.26            7.7.49           Final:  12.13.85

Not so successful was my horse tipping, and while we did recoup some of our expenditure, the afternoon ran at a loss, and I won’t get a third week in a row at that role!!   Actually, after writing that sentence, I checked the results of the last two races, and discovered that I had chosen the eventual winner on both occasions –  which in fact, put us ahead – spent $40, collected, on my calculations, around $53.  That probably means, that I will in fact, get the tipping job again next week!!! Generally however, I refuse to get too carried away with picking, I tend to do it more as an interest, than with any genuine hope of making a fortune, which unless they are extremely lucky, most people do not achieve through that kind of ‘gambling’

In the meantime, a visit during the afternoon, from my kid’s Mum, together with a rather neglected dog belonging to elder son James –everyone else in the family, seems to spend more time giving ‘Murphy’ some company than his supposed master! Shirley came over to use Susie’s computer, and while she was doing that, yours truly entertained the dog [which absolutely adores company and attention] while at the same time, keeping the two resident cats at a distance!!   I discovered later in the afternoon that the cats would be my charge for the next few days – Susie was heading up to Bendigo this evening, and as usual to my annoyance, she persists in waiting until after dark before heading off!!  Anyway, being left alone for the rest of the evening, I decided not to go to much trouble over an evening meal., and would return to a period of reading, the mood which began this day!

A couple of days ago, I mentioned my visit to the theatre, where I saw a ‘modern’ production of  Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet’..That performance is still playing on my mind, and rather than go back to that day’s posting, I’ve decided to include a few quotes from the play itself. The longer of these, will be familiar to most people, even if they know nothing else about the play itself!

Haste, haste me to know it, that I, with wings as swift As meditation or thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge [Hamlet, 1.5. 29-31]

There is special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, ‘tis not to come; it it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come – the readiness is all.  [Hamlet: 5,2]

I heard thee speak me a speech once, but it was never acted, or if it was, not above once; for the play, I remember, pleas’d not the million, ‘twas caviar to the general. [Hamlet: 2.2.432-433]

And from Act 3; Scene 1:

To be, or not to be : that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover’d country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.–Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember’d.

In the meantime, I hope to finish reading  ‘On Dangerous Ground’ before the night is out  –  work on the family history has stopped for the weekend!    While from today’s ‘Age’ newspaper, Leunig’s cartoon includes the little piece which says:-   ‘Here is the news’ says the voice on the radio. It falters……and then continues: ‘Oh what does it matter, we all have our disasters. Let’s have some music’.     Good idea!  Reminds me, have I got my morning program organised yet?

There was a civic reception and welcome back to Tour de France winner, Cadel Evans today, in the centre of Melbourne. I was a little apprehensive that the crowd response might not be as great as was perhaps anticipated, however, I needn’t have worried. There was a massive turnout for Australia’s newest sporting hero, where tens of thousands of people packed central Melbourne today to welcome back Evans on his first trip home since winning the race. The rather unassuming and modest cyclist and his family said afterwards, that they were  overwhelmed by the reaction of people in Australia.  While there is a high cycling population in Australia, the sport itself does not the same degree of spectator interest as in many of the European countries, but a success in any venture, usually brings out a new spectator base. Today, he rode along St Kilda Road, with a support team of twenty young cyclists, from the National Gallery of Victoria to Federation Square, where he addressed the thousands of fans, and received praise and plaudits from various government and sporting leaders. It had been expected to be a beautiful sunny day for the occasion, after a frosty freezing early morning – I don’t know what it was like down in the city central area, but from where I was, things looked fairly cool and overcast.  Apparently Cadel Evans, who was off in a few hours to ride in the USA, had made this brief trip, basically for the purpose of accepting the invitation to participate in today’s occasion.

I was interested to read today, that plans are in hand to commemorate the anniversary of the bombing of Darwin, during World War 2. Not sure if ‘commemorate’ is the right word to use,  but organise are at least keen to  ensure all Australians understand the significance of the 70th anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin, due  next February.. The bombing of Darwin on 19 February 1942 was the first time Australia had been attacked during a time of war.  At the time, news of the bombing was suppressed and it was not until after the Japanese were defeated that many Australians even knew that Darwin, let alone Australia, had been attacked. Amazing, the degree of secrecy that was maintained at that time in our history!  Darwin City Council has taken a lead role in ensuring this event is commemorated each year, with the 70^th anniversary due on the 19 February 2012.

Meanwhile, as the Government attempts to solve the legal issues associated with it’s plans to ‘ship’ refugee boat arrivals to Malaysia, the arrival of another boat today means that the Government has used up more than a quarter of its 800 quota under the Malaysia agreement within weeks of it being signed. Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen said on 7 May when announcing the Malaysia deal‘.  ‘People smugglers will need to find 800 volunteers to travel to Australia’. Well, the Opposition points out that  so far the people smugglers have found more than 770 volunteers, with the arrival of 102 today. “It’s a one-off deal with one country with a clear use-by date and a huge cost of almost $300 million, which simply hasn’t been thought through. “Re-opening the Manus Island processing centre [in New Guinea]  will not save the Government from an 800 person, $300 million deal that has already reached its use-by date. “Today’s arrival means 12,053 people have now arrived on 238 illegal boats since Labor began to unwind the Coalition’s border protection and asylum policies in August  2008,” Mr Morrison said. “The people smugglers clearly refuse to take Labor seriously on border protection issues,” Mr Morrison said.

Under the proposed Malaysia deal, the first asylum seekers were set to be removed from Christmas Island on 7 August. A High court challenge was lodged, and the Court found there is a case to answer and issued an injuction against the removals until 22 August. One of the areas of law being tested is s198 of the Migration Act which allows removal (put in place in 2001 to allow the Pacific Solution to commence).  S.198A 3) a) iv. requires that the country people are sent to meets relevant human rights standards. The question is will this be the case for the 800 people Australia proposes to send to Malaysia?  Many of us, on the basis of  historical evidence of the treatment of refugees in Malaysia, think not!  What could happen?    1. High court could defer to federal court, then back up to high court – time taken not known, but unlikely to be quick!  2.  High Court could rule in favour of the Commonwealth – deal is back on.  3.High Court could rule in favour of the 16 asylum seekers who brought the matter; if this happens, hard to see how any of the 800 asylum seekers could be sent to Malaysia.  4.Migration Act could be amended, Govt needs support of Greens or Coalition in the Senate to make this happen.

Right now for the approximately 100 men, women and children who have arrived by boat since the deal was signed, this means complete limbo. I must agree with the refugee support groups, with the view that these people and further arrivals should have their claims assessed on the mainland and should not be subject to indefinite detention, there is presently no functioning deal and no idea if or when they can be removed.  Meanwhile, Australia has begun to welcome the first of 1,000 refugees to be resettled here this year from Malaysia, the only good thing to come out of the whole proposal so far. I’m also rather pleased to hear that most of this first batch of refugees have originated from Burma, where these minority groups continue to be cruelly and inhumanely discriminated against by the Burmese military leaders.

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

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!!