Blog

Yesterday’s mail finally gave me official recognition that I’m now a ‘Senior’  –  my ‘Senior’s Card’ arrived, together with a formal letter from the Premier of Victoria, welcoming me to the Senioirs Card Program – described as a ‘partnership between the Victorian Government and business to acknowledge the significant contribution older Victorians make to our state and to encourage and support seniors to lead active and healthy lifestyles in the community’.  Well, thank you very much, Mr Bailleau. Amongst various other benefits, I am particularly enthusiastic that this card entitlies me to numerousbenefits including concession rate travel on all Victorian public transport and public transport discounts in all Australian states and territories My preference in my younger years has usually being to drive my own vehicle rather than use public transport, but I haved found over recent times, that driving is becoming less enjoyable, and more costly than in the past, so I certainly intend to take advantage of whatever travel benefits I might now be entitled to!  Yippeee!!!

I was sitting in the local medical clinic this afternoon, awaiting ‘my’ turn – couldn’t help feeling nostalgic on a couple of occasions. A mother in the waiting area with a young child that began to cry, and continued doing so for quite a while – normally, that would begin to annoy this ‘old grump’ after a while, but on this occasion, I found myself a little envious of this mother as she attempted to calm the child, as I thought of my now four ‘adult children’, and thinking back on similar occasions, when they were that age – crying children always upset me, not in an annoyed or angry fashion, but with an immediate response of wanting to ‘fix the problem’ for them.  Those days are now long gone!  A little later, and another mother walks in – with three primary school age daughters, obviously only one of them requiring a medical appointment, but requiring her to bring all three with her. Again, feelings of nostalgia, thinking back on the many occasions I took my ‘kids’ to the doctor, although I didn’t usually have to take more than one at a time as Shirley would have been at home [although she probably had to do that on the odd occasion].  One year, I took all four children [still at primary school age] down to Ballarat for the day [Shirley had decided she didn’t want to come] – it was for Alwyn’s baptism [the boy at home yesterday, with Ross and Jean] –  from memory, all four behaved during the church service [ a normal service on a Sunday morning – can’t remember if there were any offers to let them participate in a young people’s group of any sort during the service – doubt they would left me anyway]. Later in the afternoon, we went up to the Lake and the Botanic Gardens, and I obviously still have those photos taken on that afternoon. Jodie in particular would not have been walking for very long, as the youngest of the four……………………anyway Bill, enough of this dreaming, as above, those days are gone, and all of have left of my children at that age, are the photos, and those memories that I can retain. In fact I’m discovering these days, that my photo collection of the children are my best source of reminder of things that we did.

Earlier this afternoon, I spent a couple of hours working ‘for’ the VPTA, processing online, a few payments,. and consolidating the MYOB records. Hopefully, I won’t have to do much more of this, with the new ‘me’ due to start work shortly, with a bit of luck!

After the earlier awakening by the rooster on the property, I joined Ross and Jean down in the kitchen area shortly after 7.30am, and soon afterwards, Ross was off to the Grammar School. Though he didn’t get far! We were having a bit of breakfast, when he rang Jean to say that his bike had ‘stopped’. I offered to pick him up, but after a second phone call, when he couldn’t get his motor bike going again, it was decided that Jean & Alwyn would take the trailer, while Ross in the meantime, decided to have a day off, as he’d only completed half the journey!!

So in fact, it was soon after 8am, and I found myself on my way, somewhat earlier than anticipated. I had thought initially, that I could use this day to travel a little further north, to Talbot, and do some family history exploring. However, I decided instead, that I would slowly make my way back towards Sunbury, even thought of doing one of my walks around the Lake, but again, as I’d not done as much walking recently as prior to previous attempts on the lake circuit, would give that a miss also, this time!!  I did drive up to Lake Wendouree, and went for a bit of a stroll around the Botanical Gardens and lakeside area in that part of the complex. It was  a beautiful sight to see my beloved Lake Wendouree full of water again, and again being used for boating etc. A sharp contrast to the drought decade up to a couple of years ago. The bird life in particular was very numerous, and in that respect, there was a huge volume of activity around the water’s edge, the little islands of vegetation that make up such an important part of the lake perimeter, and amongst the reeds and other lake growth. I also wandered around the Fernery area of the Gardens, and the ‘Adam Lindsay Gordon’ cottage, which was now a permanent display in the Ballarat Botanic Gardens.  I was becoming a little nostalgic again – remembering all the times that I had brought my family down to theses gardens, and the large playground area [the ‘kids’ were generally more interested in that area, in preference to the gardens], and over the years, I have collected many photographs of those wanderings. In earlier years, before marriage, there were various trips from Melbourne to Ballarat, to ‘show off’ the Gardens to friends, girlfriends, and others. I know I have taken the kids for the occasional ‘trip’ on the Ferry, which I see is now back and operating after an absence of some years – bit difficult to operate a ferry boat when there is no water!  And way back in my own childhood, one can remember the odd venture or two in a simple ‘rowing’ boat with my father on this lake. Like so many other things about Ballarat, our lake does bring back many memories of times past.

One of the books I purchased at a bargain sale a week or so ago was called ‘Australians of the Year: 1960 – 2010’, put together by a Wendy Lewis, and celebrating 50 years of remarkable achievement, with a bio of each winner of that award in the period covered. In fact, the first winner in 1960 was Sir Frank [Macfarlane] Burnet. He was Australia’s first Nobel Prize winner  [shared jointly for Physiology or Medicine in 1960 [for the research and discovery of immunological tolerance], and was widely regarded as Australia’s most influential scientist, who unlike many of his profession, remained in Australia for most of his professional life, working at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. Under his influence, scientific research flourished  and top overseas scientists came to Australia at that time. In his acceptance banquet speech for the Nobel Prize, on 10 December 1960, Burnet said:\

“To advance science is highly honourable and I believe the institution of the Nobel Prizes has done much to raise the prestige of scientific discovery. But other things are equally honourable……Today and always there will be an obligation to pass on to the new generation the tradition of liberal scholarship – scientific, or in the humanities – and to bring the understanding of things and human actions to everyone”.

And with that thought, I shall move on >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The news late yesterday, and for the next couple of days would swing back to the road toll, after an horrific smash in the western part of the state around lunchtime yesterday  – a car containing five young people on their way to the local horse race meeting  at nearby Dunkeld, collided with a truck at a country intersection – the consequences immediately left four of a car occupants  killed plus the truck driver whose vehicle burst into flames.  The 5^th car passenger, one of  twin sisters who were in the car, died today] so there were no survivors to explain what went wrong.  One dreads to think what greeted the first passer-bys on the scene [who happened to be a police car on patrol]……………as one report said ‘Police working at the scene are finding it very difficult to describe the horror before their eyes’, and looking at photos of the condition what was left of the car was in, the affect of such a smash on the human body is too painful to try and imagine. Meanwhile, the long-term affect  on the communities from which they came [the young people from Warrnambool, and the tuck driver from Terang] is likely to also have  ongoing consequences. I was walking through part of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens this morning, and passed a group of women who were talking about the accident, and the comment made that all the talk is about the five young people, and their families and friends  –  but we shouldn’t forget that the truck driver also would have had family, etc, similarly affected.

It has already being a tragic month in November on our roads, with the Christmas/New Year period still ahead of us., and yesterday’s smash is the second multiple victims accident in a few days.  People are calling for something to be done, but how do you stop a moment’s lack of concentration, or a split second decision to take a risk  –  all of these ‘so-called’ accidents are probably all avoidable if  all parties involved were always trying to do the right thing on our roads.  But we will never get everyone doing that, and I imagine that situation has been unchanged for 100 years.   My heart goes out to all involved in yesterday’s tragedy.  Ironically, Road Trauma Support Services Victoria [RTSSV] is holding it’s 11^th ‘Time for Remembering’ service next Sunday at 12pm at Melbourne’s Parliament House. This is an annual event which provides a space for victims of road trauma, including family members, those injured and witnesses of a crash to reflect on those lost and commemorate their lives – as well as pay tribute to the organisations that work towards preventing road trauma. A ‘Time for Remembering’ is a state-wide multi-faith service, which is open to the public, and as one of the organisers explained it “This event is a time for people to be supported and comforted in their loss. A time for hearing some personal stories, for prayer, silence, gentle singing and music in the company of others affected by roads trauma”.   Perhaps I should go along one year – even though it is now 43 years since road trauma directed affected my family! The RTSSV provides counselling and education on road trauma.

We must turn to a brighter note of discussion! At 2am this morning, I finished reading my third Di Morrissey novel in a week. Not so much that I couldn’t put the book down, just simply couldn’t sleep at that time, so I put some use to my waking moments!  This one –  ‘Barra Creek’, published in 2003 – a story set in various places, including a New Zealand sheep farm, the east coast of Australia, and principally, in the wild gulf country of northwestern Queensland on a 1960s cattle station. It was as usual, a terrific read, and obviously, the kind of reading I have been in the mood for over the past week or so. Basically, the storyline has us in 1963, and Sally Mitchell, the well-bred daughter of a wealthy New Zealand sheep farmer, is on her way to England with her friend Pru. When the young women stop over in Sydney their plans go awry. Sally impulsively takes a job as a governess at Barra Creek, and when the mail plane that flew her there takes off, she finds herself left in a different world. Here Sally’s life changes for ever. The challenges of coping with her three young charges, wild stockmen, the l,ocal Indigenous populations & their customs, the heat and the Wet, brumby musters and cattle rushes all pale beside a great passion, a great loss and a gruesome death. As always with Di’s books, the story is fast moving, and this one, a writer’s study of the human heart and all it’s intricacies, well worth getting hold of, if any of my readers are looking for a story of passion, intrigue, and a relatively easy read!

Anyway, I managed around 3 hours sleep before getting up, and eventually making my way across to the radio station for my Sunday Classics program. Amongst much else, today’s featured composer was Beethoven. Over the past 12 months or so, I have been gradually moving through the nine symphonies that Beethoven composed – this morning, we were up to No. 8. Interestingly, a couple of years ago, when ABC Classic FM ran a competition to select their listeners’ Top 100 Symphonies, Beethoven’s 8^th came in about 37^th I think with at least five of his others ahead of it. Personally, I would have placed the 8^th up near the top with what is probably his best known piece of music ‘outside’ of the purely classical circle music fans, the 5^th Symphony Be that as it may, I certainly enjoyed this morning’s performance – by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and I would imagine that most of my regular listeners did also.

At 9am, a quick drive across to our local Bunnings Store, where the  station was holding a fund raising ‘sausage sizzle’ outside the store – I delivered a few items as requested, but was unable to remain to provide assistance, with a trip to Ballarat planned.  This was in fact my first drive outside of Sunbury in the ‘new’ car, and while the morning promised damp conditions, and remained cloudy throughout, the rain stayed away, and it was quite a pleasant trip down to my old town.  Arrived late morning, bit of a drive, and a walk around the main CBD area, break for an iced coffee, and then, I headed for the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery in Lydiard Street.  Now this building is one of my favourite locations in Ballarat, and yet as I think back to early primary school days, when I spent quite a bit of time in this particular block of the city streets [as a paper delivery boy, etc], I don’t recall spending much time, if any, at the Art Gallery, and in fact not even sure that I was really aware of the place. I don’t think ‘art’ as such was a major focus in our household!

Anyway, my visit today had a specific purpose –  on display at present was an exhibition of ‘Australian Modern Masterpieces from the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The Ballarat Gallery traditionally has a magnificent collection of Australian art works, but for a few weeks these were complimented by the work of artists  of modern Australian art over the period 1910 to 1970. These forty works, on loan from the NSW Gallery,  demonstrated the pivotal role that  these artists played in capturing aspects of the lives and moments of Australians during that period. Mind you, I didn’t find all of the paintings and/or artists as inspiring as galleries and experts in that field sometimes did, but nevertheless, it was rather fascinating to see original works by artists such as Margaret Olley, Grace Cossington-Smith, Margaret Preston, William Dobell [which included his Archibald winning portrait of Margaret Olley, Russell Drysdale, Donald Friend, Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Jeffrey Smart, John Brack, Fred Williams, and John Olsen, to name a few.

The selection of works was specifically chosen to enable visitors to the exhibition to explore the work of certain artists in depth, while presenting overall a survey of what was happening during what was a critical period of Australian art history. Most of the artists displayed had died over the past 25 years, only a few survived. An interesting comment I noted was that ‘By the 1920s the artistic descendants of the Australian impressionists had degenerated into a mawkish ‘sheep, cow, gum tree and swagmen’ school, only too willing to ‘sell’ an image of the nation as a rural paradise, when in fact Australia had become one of the most urbanised countries in the world’ [Gordon Morrison, Director, Art Gallery of Ballarat]. Well, this exhibition covered the full gambit of the nation during the period –  metropolitan urban scenes, the domestic environment, ventures out into the desert and more remote areas, eg, Drysdale’s ‘Walls of China’, while Lloyd Rees’ serene views of suburban Sydney and it’s hinterlands present a more benign, and perhaps comforting and settled image of the countryside But some of our artists didn’t restrict themselves to just Australian scenes –  people like Arthur Boyd and Sidney Nolan, for eg, attempted something radical [for Australian painters] – the depiction of epic narrative scenes from Classical, Biblical and Australian historical sources, Boyd in particular was fascinated with stories from the Bible, such as ‘The Golden Calf’ which probably needs little explanation for those familiar with the early chapters of the Old Testament. And while Nolan also explored Biblical and Classical themes, he was best represented in this exhibition by two works from a series inspired by the epic but doomed expedition of the explorers Burke and Wills across the Australian continent in 1861. This series followed on from similar sets of works referencing Ned Kelly and the Eureka Rebellion, as Gordon Morrison described it. I have to say that a couple of the artists, whose works didn’t always impress me personally were perhaps the more psychological images, depicted by artists such as Jeffrey Smart and John Brack where their depictions of ‘human figures wrapped in their own thoughts’, or what I call rather depressing views of mundane urban scenes, such as ‘Truck and Trailer Approaching A City’. Nor was I particularly a fan of a more contemporary painter, named Brett Whiteley whose works I generally found depressingly aggressive and moody – perhaps that frame of mind didn’t help the man himself in his personal life, which led to suicide eventually.

Anyway, that was my latest little visit to the Ballarat Art Gallery. Unfortunately, I can never remain at a Gallery of that nature as long as I would like to –  find the walking around ‘looking’ at objects etc, wearies my feet quite quickly –  at one stage today, I was attracted by the sound of some beautiful piano playing, and following the music, I came to a part of the normal gallery display, which had been set up as a form of concert venue [Ballarat Art Gallery regularly hold music concerts, etc], and in preparation for a concert later that afternoon, a small group of young people [primary school aged children] were undergoing rehearsals for the concert they were going to perform in later on. It was an event I gathered, put on by the local piano ‘school’, and while these children were not very old, it was lovely to listen, for about the 25 minutes that I remained there [resting my feet], to their piano playing abilities. Obviously, all were very talented already, and perhaps the rehearsals were more as an attempt to aid them in the other aspects of their performance, which were not always so accomplished – introducing the music they were going to play, bowing to the audience, etc.  An interesting little break to my artistic viewing!

I left the Art Gallery early afternoon, had a very light lunch, before driving out to Enfield [about 20 minutes out of Ballarat] where my sister, Jean, and husband Ross live, although I did go for a brief drive around my beloved Lake Wendouree beforehand –  lovely to see the Lake so full again of water, when just a couple of years ago, people were lighting fires in the middle of the lake which was completely dry following ten years of drought. I would return here next morning.

I would spend the rest of the afternoon, and evening with Jean and Ross, and their youngest son, Alwyn, the only one of their three children living at home now, and currently studying for his Year 11 exams at the Ballarat Grammar School – where in fact Ross works as a lecturer/tutor of some degree. He also spends most his weekends, as he was today, as a motor bike licensing instructor [loves his bikes, does Ross].  So for me, that was a pleasant relaxing change – just simply sitting around chatting, watching the TV, etc, etc. In fact, such limited activity left your writer feeling rather weary by the end of the night, not been used to being so inactive for so many hours on end.  However, I’m sure it did me more good than harm, and gave the opportunity to spend time with one of my siblings, something that doesn’t happen very often these days, though perhaps with Jean now the only sibling living in Victoria, we really should get together more regularly. Meanwhile, Jean’s oldest son [Vincent] was living in Ballarat itself, with his sister Rosemary & her boyfriend. That didn’t mean however that the property at Enfield was now basically deserted – Ross & Jean have a vast range of friends, relatives [on his side], CFA contacts etc, and I don’t think I have ever been here, when somebody didn’t visit for one reason or another.  A very sociable couple, a little different perhaps, to the personality of her eldest brother! There are no dogs on the property any more – but plenty of birdlife, of the natural variety, plus a large collection in the bird aviary which Jean & Ross inherited from Colin, when he moved up to Queensland last year, and a clutch of eight hens plus a rooster  [which I was to discover makes it’s presence felt at around 4am each morning!].  Mustn’t forget the resident cats – think there are currently three of them on the property, one of which is a sister to one of Susie’s cats in Sunbury [and daughter to the mother of course, also still with us].

Tonight’s news had a story of a sad happening over in South Africa early this morning, our time –  and I took particular notice as a regular listener through most of my life to ABC radio cricket broadcasts. It was a report that former English county cricket captain and respected commentator and journalist, Peter Roebuck had died at the age of 55. He died at his hotel in Newlands, Cape Town, where he was covering the current Test series between Australia and South Africa, and would have been a part of the Test panel for the ABC, in that match which was shortened by two days because of Australia’s 2^nd innings collapse. Roebuck had the day off on Saturday, and later reports indicated that his death was treated as a suicide. Tragic, as it seems were the circumstances leading up to this respected journalist taking the action he did.  Apparently he was spoken to by police in his room shortly beforehand, and called one of his fellow ABC cricket commentators to his room at that time. A pity his friend wasn’t able to stay a little longer with Roebuck, because shortly afterwards [in an apparent brain snap] he jumped from the hotel window. Later reports indicated that Roebuck was being questioned about a claim sex attack he committed against a South African man, and he was shortly to be arrested. Speaking later, a spokesperson for the ABC’s Grandstand team described Roebuck as “an integral part of the Grandstand Commentary team apart from being a magnificent print journalist. For us he could describe a game of cricket in such a way that even if you didn’t like the game, you liked the way that he went about his business”. Sadly it seems, that ability didn’t quite apply to his personal life./ The Sydney Morning Herald described him as ‘the bard of summer for cricket-loving Australians’.  A rather sobering story to end a rather full day with.

The Test cricket match referred to yesterday, ended overnight, in South Africa, two days early, with a humiliating loss to the Australian team! Less said the better, I think –  final Innings scores were:-  Australia: 284  and  47.  South Africa: 96 and 2 for 236. South Africa won the 1^st Test by  8 wickets.

Meanwhile, these are the kind of news reports that really upset this writer – this happened around lunchtime, apparently……………….’Five people have been killed in a fiery crash between a car and truck in Victoria’s western district.Rural Ambulance Victoria says paramedics raced to the scene around 12.45pm (AEDT) at Penshurst, near Hamilton, at the intersection of Hamilton-Chatsworth Road and Blackwood Dunkeld Road. Both vehicles burst into flames on impact, RAV spokesman John Mullen said. He said five people were confirmed deceased. A sixth person trapped in the car was in a critical condition and was being flown to hospital. It is understood that the driver of the truck is one of the five deceased people and the remaining four were occupants of the car. The ages and further details of the victims are not yet available’. These things happen, all too often, best I not dwell on them, when there is nothing I can do to change the event.

It was a relatively lazy Saturday –  bit of a ‘tired walk’ this morning, bit of gardening without too much enthusiasm, washed the car, cleaned the kitchen area, and a bit of reading, etc, etc. There was one thing I read today, that I believe is a step in the right direction in legal circles.

The Victorian Coalition Government has introduced legislation into the Victorian Parliament to reform the law of double jeopardy.  The reforms will mean that a new trial can be ordered where there is compelling new evidence that a person previously acquitted of a serious crime was in fact guilty. The new law will apply in cases such as where there is fresh and compelling DNA evidence, where the person acquitted subsequently admits to the crime, or where it becomes clear that key witnesses have given false evidence. NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia have already legislated to modify double jeopardy law to allow retrials in such cases, as have the UK and New Zealand.   Double jeopardy laws have prevented a person from being tried more than once for the same alleged offence. In most cases these laws perform a valuable role in protecting an innocent citizen against being the subject of multiple prosecutions, and they provide certainty and finality in the courts. But has been seen in various examples, justice has not always been served through that system. Presumably, the new law will not be retrospective to the nth degree!!

The other recent announcement by the State Liberal government that I like the sound of relates to the teaching of languages in our schools. I’ve always felt that Australians travelling abroad, in general present a poor reflection of our nation in that most [of the Australian English speaking population] can in fact only speak the one language, that being English. On the other hand, one finds a much higher percentage of people from European and Asian countries are able to communicate in two or more languages. I’m as guilty of this as anyone, having struggled at secondary school for four years studying French, failing my studies in the end, and basically retaining little of what I learnt!  Now, we read that  Prep students in government schools will be learning a language by 2015. New languages scholarships will be available to government school teachers and teacher trainees as part of the Coalition Government’s plan to increase and improve the teaching of languages in Victorian schools.  Education Minister Martin Dixon  said the Coalition Government was serious about its commitment that all government school students from Prep to Year 10 learn a language by 2025. “Reforming languages education and reversing the decline in languages teaching over the last decade is one of our major

challenges,” Mr Dixon said. “The number of government primary schools offering a language has declined by almost 30 per cent in the past 10 years, which just isn’t good enough”.  I agree completely. These days, if at school, I would be expecting that the emphasise would be on the teaching of Asian languages such as Indonesian, Chinese or Japanese, our nearest neighbours, and amongst the nations where our greatest future spheres of business, culture and other forms of contact can be expected.

Finally, on this quiet Saturday, there was another item of a serious nature concerning the mining industry which attracted my attention. A viewpoint, expressed by an organisation called ‘The Australia Institute’ and which appeared in an ‘E’ newsletter put out by my Superannuation Fund organisation [the Australian Ethical Investment and Superannuation Coy], while probably pushing specific agendas of those two organisations, I found presented an enlightening perspective on the affects of our ‘so-called’ mining boom. Of course, statistics can be used to push any particular argument – that may be the case here, however I’ve decided to insert this little piece, written by Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute, which is described in Wikipedia as  a ‘left wing Australian think tank’  [ suggesting a concern for those in society who are disadvantaged relatively to others and an assumption that there are unjustified inequalities], which  conducts public policy research, and is funded by grants from philanthropic trusts, memberships and commissioned research.  The Institute began in 1994 to construct and commission research and policy analysis on public debates and political and social issues and trends. The Institute seeks government, business or union grants to  conduct research and analysis. The institute is based in Canberra.  The following is what Dr Denniss had to say, and I’m not going to dispute his statistics because I don’t know how accurate that they are, though one would expect that a research organisation of this nature would have it’s facts right. It’s perhaps the way those facts are used, that is where problems of interpretation can sometimes arise……………………………………….

‘Much has been said about the changing face of the mining industry, where the effects of the boom have been both substantial and positive. But until very recently there has been far less discussion of the impact of the mining boom on the rest of the economy, including those areas which have suffered as a result.
While one might assume that any expansion in the mining industry simply adds to the overall size of the Australian economy, in reality the operation of the macro economy is far more complex. Indeed, much of the growth in mining comes at the direct expense of expansion in other parts of the economy.

According to the findings of a survey by the Australia Institute the average Australian thinks that 16 per cent of Australian jobs are in the mining industry and that 34 per cent of GDP comes from mining. In reality only 1.9 per cent of people work in mining and they produce less than 10 per cent of GDP. The mining industry has undergone a huge boom in the past decade with its employment surging from 78,400 in 2001 to around 210,000 today. To put that in perspective, however, there are around 22 million Australians. In Western Australia 88,000 people are employed in mining, and in Queensland it’s around 62,000 or put another way, 97 per cent of Queenslanders don’t work in the mining industry. Nationwide the mining industry employs slightly fewer people than the leisure and recreation services industry, around one third of the number of people who work in the community sector and about one fifth of those who work in manufacturing.

Of course the mining industry also creates indirect jobs – but there is much less acknowledgement of the indirect jobs that are also created when teachers, nurses and retail workers spend their earnings. But while the mining industry is keen to claim credit for the indirect jobs it creates in other industries, it is not so keen to accept responsibility for the impact of the mining boom on the exchange rate and for the decline in employment in other industries. As the world’s demand for our resources has boomed so too has our exchange rate which has risen from an average US$0.74 in 2004 to over US$1 this year. There has been much said about the potential impact of a carbon price on competitiveness but the increase in the exchange rate has been devastating for major parts of the manufacturing, tourism, education and agriculture industries. The mining boom is also largely to blame for Australia’s relatively high interest rates. When the RBA increases interest rates its goal is not to slow down the mining industry but to slow down the rest of the economy in order to make room for the expansion of the mining industry.  This means that both small businesses with an overdraft and families with a mortgage are paying a high price for the big profits of the mining companies. The fact that 83 per cent of those profits are actually paid to foreigners, like the fact that the mining industry pays one of the lowest rates of corporate tax, is strangely absent from the glossy mining advertisements.

So what, if anything, can government do to insulate the bulk of the economy from the surging exchange rate?
The government could broaden the base of its proposed mining tax to include, for example, the enormous profits being made by gold miners. Having done so, if the government were to create a sovereign wealth fund which invested heavily offshore the short-term outflow of money would take some pressure off the exchange rate. By moving money offshore when the exchange rate is high, Australians will receive a substantial capital gain when the money is brought back onshore when the boom begins to bust. They could also slow the rate of mining expansion. The mining industry is currently planning massive new investments in coal, iron ore, coal seam gas and other mineral extraction.  The faster this expansion occurs the greater the pressure on our exchange rate and interest rates will be. That is, the faster the mining boom is allowed to proceed the greater the risks to the broader community will be’.

Back to the VPTA this morning, by train again, a pleasant trip – three more interviews over 3 hours for my replacement, a much better line up of candidates this occasion – a guy from South America, an Aussie guy who demonstrated an ongoing enjoyment of life, and a very efficient and pleasant Chinese lady, named ‘Jean’. With the three people we interviewed earlier in the week, the outcome came down to two of today’s interviewees and one from Tuesday, and in the end, it was a unanimous decision – the job would be offered to Jean! Apart from all her other qualifications and experience, it was considered that she had the best fit in terms of the organisation’s culture, and with so many different nationalities involved with the organisation, she was considered the perfect choice to sit in my spot [and I’m sure will be much better suited to the role than I ever was – I never really had the patience to deal with the complexity of concerns and complaints, well not even that, just simply didn’t have the time to be both accountant and administrator, and unofficial social worker. I’m sure my replacement will be able to manage, with your youth and enthusiasm all of those aspects, and always put on a pleasant and welcoming disposition, in contrast to this occasionally grouchy old grump!!!

Anyway, putting that aside, I stayed a little longer than I did on Tuesday, in order to fix up a few accounting matters for the ‘boss’, and go down to the local bank with her – my signature is still usable and was required in order for the organisation to obtain a bank cheque – since I left, arrangements had been made to purchase a replacement car for the one I had been driving [which Jackie currently has], and that changeover is taking place next week. Meanwhile, being back in the office today, and no longer really been in control of my once work area, I found myself feeling a little ‘rattled’ to be in an environment that was no longer in the same degree of organised order that I always had it, and I was feeling rather glad, that I will probably only need to return on one more occasion  – to introduce my replacement to systems & procedures, etc. This was supposed to have happened before I’d actually retired, but delays in the advertising and replacement process put those plans behind. The advantage of the longer stay this afternoon ended up with my not having to catch the train back home – Jackie was driving to Bendigo this afternoon, and offered to drop me off at Sunbury along the way. Not much had changed with her since I left – she was still completely out of control in organising and maintaining her work plans, with so many problems and issues still requiring her attention. I am in deed glad of my decision to leave when I did. I can do without those hazzles, or simply the environment in which they are occurring.

With those interviews going on from around 10.30 am, we completely overlooked the ‘11am’  Remembrance Day acknowledgement.   Remembrance Day in Australia is dedicated to Australians who died as a result of war, particularly from World War I onwards. A minute of silence is dedicated to the deceased, especially for soldiers who died fighting to protect the nation. Remembrance Day is annually observed on November 11 although it is not a public holiday, and this observance generally occurs at 11 am on that date. I know that our radio station was this morning providing a direct broadcast of the short proceedings from the War Memorial site on Sunbury’s Village Green. Many Australians stop what they are doing at exactly 11am in their local times on November 11 each year to dedicate a minute of silence for those who died in war. A bit of background, although I have possibly mentioned this in previous years.

According to the Australian government’s Cultural and Recreation portal, Remembrance Day, which was originally called Armistice Day, commemorated the end of the hostilities for the Great War (World War I), the signing of the armistice, which occurred on November 11, 1918 – the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. On the first anniversary of the armistice, in 1919, one minute’s silence was instituted as part of the main commemorative ceremony. After the end of World War II in 1945, the Australian and British governments changed the name to Remembrance Day as an appropriate title for a day which would commemorate all war dead. The year 2008 marked the 90th anniversary of the Australian attack at Villers-Bretonneux. On April 24, 1918, Australian Imperial Force (AIF) soldiers attacked German forces that captured the French town of Villers-Bretonneux earlier that day. The action was successful, but the fighting was fierce, and many lives were lost on both sides.  Red poppies are worn on blazers, shirts, jumpers and other items of clothing on Remembrance Day to remember those who died during a war. Poppies were among the first plants that came from the battlefields of northern France and Belgium during World War I. Some people believed the popular myth that poppies were rich in their redness because they blossomed from grounds that were saturated with soldiers’ blood.

Our Test Cricket team is over in South Africa at present, and over the past couple of days, Days 1 & 2 of the First Test [of just two] has been played. Sadly for the Aussies, a rather disappointing batting display. The following report from Cricket Australia tells the dismal story……………..‘Australia were bowled out for their fourth-lowest Test score on Thursday, yet remain in contention to win the first Test against South Africa after an astonishing second day at Newlands.  Twenty-three wickets fell in total on day two, which began with South Africa bowling out Australia for 284 in their first knock, with the tourists led by a brilliant 151 from skipper Michael Clarke.\  South Africa looked comfortable in reply at 1-49 at lunch, but whatever was served during the break seemed to do wonders for the seam bowlers, with the Proteas losing their last nine wickets for just 47 runs in 11.3 overs after lunch to be all out for 96.  It was their second-lowest score since their return to the Test arena in 1991, with Shane Watson – in his first ever Test against South Africa – finishing with figures of 5-17 from five overs, wrapping up his five-for in just 21 balls, and he was well supported by Ryan Harris with 4-33.  But there was more carnage to come, with the Australians then skittled for 47 in their second innings with South African debutant Vernon Philander taking 5-15 in an inspired spell of pace bowling. Morne Morkel chipped in with 3-9 leaving Dale Steyn’s 2-23 looking expensive by comparison.  At one stage Australia looked in danger of being routed for the lowest ever Test score (26) at 9-21, but a 26-run 10th wicket stand between Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon spared their blushes.  At stumps, the South Africans were 1-81, chasing 236 for victory, with Graeme Smith (36 not out) and Hashim Amla (29 not out) at the crease, and Australia will be ruing a straightforward chance dropped by Mike Hussey to dismiss Amla with the last ball of the day.  Summary to Stumps on Day 2:  Australia:  284 and 47.    South Africa:  96

At the same time up in Sydney, we have the Australian Open Golf Championship, and one of the visiting players is that ‘notorious womaniser’, Tiger Woods [though presumably reformed now, since his visit here 2 years ago, when shortly thereafter, all ’hell’ broke loose with the stories of his extra-marital activities becoming front page news!!  That cost him his marriage, and probably the best part of his golf career which has slipped drastically since those days of the world’s No. 1 golfer. It must be Wood’s comeback tournament – at the end of play on Day 2, Tiger Woods is the leader, by one stroke at 9 under, over Peter O’Malley [8 under] and Jason Day [7 under]  – will be interesting to see if he can keep it up until Sunday afternoon!  I think his last tournament win was this event in 2009 [played in Melbourne that year].

Home this evening, doing a bit of writing and reading, and listening to a broadcast by ABC Classic FM of a recording of a concert performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra earlier this year.  I guess it’s a cheaper way of enjoying some of the concerts I would like to get to, although like a sporting event, it doesn’t have the same atmosphere as actually being there!  In any case, the program included the following four pieces, of which I have certainly played the Brahms’s symphony on a Sunday morning, but don’t recall having presented the others. A pleasant hour or so.

• Percy Grainger ‘Green Bushes
• Saint-Saens: ‘Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op.33
• Dvorak:  Silent Woods, for cello and orchestra, B182 [Op. 68]
• Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 73

I’ve actually received copies of the 2012 Series Programs for a couple of the interstate orchestras, namely, the  Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra,  while I’m still awaiting on Adelaide and Sydney.  Who knows what or where I will get to next year, but decided I’d like to know what is on throughout the year in each of those cities ‘just in case’. I’m particularly impressed with the program from Brisbane, where I do intend to spend a few weeks at some stage in 2012.  This week’s mail has also included yet another tempting offer for books from the ‘Folio Society’, but despite that temptation, I’ve have decided to purchase no more from that source – simply too expensive in my ‘current state of affairs’!!

Most unpleasant ‘letter’ in today’s mail came from the Australian Taxation Office  – ‘Notice of an Amended Assessment for Year Ended 2010’!!!  Thought I’d finally got all of that right, paid them a sum for this year [2011] as it was, and now they want more ‘blood’ out of me!!  I thought I was doing well in 2010 with the refund I received, but no, the ATO gave me too much!  They want some of it back!

After a visit to the dentist this morning [for a minor matter], and a bit of shopping, etc, I spent about 3 hours today ‘working’ for my recent employer, online, dealing with various financial matters. They [we] are still in the middle of interviewing candidates to fill my role – in fact, I will be returning in person to Northcote, again tomorrow, to be a part once more, of the interview panel. While this extra piece of ‘income’ will be handy, I will be quite happy to see that appointment finally as soon as possible, so that I can sever my ties with my former workplace for good!! I suppose I could have kept working full time until this process was over with, but as indicated ion various occasions over recent months, the decision to finish on the 18^th October was made many months ago, and I decided to stay with that.

Susan worked another 6 hour shift today, and then went into the city this evening – in fact, I had a rare request to drive her to the railway station, as she was travelling by train to whatever her destination was.

Yesterday’s mail, which I didn’t get until my return from the city, included that long awaited ‘Concession Card’, something, that as a retiree, I am now entitled to – officially have being since 19 October.  The PCC [Pensioner Concession Card] – not a name I like, mainly because I don’t like being categorised as a pensioner  – even if that’s what I am.  So given that, and my ‘current’ distaste of my current status, I will nevertheless be sure to take advantage of the range of concessions on various government and other items as far as cost is concerned.  Unfortunately, as I discovered today, such concessions are ‘not’ available from my dentist. Hence I didn’t make any further appointments after today – will be content to use the facilities provided by the Community Health services which did me know harm when I utilised them in 2006 during a period of retrenchment at that time. Anyway, amongst other things, the PCC provides concessions on such things as public transport, car registrations, utilities, and so on  – I guess I will discover various ‘advantages’ of being in this position, as time goes on!

A Thursday night at home  – last week, with the radio committee meeting to attend, I forgot to tape that night’s episode of ‘The Slap’, and was rather annoyed – guess I could have found the episode on the internet had  I looked!  However, home tonight, allowed me to watch the only two ‘series’ I currently am keen to keep up, and they screen consecutively on a Thursday night [the night of the week which has traditionally being ‘meeting night’ for me over the years. These days, it’s generally just three Thursdays per two monthly period, a much better arrangement!   ‘The Slap’ tonight was quite a dramatic episode, and was covered by an interesting review in the ‘Green Guide’ [The ‘Age’ weekly television guide] and gives a clear indication as to where the episode was going to head  –  a question of split loyalties.  It was an impressive episode……………………………………………………………..  “Until now, Hector’s father, Manolis [Les Marinos] has been in the background but, that’s about to change. Episode six centres on the grey, stumbling paterfamilias in what is a relentlessly heartfelt instalment of this excellent drama. His health failing and contemporaries dying, Manolis is a broken soul, resented by his recriminatory [and frankly, horrid] wife, Koula [Toula Yianni], and embittered about the principled refusal  of Hector [Jonathan  LaPaglia] and daughter-in-law Aisha [Sophie Okonedo] to forgive Harry [Alex Dimitriades] [for the slap]….though Harry, it seems, has other reasons to be running scared. The traditions to which he clings mean little to those upon whom Manolis has to rely. The funeral of a family friend all but crushes Manolis’s spirit and he takes flight to his old Richmond stomping ground, where a visit to old friends serves as a stark reminder of the diminishing choices left to him. Gracefully but uncompromisingly, director Tony Ayres doesn’t sugar-coat the reassuring narrative about migrants who make a better life for themselves and their children in Australia, or what happens when the expectations of parents become burdens their children resent”…………………perhaps I didn’t need to copy all that, a more brief précis of tonight’s episode could just as easily be ‘Elderly Manolis hates what the incident at the barbeque   –  [that ‘slap’]  –  has done to his family’.

Finally, some news from my football team, something that’s limited in the off-season!   Carlton’s alignment with the Northern Bullants has developed further with the VFL Club confirming a name change to the Northern Blues and the team playing more games at Visy Park [or the former Princes Park] in 2012. In addition to the name change the Northern Blues will wear a navy guernsey for all games played at Visy Park and a red guernsey at Preston City Oval and away games where a clash guernsey is required.  The name change reflects the association between Carlton and the VFL alignment club and also further promotes the club as part of the northern region of Melbourne. This is an important part of the role of the Carlton Football Club in the northern suburbs, particularly with junior clubs and the Northern Blues will have a stronger connection with the community in this area. The Club will retain its history and the Preston Football Club (PFC) will be acknowledged on the guernsey, together with the recognition of the Carlton Football Club as part of the transition to the Northern Blues.

One shouldn’t read a sequel to an earlier book, which has not been read, however I broke rule, and late today, completed another book by Di Morrissey – ‘Follow the Morning Star’.  I  guess it’s classified as a romantic novel, but it is the historical aspects that Di brings into her stories, that attracts me to much of her writing.  Basically, this one tells the story of Queenie Hanlon who has a perfect life. She’s the mother of two adoring [adult] children, the wealthy owner of a thriving outback station, and the wife of handsome busman TR Hamilton. Then one day, Queenie’s perfect life comes crashing down. Her bitter and vengeful brother returns from Italy to lay [a fraudulent] claim to his inheritance, her precious daughter is seduced by her uncle into giving up all Queenie’s strived for, and her beloved TR is injured in a riding accident and can no longer recall the life they once shared. I guess I’ve been in the mood for a bit of light reading over the past few days, and this book fitted that category perfectly. Even had the kind of ending I like in a good ‘romance’!!!

Fierce storms and heavy rain were predicted for later today, with warnings of flash flooding in parts of the city later this afternoon. In fact it was a beautiful day, quite warm, though a little humid which suggested a change was coming. I managed to get into the city on one of the evening trains before any change occurred, but as I was walking down St Kilda Road past the Arts Centre, I noticed that there were thick black clouds heading in from the west.  Presumably it all came through while I was in the Melbourne Recital Centre at tonight’s concert – thankfully when I came out, while it was raining lightly, it was obvious by the ground conditions that the rain had been quite heavy earlier. Later on tonight, as I prepared to go to bed, it was raining fairly steadily outside  – don’t mind listening to it, when one is secure inside one’s home.

The concert I went to tonight, at the Melbourne Recital Centre [where else!!] was a recital by the Swedish mezzo-soprano singer, Anne Sofie Von Otter, her debut appearance in Australia.. While she is essentially a classical singer, her repertoire does extend to other genres, as tonight’s concert would show. I have being playing her songs from the album she recorded a few years ago with Elvis Costello called ‘With The Stars’ on which there are some absolutely beautiful contemporary songs she performs. So it was from that album that I was attracted to purchase a ticket for tonight’s performance. It also featured her long time associate, the pianist Bengt Forsberg, one of Sweden’s leading pianists. In fact tonight, we probably a bit more from Bengt than normal, because apparently Sofie had a slight infection of some sort [she called it as Chinese bug] and he played a few extra solo piano pieces from time to time while Sofie sat to the side enjoying the music as we were. Perhaps some in the almost full auditorium might have felt a little cheated, although I don’t think they really missed out on too much singing from Sofie, which during the first half, included songs from composers such as Carl Neilsen, Wilhelm Stenhammar, Edvard Greig, Jean Sibelius [note the strong Scandanavian connection there] as well as Schubert & Liszt. The music of Percy Grainger, Gershwin, Paul McCartney and others provided a different touch to the second part of the program, not the least of which being the fact that most of the first half was sung in Swedish [I assume that’s what it was?]. The concert was preceded by a talk by a woman named Andrea Katz, which I found a waste of time – she was difficult to both understand and/or hear properly, and to be honest, I turned off her, and read my program, what she had to say, it was simply to much effort to try and follow.

I was initially a little offput by Sofie – a tall blonde haired lady, who wore a greyish top covered in silvery pieces, with a long dress which came from just under her ribs to the floor, coloured pink, with patches of white patterns [flowers perhaps]  – not by her singing, but her apparent lack of interaction with the audience. She did seem to warm up after a while, a bit more responsive to the applause, perhaps it was just the fact that she was feeling a little unwell, and certainly when she began to sing some of the more operatic numbers, one could see the ‘acting’ side of her performance come out more.  I think for the first few songs, she herself was a little bemused by the audience – slow to applause, because of an uncertainty and presumably unfamiliarity with the songs she was singing –  no one wanting to clap until  they were sure the song was finished!! Everyone awaiting a start from someone else!

Anyway, this is the way Sofie was described, in a bit of a bio –  Acclaimed mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter will perform an intriguing selection of songs showcasing the great diversity of her skill as a vocalist as well as her incredible capacity to share great emotion with her audiences. Anne Sofie von Otter’s broad repertoire has played a key role in sustaining her international reputation both as an operatic force and as an artist who loves to add her own interpretations to great popular songs.  Born in Sweden, Anne Sofie von Otter’s studies began in Stockholm and continued with Vera Rozsa at London’s Guildhall before she became a principal artist of the Basel Opera. Her international career has now spanned more than two decades. Equally active in opera, concert, recital and recording, and noted as one of the most versatile artists of her generation, Anne Sofie von Otter appears regularly on the world’s major stages and boasts an unrivalled personal discography.

Now while many of her songs tonight were not sung in English by Sofie, we were given the opportunity in the Program guide to see the English lyrics, and I’d just like to share one of those with my readers here. It was from Carl Nielsen [from Denmark] and his Sommersang [Summer Song] which was one of a collection of six songs to text by Ludvig Holstein, and as you will see from the words that follow, a text teeming with Summer’s promise and bounty, from early apple blossoms to the nightingale’s song in the summer night [remembering that the poet is speaking of the northern Scandinavian kind of summer!] – only at the end is there some concern about the elusiveness of summer, which is apparently not an unusual theme in a Nordic song!

Summer Song

Filled with flowers flushes, branch of apple tree.

Deep and blue the heavens, warm and pure and free.

Through the blooming flowers Honeybee is

humming, Giddy from its load –

Ah, the summer powers!

Dreamily you’re coming down along the road?

Flowers’ pleasant fragrance carries far away.

Cuckoo in the distance calls the livelong day.

Listen, from the dingle

Where the runnel’s running, ringing out of sight,

Nightingale, though single,

Trills its long and stunning song throughout the night!

Westerly the breezes, through the corn and grass.

Rolling plains bring promise, riches they amass.

Showers, gently vented over gold that’s growing,

Falling from she sky –

Pollen smoke is scented, as its waves are flowing

Over flow’ring rye.

Ah, the summer powers. Full of longing love,

Dream of beauty rises into clouds above.

White as swans it’s beaming like a beauteous jewel

In the depth of blue –

All the earthly dreaming

Of deep joy’s renewal never can come true.

Of course, there is the Spring season too, where we in Australia are at present, and this time, the composer, Edvaad Greig has put the muisic to the words of Aasmund Olvasson Vinje’s ‘Vatren’ [or ‘Spring’]….something else I would like to quote here.

Spring

Once again I have seen winter

make way for spring;

The hedgerows which once bore flowers

I have seen blooming again.

Once again I have seen the ice

flow off the land,

The snow melt and the rapids in the stream

cascade and break.

The grass becomes green

and is made rich with flowers;

again I have heard the spring bird sing

to the sun and to summer.

Again I immerse myself in the springlike vapour

which fills my eyes,

again I would find myself a home there

and lie afloat.

Everything that spring has brought me,

each flower I pick,

I believe was the soul of a forefather,

dancing and sighing.

Therefore I have found a riddle amidst birches

and evergreens in spring;

therefore the sound of the flute I have carved

seems to me like weeping.

Translation, 1993, Dr. David Fanning. Reprinted by kind permission

of Deutsche Grammophon GmbH Berlin / Universal Music Australia

. Now I must confess that I didn’t see the end of Sofie’s concert. I had a wonderful seat just 5 rows from the stage, though usually I prefer to sit up near the back of a concert hall, and on this occasion, it would have been preferable  – simply because I knew I was going to have to leave early in order to catch the last train to Sunbury, not having made other arrangements.  The first half went longer than I expected and by the end of the interval break, it was obvious I was going to have to walk out in the middle of one of her closing songs [and there wax no way I would do that] or leave early before the final bracket began. Sadly I had to miss the last few songs for that reason [and they were probably all sung in English]. It was at that point that I discovered that it had been raining quite heavily whilst the performance had been going on.

Meanwhile, I shall keep my eyes open for a ‘professional’ review of tonight’s concert, if one appears anywhere! What followed was a comfortable trip home [to Sunbury] on the Bendigo train, though outside it looked anything but comfortable –  wet, damp and humid conditions, a lot of moisture around!

I had a rare quest on my radio show last night – New Zealand expat and member of the Sunbury Uniting Church – Dell came in, ostensibly to promote the Giant Car Boot Sale & Stalls happening there in a couple of weeks, but perhaps of more interest to our listeners, play some songs by that wonderful young Kiwi singer, Hayley Westenra. She had sung the New Zealand National Anthem prior to the recent World Cup Rugby Final, and I’d commented at the time to Dell how impressed I had been with both the French and Kiwi anthems  –  two of the most inspirational national anthems going around these days! Of course, I had to introduce Dell to the program, by playing an abbreviated version of her anthem [which she promptly stood to – very patriotic indeed!!].

Some news from Federal Parliament today, which will no doubt please half the community, and displease the rest.   As AAP reported, the Australian Senate today passed bills that will make the nation’s 500 largest polluters pay a tax on the carbon they release into the atmosphere. Prime Minister Julia Gillard had promised not to push for a carbon tax during elections last year, but has since said it is Australia’s best option. Australia is one of the world’s worst greenhouse gas emitters per capita because of its heavy reliance on abundant reserves of coal to generate electricity.  “This reform is right for our country’s future, it’s the right thing to do,” Gillard told reporters Tuesday.  So beginning July 1, next year,  Australia’s largest polluters will pay 23 Australian dollars ($24) for every metric ton of carbon gases they produce.

While members of the public applauded when the bills were passed with support from Gillard’s Labor Party minority government and the minor Greens party, the opinion polls continue to show the tax is unpopular.  Critics argue that Australian businesses will become uncompetitive because the carbon tax is too high. The Australian Financial Review newspaper reported Tuesday that in Europe, where a system of trading carbon credits is in place, businesses will pay between AU$8.70 and AU$12.60 a metric ton because carbon prices have crashed to four-year lows. Gillard, whose government faces elections in two years, is hoping that the tax does not prove as unpopular as the polls suggest. The government is also hoping that many people will even consider themselves better off under the tax because many will get assistance to offset higher utility bills. “I understand this has been a bitter debate and there are Australians who still view carbon pricing with a great deal of anxiety,” she said.  The tax will be the government’s main tool to achieve its target of reducing Australia’s carbon emissions by 5 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020.

And the Opposition view, expresses rather clearly, it’s ongoing opposition, in the following words  –   about which we have constantly being reminded adnausem   for over 12 months now  ‘Today Julia Gillard and the Labor Party have confirmed in law their betrayal of the Australian people.  The carbon tax is a toxic tax based on a lie from a Prime Minister who promised days before the last election “there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead”.  This new tax is a blow to the future of Australian manufacturing and a new burden for families struggling under cost of living increases. The tax will increase but the so-called compensation won’t.  On the Government’s own figures, three million Australian households will be worse off under the carbon tax. In the absence of action by other nations, all that the Gillard Government has done today is export jobs and emissions overseas. Julia Gillard has no mandate from the people for this new tax.  At the next election, we will seek a mandate from the Australian people to repeal this tax. The Coalition’s position is principled, it is clear to all and it will free the economy from the red tape, costs and job losses that the carbon tax will produce.  I friend on Face Book [who is very Labor orientated] expressed his delight at an ‘historic’ occasion for the Government.  I had to respond that such a description probably depended on your interpretation of ‘historic’.  There have been so many arguments over the last few years both for and against this carbon tax, and the whole question of climate change, that it is very easy for ordinary people such as myself to be completely taken in [or, alternatively] bamboozled by the spin attached to many of those arguments.  Certainly the official Opposition trend of attack has become a bit worn and ‘jaded’ by now, and I’ve resigned myself to a ‘wait and see’ situation  – accepting that something needed to be done, something has been done – let’s see how it all turns out. I’m not convinced at the government side of the argument, but equally, I’m not ‘impressed’ by the Opposition approach, basically, neither side has produced an adequate, easily understandable argument that I should be supporting one or the other. My fear is that the issue has been forced through by the Government, irrespective of possible consequences, because it was a policy that Gillard could  then claim to have succeeded with. I just hope that on the more important issue, to my mind, of our refugee policies, that a similar outcome is not achieved. That would be a true disaster for our Australian culture of humanity and compassion, which sadly has been eroded away over the past decade by the attitudes that our governments have been pushing on how we should treat refugees and asylum seekers!! 

The other ‘big news item’ of today was something I found rather distasteful  –  I know nothing about the detail of the ‘Michael Jackson’ trial, but I found the outcome, announced today [or Monday in the USA I believe] to be a case of power and wealth determined to ensure that somebody took the fall for Jackson’s death, rather than accept the fact, that perhaps his own lifestyle and ‘habits and addictions’ were the real cause!! But who am I to say that?  When Michael Jackson died two years ago, fans around the world erupted in a torrent of grief and anguish. Today, there were apparently hugs, tears and shrieks of joy amongst the fans [and family] outside a Los Angeles courtroom, after the jury found Jackson’s personal physician guilty of involuntary manslaughter over the singer’s death.  As reported officially, ‘Dr Conrad Murray looked like a defeated man before the jury spoke, his eyes vacant and lips pursed as he sat in the downtown Los Angeles courtroom in front of pop icon Michael Jackson’s family, his own loved ones and cameras beaming his fate live around the world. The look remained when the 12-member jury’s verdict was revealed while Jackson’s sister, La Toya, sitting in the second row of the public gallery, let out a loud shriek.   Murray, a 58-year-old Caribbean-born cardiologist earning $US150000 a month to care for Jackson, was found guilty of the pop star’s involuntary manslaughter. The jury’s verdict was swift – less than nine hours of deliberation after a six week trial – but not as speedy as the burly LA County Sheriffs who moved in behind Murray, guided his hands behind his back and slapped on handcuffs while Judge Michael Pastor was still addressing the court. “We can wait a few moments,” the judge told the sheriffs, who stepped back, but kept Murray cuffed.   Murray faces up to four years’ jail, however just as Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and other LA celebrity inmates have shown, California’s crowded jail system grants non-violent offenders early release.   I personally hope that is the fate given to Murray, who faced an  impossible task of being found anything else but guilty.

On a more personal front, I went back to ‘work’ today for a short visit of 5 hours – to assist in some interviews for my ‘replacement’  –  interviewed three ladies, at the conclusion of which there was no general agreement as to one or other was completely suitable. One quite experienced candidate would in fact have suited the situation, however there appeared to be an ‘unspoken’ fear by the two people who would have to work with her, that her experience, etc would eventually lead to her giving the impression of ‘taking over’, another example of the kind of paranoia that I was glad to get away from when I left!  I had in fact been surprised at the three names chosen for interview, as having read a number of the potential applicants before I left a couple of weeks ago, I had felt there were better qualified applicants.  I guess that was proven out, when it was decided to hold ‘more’ interviews this coming Friday, another three, which by coincidence included those I’d felt should have been seen in the first place. Of course, I do need to keep in mind – it is not me who will have to work with the successful applicant!

I actually travelled to Northcote and back by train today – took me back 6 six years to when I would undertake that trip on a daily basis, although admittedly on an earlier [and later, for the return] train. I’m certainly glad that I made a change to that routine – I continue to see people get off the trains at the same time every evening who were doing the same thing, six years ago – to me, that kind of monotonous never- change situation was somewhat depressing to think about, but for many people, they probably spend a working lifetime with the same routine, year after year after year.  While I had some unwanted disruptions to my working life from time to time, through retrenchments, etc, and did change the genre of jobs, work locations, means of getting there, etc, on many occasions over 46 years, I think I preferred to have done that, in preference to never changing anything.  Probably worse off financially and in terms of future security, however, that was my choice, and how things turned out. Anyway, those two train trips today gave me an excellent opportunity to do a bit of reading. After finishing Di Morrissey’s excellent latest novel the other day, I immediately came across another of her novels which I’d not previously got around to reading, and against plans to the contrary, immediately got my nose into it  –  one of her earlier books ‘Follow The Morning Star’ published in 1993.

As I’ve noted previously, I have so many plans of things I need to do, want to do, and for all intents and purposes, have ‘all the time in the world’ now to get on with them. Yet it seems there is something I’m going to have to come to terms with –  the feeling of guilt when I get up on a Monday morning, [a time that for 46 years has been a working day], and sit down for the first hour or so with a cup of coffee, and a book. I love reading, yet at the moment, I still find myself feeling I should be doing something else right now. I guess that kind of ‘mood’ will pass as the days and the weeks themselves pass. Admittedly, as in the past, it is always difficult to put down a novel of Di Morrissey. I bought this particular book last Friday, and now only have about 80 pages to read. It’s a story that creates lots of emotion, and in line with the theme itself, is giving this reader much to think about, in terms of what I have done with my life, and what I would like to do with it from hereon in!  Perhaps Di’s novel has come along at just the right moment in my ‘new’ life!

I stopped reading for a couple of hours, and went out into the front garden, where I tackled some more weeds. Good for the garden, perhaps not so advantageous for my back! J  Meantime, I’m a little surprised I’ve not heard from Jackie for a few days – my understanding is that she wanted me to assist with the interviews tomorrow for my replacement – if that is still the case, I would have liked to have had copies of the applications of the prospective interviewees before now  –  Jackie works by doing everything at the last moment. I’ve always taken the opposite approach!!   Will have to contact her later, if I’ve not heard anything soon!

Late this afternoon, after another spell in the garden [back this time], I eventually came to the end of Di Morrissey’s book ‘The Opal Desert’, which is in fact her 19^th novel in 20 years of publishing., as one of this country’s most successful writers. I recall seeing a documentary about her a few weeks ago, more of a personal reflection of her lifestyle as an author. She was quite responsive to her readers, as I discovered a couple of years ago, when I wrote to her after reading one of her books. I didn’t expect a reply, but eventually, one came. Just 10 days later –  “Hi Bill…not sure if I answered your lovely email with all the festive onslaught! Glad you enjoyed The Silent Country and hope you work your way through the rest of them! There’ll be a new book out this Nov. cheers and Happy New Year.  Di”

Di Morrissey began writing as a young woman, training and working as a journalist for Australian Consolidated Press in Sydney and Northcliffe Newspapers in London. She has worked in television in Australia and in the USA as a presenter, reporter, producer and actress. After her marriage to a US diplomat, Peter Morrissey, she lived in Singapore, Japan, Thailand, South America and Washington. Returning to Australia, Di continued to work in television before publishing her first novel in 1991. Di has a daughter, Dr Gabrille Hansen, and Di’s son, Dr Nicholas Morrissey, is a lecturer in South East Asian Art History and Buddhist Studies at the University of Georgia, USA. Di has three beautiful grandchildren: Sonoma Grace, Everton Peter and William James Bodhi. Di and her partner, Boris Janjic, live in the Manning Valley in New South Wales when not travelling to research her novels, which are all inspired by a particular landscape

Anyway, after reading ‘The Opal Desert’ I sent her another brief message, this time   –   ‘Hello Di,   Thank you for another beautiful novel  – have just finished ‘The Opal Desert’, a great story, and one which came along at a significant point in my life – just retired and busy reflecting on what I have or haven’t achieved, and where my life will go from here. Your story of Shirley, Kerrie and Anna was the perfect form of inspiration to help me deal with the next stage of my life.  Thankyou again, so many passages in this story, left this reader quite emotional and reflective,  from Bill Kirk, Sunbury [Victoria]’

Di Morrissey returned to outback Australia with The Opal Desert. It follows the story of three women from three different generations with unresolved issues in their lives, Kerrie, Shirley and Anna meet in the fictitious NSW town of Opal Lake.  Kerrie, in her 40s, has just lost her famous sculptor husband who had been the centre of her existence and for whom she made many sacrifices and she now finds her life has lost direction. Shirley, approaching 80, was betrayed by her lover many years before and has retreated from the world, becoming a recluse living in an underground dugout. Anna, 19, has a promising athletic career but is torn between the commitment to her sport which could carry her to the Olympics, or enjoying life like other young people. The friendship that develops between these three women, who meet in the strangely beautiful but desolate landscape of the opal fields, helps them resolve and come to terms with the next stage of their lives. And it was that very theme  which had quite an affect on myself, and the kind of doubts, or apprehensions that I currently have following my retirement from employment.

It has been a warm day, and the time I spent out in the garden left your writer, a little sunburnt, and a little back weary as well. It might have been nice to be able to spent the rest of the afternoon and evening resting up with another book – in fact I found two of Di Morrissey’s other novels, in the form of paperback editions which I’d not yet got around to reading. While there were other books in transit that I really should get back to, I was tempted to stay with the same author for a few days. However not tonight –  I had a spot on air at the radio to attend to, three hours from 9pm, and that would go ahead as per normal, with the program having been drafted up last night.

I wonder why it is that Saturday nights are always my worst nights for sleeping  –  when I always have an early start committed for the Sunday morning?  Last night was such an occasion, woke up numerous times during the early hours – first occasion, switched on the TV in time to watch the concluding stages of the Four Nations Rugby League from the UK between Australia and England [won by the Aussies 36-20], and then an hour or so later, awake again, this time watched one of those overnight product promotional programs, which pushes the one item for 30 minutes or so. This product was quite interesting – a bench top cooker that could virtually do any style of cooking you wanted, in the one pot, saving cooking and cleaning times etc – all sounded very good, priced at just under $200 plus another $30 postage, which seemed to be the only way you could purchase. I decided that something like that would suit my needs perfectly, and would keep my eyes open in the stores here, for anything similar.

Anyway, as for the sleeping, eventually gave any attempts to go back to sleep away – at 5am, got up, and watched a rather interesting though at times confusing speech on ABC 24 taken from recent ‘Festival of Dangerous Ideas’ held at the Sydney Opera House. Later on in the day, I switched the TV on to that channel again, and found  some further highlights from that Festival, this time, a debate about the morality of the media. A number of speakers were participating, including Bob Brown, leader of the Greens Party, who I found to be  the least believable and the most obviously biased in the arguments he was putting up. As far as he was concerned, if one section of the media was immoral in it’s practices [eg the Murdoch regime] that automatically placed all sections of the media in the same ‘boat’!! Typically one sided view of this now powerful politician, whom one has to hope doesn’t achieve too much more of that power. I feel he and his Party could be dangerous for Australia’s future such is the often ‘extreme’ nature of some of their policies.

Eventually,. I headed out to the radio station  –  classical music on air from 6.30am until 9.00 am. The rest of the day – a warm day with the threat all day of  storms and rain –  I spent at home alone. Didn’t know when to expect Susan back [from Bendigo where I now knew she had gone yesterday] as she had indicated she’d not be home for the evening meal  – yippee, a bit of voluntary information!!

I’m currently in the process of a major clean –up, the present task to sort and/or discard the many magazines of different varieties I have on hand. As with books, these are not the kind of possessions I can easily get rid of, and I’m actually in a bit of a quandary, as to just what I should discard, and what to retain. I guess they represent  a picture of the kind of aspects of life that I have been interested in, or have in the past, taken an interest or involvement in. Not that I am likely to read any of them again, but to my mind, it seems an inappropriate action to throw them out!  But like everything else, they take up space, something I’m beginning to run out of, and which it is highly likely in the future, there will even be less of should I downsize my living arrangements. As the great Shakespeare character said ‘to be, or not to be’!!.   I am getting rid of my accounting magazines, the bulk of which contents have never been of much practical use in respect to the accounting work roles I’ve undertaken over the years. But their ongoing receipt was a part of the rather steep annual subscription one paid every year to remain a member of the professional organisation. Mind you, there were always still topics of interest in each edition but with my pending ‘resignation’ from the CPA, I want to really put that part of my life well and truly in the past – I guess you could say I have ‘tired’ of accounting and finance, except where it is now going to personally affect this writer.  Anyway, to get back to what I started, I’m presently surrounded by stacks of magazines, etc, on all manner of subjects. Perhaps a local library or hospital might be interested in them, for waiting rooms etc, although in general, I doubt that many of the topics would offer any real degree of broad interest to the average ‘waiting’ reader!!

Late yesterday, Adam sent me a message re his day at the cricket  –  I’d not been able to get over to see his game yesterday, the first day of a two day match played over 2 weekends – he was playing in a town called Wallan, located on the old highway between Melbourne and Sydney, and as drive of about 40 minutes from here. I do recall driving Adam over to the ground for cricket matches some years ago before he had a driving licence, and that usually meant being present for the whole afternoon’s play, unless he was able to arrange a lift home with one of his older teammates. Anyway, last night’s message was to let me know, that his team [Sunbury’s senior team] had batted today, and completed a score of one wicket for 147 runs, a great effort. Unfortunately, the one wicket out was that of Adam – he opened the Innings, and managed to score a total of 18 runs, which I imagine was probably part of a reasonably decent opening partnership. A pity I’d not seen him batting this time. At the finish of the first day’s play,  the opposition were 2 for 20, a good position for Sunbury to be in.

Meanwhile, I’m scanning through what will probably be my second last copy of ‘INTHEBLACK’ which is the monthly publication put out by CPA Australia –  yes, there are topics of interest in it, but as suggested above, with my resignation from the CPA at the end of 2011, I will discontinue with the magazine itself also, simply too many other areas of life I want to allocate my time to from hereon in. Many of the articles are about people in the industry, and the achievements they have made, and the positions that they have ended up – the kind of bios my son was looking for a couple of years ago when he wanted books about successful people!! Similar stories and bios appear in a monthly supplement magazine called ‘The Deal’ under the publication of the ‘Australian’ newspaper. These days, a high number of such stories involve women, such as one I’ve just read in ‘INTHEBLACK’ about Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, originally born in Dundee, Scotland, and since 1999, being the Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney. Very interesting storyline!

An organisation that I support [in a very modest way] is ‘Frontier Services’, which I have referred on these pages on previous occasions. During 2012, it will be celebrating the work that has been done over the past 100 years to support the people of remote Australia. Those celebrations will reach a climax on the 26 September with a special commemoration  at the Dallas Brooks Centre in Melbourne,  recognising 100 years since the establishment of the Australian Inland Mission. It was on the 26^th September, 1912, that the Rev John Flynn presented a proposal to the Assembly of the Presbyterian Church which resulted in the establishment of the Australian Inland Mission. Flynn’s vision for a ‘mantle of safety’ – enabled by the resolution of the Assembly on that day – created a network of pastoral care and social services for the people of outback Australia. In 1977, when the Uniting Church was established, the inland missions of the Presbyterian, Congregational and Methodist Churches were combined and given the name ‘Frontier Services’ – the name Flynn himself used to describe the work. Today, Frontier Services is still providing the services and support people need in remote Australia. A Commemorative Book is also to be produced, and it is planned that the people in that book will demonstrate two luminous qualities that characterise the people of the outback and the staff members of Frontier Services who have walked beside them for a hundred years – resilience and compassion.

A reminder of Frontier Services’ work –  it is the major provider of aged care, health and community services, and pastoral support to people in remote Australia. The organisation’s staff deliver a range of services including residential and in-home aged care; remote nursing and health clinics; assistance to isolated families, including childcare and early childhood education; migrant settlement assistance; student accommodation; provision of short term volunteers to assist families in need; and, pastoral support.  Many of these services take the place of non-existent or inadequate government support, and as a Not For Profit, it relies entirely on donations and the sale of small items such as especially printed Christmas cards, etc.

Meanwhile, I notice that Queensland is celebrating it’s second annual Grandparents Day today, launched last year, and aimed at providing an opportunity for grandchildren, children and the community in general, to thank grandparents for their love and support. As far as I’m aware, Queensland is the only state where this occurs, in Australia. An interesting innovation, I just hope it’s not just another excuse for yet a further ‘commercial’ grab  at sentimentality and the developed need for additional gift giving, etc! At this stage I’ve heard no mention of the idea spreading outside of the northern state.

Late tonight,  I was listening to a piece of music which brings back a few memories – an orchestral version of the theme music to ‘Blue Hills’. Now Blue Hills was a midday radio serial on the ABC, which while I seldom heard it, was listened to religiously by my mother .  The famous opening signature tune was taken from a short orchestral piece called Pastorale by the British composer Ronald Hanmer, who, until he moved to Australia in 1975,  had no idea that his work had been used by the ABC and had become so famous in Australia (although few Australians could have identified its composer). He later re-worked this short piece into a longer orchestral work titled Blue Hills Rhapsody, which he recorded with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, who were in fact playing it tonight. The play, Blue Hills,  was written by Gwen Meredith, and was about the lives of families in a typical Australian country town called Tanimbla. “Blue Hills” itself was the residence of the town’s doctor.  It was broadcast by the  ABC  for 27 years, from 28 February 1949 to 30 September 1976. It ran for a total of 5,795 episodes, and was at one time the world’s longest-running radio serial. Each episode lasted  just 15 minutes.  I imagine that when it ended, would have been a sad day for my mother!  The playwright, Gwen Meredith, died in 2006, at the age of 98.