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THE
PRICE
$6.50
RDER
The National Magazine of The Order of Australia Association
No 27 Winter 2010
Tasmania 2011: National Meeting details and
registration form — 4-page lift-out inside.
ISSN 1835-4378 (Print) ISSN 1835-4386 (Online)
The Murray-Darling Basin.
Worth saving?
2
The Order, Winter 2010
Who's who and what's where in The Order
5
An honours award is not so much
icing on the cake as a carrot on a
stick, says Dr Kristine Klugman
OAM, president of Civil Liberties
Australia, who is concerned that
that our freedoms disappear, little
by little, unnoticed.
7
Luca Belgiorno-Nettis AM, director
of The newdemocracy Foundation,
believes Australians want their
politics unconstrained by petty
bickering along party lines.
What a welcome to the newlook edition of The Order!
Your comments are on two
pages of letters to the editor.
We’d like letters of fewer than
200 words to allow as many as
possible to be published.
3-4
Stick it on your car!
Profiles of three brilliant OAA
Foundation awardees, their mentors and generous donors.
On other pages
Youngsters leap into the Murray River
— but how long will it be able to sustain
all the demands on it? Brian Grogan
OAM says restoration and preservation
of the Murray-Darling Basin is truly
in the national interest but needs enhanced local-government input.
The Murray-Darling pp 12–13
The Order of Australia
Association office holders
National President
The Hon Shane Stone AC QC
National Chairman
Mrs. Dina Browne AO
Deputy National Chairman
Air Commodore Peter McDermott AM CSC
National Treasurer
Mr Geoff Vincent AM
National Secretary
Colonel Roger Dace AM QGM
National Membership Secretary
Ms Colleen Thurgar AM
Executive Officer
Mrs Pamela Peterson
8–11
15–17
Nelson Mandela, an honorary Companion in the Order of Australia,
is the subject of a new book of
photographs and his significant
speeches.
Cover story
Peter Henderson AC struck a chord
with readers with his last article
on Muddling the Language. He returns to the fray complaining about
the infuriating practice of putting
emphasis on the wrong syllable
of a word or of distorting a whole
sentence by emphasising the least
important word in it.
Words and pictures from this
year’s national conference in
Adelaide.
23
Let's keep the states, says
John Campbell OAM
18
National Chairman's report
22
National Secretary's notes
22
People in the news
19–20
State and regional news
20–21
6
The new Order of Australia
Association decal for display
on your car, caravan, boat,
bike or briefcase. The price of
the sticker is $4 + $1postage.
The size is 78mm high by
57mm wide. Details of how to
order are on page 22.
19
How do you train young people to
become the business people of
tomorrow? They are enormously
creative and, unfettered by the
constraints of reality, can come up
with amazing ideas, says Norman
Owens OAM, chairman and founder
of Australian Business Week and its
Enterprise Education programs.
Lost insignia?The Order of Australia Association cannot replace lost insignia or
lapel pins. You can obtain replacements from: The Secretary, The Order of Australia,
Government House, Yarralumla ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6283 3533
email: [email protected]
The Order is the national publication of The Order of Australia Association. It appears
also on the Association’s web site, www.theorderofaustralia.asn.au
Editor: Ian Mathews AM [email protected]
Production subeditor: Bruce Brammall
Please send material for publication, including letters to the editor and photographs,
to [email protected] or
by post to The Order of Australia Association, Old Parliament House, 18 King George
Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600 ph: (02) 6273 0322
Views expressed in The Order are not necessarily the views of the Order of Australia
Association. The Association does not necessarily endorse any third-party advertisement
published in The Order or accept any responsibility or liability for those advertisements
or the goods and services they advertise.
ISSN 1835-4378 (print) ISSN 1835-4386 (online)
Print post approved
RRP $6.50 inc GST — Free to OAA members
3
The Order, Winter 2010
Letters
Some letters have been edited to allow as
many as possible to be published. Send
letters (of 200 words or fewer) to The Order
of Australia Association, Old Parliament
House, Canberra, ACT 2600 or email to
[email protected]
Meet and greet
I am writing in response to Dr Conn’s
article Our weakness: only one in four
awardees joins.
First, I believe that many life members
would support a voluntary donation to the
Association of $100 to assist short-term
financial difficulties.
Secondly, I am always amazed that
holders of awards in the Order (who
are obvious by their lapel badge) do not
introduce themselves to each other. I have
been doing this for some time and have
had a great response. Maybe we should
encourage “badge wearers” to greet each
other and at least exchange names and a
“good day”. It may help bond the group.
John W Dale AM (1991) AO (2002)
Bellevue Hill, NSW
Busy retirement
I thought Dr Conn’s piece about
membership [The Order No 26] so clearheaded that it warranted support. I would
go further than he in his analysis of why
people do not join the Association.
Those of us who get these awards are
frequently at or near retirement but we
may still be active.
In my own case my interests, which
led to my nomination, are still a large
part, perhaps even a larger part, of my
life. They include issues to do with the
environment and the arts. I am now on
many more boards etc in the not-forprofit sector than even before. So having
a light interest in the Association, as I do,
is not a matter of disrespect, simply an
ordering of priorities. I can assure you I
was thrilled to be made an AM and happy
to join the OAA. I think you seem to be
doing good things and I applaud you.
However, I would be happy to get a
much cheaper magazine once or twice a
year, particularly if you have some of the
good articles in the recent edition!
Max Bourke AM
http://www.thomasfoundation.org.au
[The Order is free to OAA members — Ed]
OAA ‘unaware’
The main reason I am writing is
the article by Dr Neil Conn AO — an
absorbing one indeed (No. 26, pp 10, 11).
I am a life member of the Association of
10 years’ standing and paid happily the
amount asked when I was encouraged by
the Association to become a life member.
Living in the outer suburbs of Sydney
I do not often go to the city as public
transport is unreliable, dangerous at night
and driving with its associated problems
quite out of the question at 80 years
of age. City-based social activities are
therefore not on my agenda.
My life and the lives of most other
recipients of the OAM in this district are
largely taken up by activities for which
we were given the award. From time
to time new areas of need arise in our
community and we answer the need with
money or service as required.
The Association is clearly not aware of
the social and financial situation of the
majority of OAM recipients. I wonder
whether this is rather a main reason why
there are not more OAM members in
the Association. You need to make the
Association more relevant to the ordinary
volunteer who gives extraordinary service
to their community.
I quite agree with the comment that
“we need to achieve a better balance
between fellowship and community
involvement, particularly at a local
community level”.
I loved the article Muddling the
language (No. 26, p18). When my
grandchildren speak to me I am not sure
what they are speaking about. In fact it
could be a foreign language. I am never
sure whether it is my age or my ignorance
— a bit of both, I think.
Olive Fowler OAM
Camden, NSW
Fundamental error
I cringe when I read in the press, hear
on the radio or see on television that
someone “has been awarded The Order of
Australia”.
How ludicrous is such a statement
when The Order is an organisation, not an
award!
It was therefore disappointing to read
in the number 26 issue of The Order, near
the top of page 7, that Hazel Murphy AM
was “awarded the Order of Australia for
services to the Australian wine industry”.
Our own magazine should not make this
fundamental error.
I hasten to add that the recent changes
to the magazine are first-class and I
congratulate those responsible.
How can we educate journalists about
the honours system and the various
awards in the Order? Perhaps a press
release shortly before each half-yearly
announcement of awards might be
worthwhile.
Geoff Neilson
Immediate Past President
Victoria Branch
Verbs and singelets
I read with great interest the article
Muddling the language by Peter
Henderson [No. 26] who says he will
“get on to spoken English” when he
feels stronger. This reminded me that I
have been noticing poor pronunciation
by young newsreaders on TV. It seems
to me that they wrongly stress the verbs,
e.g. “the police will be investigating the
murder” (is there an option of their not
investigating?); “the team are practising
at the oval”; “you can find details on
the internet”. They also seem to have
trouble with “gl” words, which sound
like juggeling, mingelling, singelets
and ringelets; and, of course, the old
“pitcher” for “picture” still persists.
Perhaps I am just getting old and picky.
Valerie Blackley
May and might
Re “New Meanings for Old Words” in
Peter Henderson’s article Muddling the
language [No. 26]: a misuse that irritates
me more than any other is “may” instead
of “might”. “May” is meant to express a
“possibility, opportunity or permission”
(Macquarie Dictionary) whereas “might”
expresses “a power to do or accomplish”
— two different things, yet so many
people, including journalists, treat the
two words as synonyms or, worse still,
never use “might” at all, preferring
“may” to cover all of these instances.
Ian Gollings
Garran, ACT
Bill of Rights? No, thanks
The case against the introduction of
a Bill of Rights in Australia, argued by
John Howard AC, in The Order, No.26,
overflows with compelling judgments,
clearly based on the former PM’s wide
experience in high office. The democracy
in Australia is, and certainly should be,
the envy of many countries around the
globe. Consequently the classical adage,
“if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” comfortably applies to the Bill of Rights saga.
The very concept of the Bill of Rights
is plainly flawed: how can one possibly
contemplate rights, without simultaneously postulating responsibilities? Looking to the future we should not create
unrealistically liberal human rights only
having to wind them back in the face of
spreading terrorism and, in particular, the
apocalyptic consequences of fast-growing globaI overpopulation, both of which
must be firmly confronted.
If we are to survive, the governments of
the day should not be handicapped with
imprudent charters, impeding the swift
introduction of hard and almost certainly
unpopular yet essential laws, affecting the
conventional human rights as we know
them today.
Dr Wojclech Gorski OAM
Marmion, WA
4
The Order, Winter 2010
More of your letters
Seeking something worthwhile
I was very impressed with the latest The
Order. It is the first I have seen in my 16
years’ membership that was totally worth
looking at and reading. Congratulations.
The content did not relate a lot to community activity or programs but it was
at least encouraging for the future. The
articles were informative and thoughtprovoking. I enjoyed it.
When I joined the Association I assumed it did something worthwhile.
Since then I have been disgusted to see
that most activities and published material relates to dinners and similar functions and lots of patting ourselves on the
back. I guess I had hoped the association
would have major programs of community activity and would prove to be a real
benefit to Australia.
I was disappointed. The programs
providing financial assistance to students
certainly are significant but, sadly, are
notable particularly because of their
being the exception to the rule. Since
retiring in 1992 I have been involved in
various community activities, particularly the worldwide U3A movement but
have never been able to identify obvious
opportunities through the Association,
particularly at the local level.
Dr Don Kinsey AM
Arcadia, Qld
Primary industry key in reform of states
I certainly think we should consider
abolishing the states (p4, No 26) but at
present local government is not a constitutionally recognised government entity.
This needs to be rectified.
Also in the article crucial areas were
mentioned but primary industry was
not included. The problems of property
rights and the right to farm and the value
of so-called freehold land are of major
concern to farmers at present. Farmers
are becoming bound up with red tape,
disillusioned and not being given the help
they deserve. This all goes in with control
by the states. I am not a qualified person
to discuss all these concerns but would
welcome an article on these problems.
Another of my concerns is why people
should not be responsible for their actions
but have to blame someone else for a
wrong action? All races seem to behave
like this at present.
As regards new Association members:
I do not think new recipients have any
idea of the work of the Association or
the value of joining it. The Association
should be present when people join the
Order. Often, I think, new members of
The Order think they become members of
the Association automatically.
Julian Campbell AM
Mundooie, Warren, NSW
Time to tackle the jealousies of the states
I have been receiving The Order for a
number of years now. My usual practice
has been to take a perfunctory look at it
and then put it in the recycling bin.
What a pleasant surprise it was to
receive The Order Summer 2009–10 and
to read it — a breath of fresh air to digest
material written by people who think.
Dr Mark Drummond’s article (p4)
about abolishing the states is something
I have been advocating for years. I know
many thinking people who would agree
that interstate jealousies by an entrenched
mediocrity is a grave hindrance to this
country and lacks sagacity. I believe there
is an awareness of this by state politicians
who have been conducting a campaign to
lessen influence of local government.
I feel that many politicians seek power
and self-aggrandisement and longevity
of term rather than serving their constituents. Why can’t we have governments
that travel in positive directions rather
than act for their members? People are
capable of very good and of horrific actions. I believe that the way to bring out
the good in us all is by education. We
need to look at our structures, strategies,
systems, skills, styles of leadership and
superordinate goals. Everything, in time,
decays and becomes something different.
What was once appropriate might not be
so now. To remain a vibrant country we
need to analyse and refine constantly.
Mankind faces some of the greatest
challenges in its history; we could, and
might, become another extinct species.
The world will exist for billions of years
but our genus will have been responsible
for its own disappearance; so wise leadership is of paramount importance.
I cannot think of an organisation better
equipped to provide it than The Order of
Australia Association but it does require
analysis and thought such as is displayed
by Dr Neil Conn (No. 26, pp 10–11). If
we do not act, true democracy will not
happen; it will not happen unless all our
citizens become enlightened and develop
the admirable practice of self-discipline.
E J (Ted) Cohen OAM
Barrington, NSW
Keep it short
We edit some letters so we can publish as
many as possible. Send yours (200 words or
fewer) to The Order of Australia Association,
Old Parliament House, Canberra, ACT 2600 or
email to [email protected]
CHOGM ‘useless
and extravagant’
I enjoyed reading The Lazarus Club in
the Summer 2009–10 issue of The Order
but was somewhat surprised that you
felt the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM) should
continue.
You started by pointing out that the
Commonwealth was an unlikely association of nations held together by the
dubious distinction of (most) having been
the colonial possessions of Great Britain
— hardly a convincing raison d’être.
You then raised the question: what does
the Commonwealth of Nations do that
isn’t being done already by the United
Nations and its agencies?
The answer was in the last sentence of
your article: it gives heads of government
opportunities for a chin-wag from time
to time.
The cost to the Australian Federal Government of the Melbourne CHOGM back
in 1982 was $18 million. An expensive
chin-wag.
No further useless and extravagant
meetings should be held and this pointless organisation should be disbanded.
Clive Hodges,
St Lucia, Queensland
Weatherised?
While looking through my husband’s
copy of The Order I saw Peter Henderson’s article on words. Those of us
who had a good English teacher in the
’40s were able to relate to every word!
Recently I read that houses should be
insulated and “weatherised”. Our house is
insulated but how do I weatherise it?
Marjorie Taylor
Keep it up
I am writing to congratulate you on The
Order, as reflected in the Summer Edition
2009–2010.
The enlarged scope of matters discussed as well as enlarged reporting on
The Order and what the people are doing
makes for very interesting reading.
I missed nothing.
Many thanks to all those who contributed to it. Keeping it up will be demanding for all but much welcomed.
John B Reid AO
Mascot, NSW
New honour for
Governor-General
The University of Sydney has awarded
an honorary doctorate of laws to a former
principal of its Women’s College, now
Australia’s first woman Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce AC.
The degree was conferred on May 21
by the university’s Chancellor and NSW
Governor Marie Bashir AC CVO.
The Order, Winter 2010
5
Being rewarded just means you need to serve more
by Dr Kristine Klugman OAM*
A patriot must always be ready to defend
his country against his government
— Edward Abbey 1927-1989
M
y personal belief is that, the higher
the honours you receive, the more
you have to contribute to society in
future! An honours award is not so much
icing on the cake as a carrot on a stick!
That’s one of the reasons I’m President
of Civil Liberties Australia, a venture
quite remote from what I got my “gong”
for 25 years ago.
It’s also why I encourage people with
awards to get involved with liberties and
rights groups, even if it’s only a supportive $25 membership annually. It’s im- Dr Klugman, right, and the Member for Fremantle, Melissa Parke, met recently to disportant that community leaders speak up
cuss civil liberties matters being considered by the Australian Parliament. They found a
when our freedoms are slipping away.
shared UN connection: Dr Klugman’s daughter, Dr Jeni Klugman, heads UNDP’s New
That’s the danger — that they disapYork Report Office and Ms Parke was a senior lawyer with the UN 1999–2007, serving
pear, little by little, unnoticed.
in Kosovo, Gaza, Lebanon, Cyprus and New York.
Photo: Bill Rowlings
The motto of CLA is Protecting people’s freedoms — mostly against incursions by governments and bureaucracies,
helping little people overwhelmed by
which won’t protect children; excessive
container. He’s already served six
“the system”.
anti-terror
and
crime
laws
(you
would
be
months’ home detention. Because he
The objectives of CLA are to protect
amazed
how
easily
you
could
become
a
was renting a house on a large rural
and advance civil liberties and human
suspect
and
have
all
your
assets
frozen);
property worth $1.8m, he is up for that
rights and responsibilities, as a watchinvasions
of
privacy;
unnecessary
surveilfull amount under “Proceeds of Crime”
dog, catalyst, publicist and educator. It
lance;
and
overt
discrimination.
legislation — $100,000 per plant. This
is a constant and continuing battle, never
As examples, here are some recent
one is still before the courts.
won.
CLA
cases:
•
A
frightened elderly couple in a rural
People who join CLA fundamentally
•
An
Australian
living
overseas
comtown
complained when police forcibelieve in the rights (and responsibiliplained
that
the
Department
of
Social
bly
entered
and refused to leave their
ties) of the individual in the face of state
Security
was
intruding
into
his
privacy,
premises,
behaving
threateningly. We
power. This statement sounds abstract,
requiring
details
of
why
he
separated
are
helping
them
appeal
through an
until one considers its practical applicafrom
his
wife
and
what
was
in
his
will.
integrity
commission
process
because
tion.
The
matter
is
still
with
the
Ombudsthe
police
refuse
to
take
responsibility
We get desperate appeals from people
man, where we have kept up pressure
for inappropriate action.
who have tried all other avenues. We take
for
more
than
two
years.
•
A
police car in another country town
cases up only if they indicate a generic
•
A
woman
in
a
government
department
chased
and ran over a youth, who has
problem which needs fixing at top level
complained
that
senior
executives
hid
suffered
significantly ever since. None
through representations or parliamentary
reality
from
the
Parliament
and
people.
of
the
legal
proceedings have delivered
submissions to change government policy
It
seems
that
they
did,
at
least
in
part
what
most
people
would call justice,
or practice, so other little people don’t
—
but
being
right
doesn’t
help
whistleand
no
compensation
has been received
suffer in future.
blowers,
who
are
immediately
ostraby
the
victim,
whose
life
is ruined.
Readers of this magazine — literate, incised. Years later she fights to retain
CLA is continuing to try to help a disformed, educated, influential and skilled
her mental strength, having at first lost
traught father battle for justice.
at local lobbying and political interacboth
confidence
and
a
compensation
This
readership is an elite, on whom I
tions — are able (with respect) to look
case.
Whistleblowers
need
enormous
believe
rests more heavily the “responsiafter yourselves if individual rights are
continuing
support
from
people
in
powbilities”
part of “rights and responsibiliabused. You know how the system works,
erful
positions
in
society
so
they
can
ties”.
Community
leaders and opinion
have connections, know where the strings
stay
true
to
the
principles
that
motivate
makers
bear
a
particular
moral obligation
are which should be pulled ...
them
to
speak
up
for
the
public
good.
to
safeguard
Australia’s
freedoms,
I think.
It is less savvy people who, faced with
• An average metal worker, not a crime
Visit CLA’s web site — www.cla.asn.au
gross injustices, are left with a desperboss, grew 18 marijuana plants in a
— and please consider joining.
ate feeling that life in Australia just isn’t
fair: they need repIn Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists and I didn’t
resentation and help
by organisations like speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the
CLA.
Jews and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came * Dr Klugman’s
Really, though,
for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a
OAM was
everyone in the com- trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics but I didn’t speak
awarded in the
munity suffers from
mid-1980s for
up because I was a protestant. Then they came for me and by that
ill-advised policies
“services to
time
there
was
no
one
left
to
speak
for
me.
that infringe freedoms
education
and
— Reverend Martin Niemöller 1892–1984; prisoner in Sachsenhausen and
and liberties — such
the
community”.
Dachau 1938–45; President World Council of Churches 1961–68
as internet censorship,
It is a constant battle, never won.
6
The Order, Winter 2010
Muddling the language II
By Peter Henderson AC
Tongue-twisting pronunciations
I
n the last edition, in which I sounded
off about words, I focused on meanings
and usage. This time I am on about
weight — the infuriating practice of
putting emphasis on the wrong syllable of
a word or distorting a whole sentence by
emphasising its least important word.
I should acknowledge at the outset that
I am indebted to the ABC for many of the
examples that follow.
First of all let’s look at the unfortunately fashionable practice of giving heavy
emphasis to one specific syllable in
a word. Most frequently it is the first
syllable but the last syllable is also
popular and, less frequently, the weight
is given to a syllable somewhere in the
middle. This practice raises unnecessary
doubts and invites silly questions, as in
the examples below (the capitals indicate
the emphasised syllable).
First-syllable distortions:
DICtator, SPECtator: are there different
sorts of tators? Is reference being made
to potatoes?
ADdress: is this a form of clothing?
FRUSTrated: who or what is the frust
that goes in for rating things?
RObust: an indelicate comment about
a lady?
BOUtique: is this a kind of hardwood?
ROmance: something we do in a boat?
Last-syllable distortions:
hurriCANE: sugar cane in a rush?
fronTIER: the antonym of back tier?
cereMONY: Sounds like Sarah is all
moanie.
terriTORY: A British conservative by
the name of Terry?
maraTHON: are there other types of
thons?
monARCH: might there be pluralarchs?
Some middle-syllable ones:
arIStocrat
perGOLa
gonDOLa
Some Christian names also suffer
from this treatment:
Elaine become EElaine
Yvonne becomes EEvonne
Eleanor becomes EleanOR
In all these groups of words the longstanding convention has been to give
equal weight to each syllable. Why can’t
we keep doing so?
Then there are the words that are either
verbs or nouns depending on the syllable
emphasised — one proTESTS about
something but one makes a PROtest —
but we are told frequently and wrongly
about the activities of PROtestors. Again,
PROcess is the noun and proCESS is
the verb. TRANSport is the noun and
transPORT is the verb.
SPECtator: Are there different sorts of tators? Is reference being made to potatoes?
Words’ meanings can be changed
fundamentally by changes of emphasis in
pronunciation.
Next there are the words that begin
with “re”. Again the practice has always
been to give equal weight to each syllable
in these words. So why do we now have
REcess and REsearch?
Then, what about shortening the “e”
instead of stressing it?
Eckonomic = economic
Levverage = leverage
Pennalise = penalise
I come now to prepositions: for, to, at,
in, from, over and so on.
I don’t want you to think I have some
unreasoning dislike of air hostesses (or
flight attendants), but when I get on board
a plane and am told that this is the flight
TO Melbourne, I wonder why it has to
be distinguished so markedly from a
flight from Melbourne, or if someone has
suggested that we are on the wrong plane.
The important word is “Melbourne”, not
“to”. Again, why does it have to be “our
reporter IN Afghanistan”? Is he or she
about to be contrasted with a different
reporter somewhere outside the country?
Not usually.
Parts of verbs fall into the same
category as prepositions. For instance,
“He WILL come to Canberra.”
Has it been suggested previously that
there is some doubt about it and that he
mightn’t make it?
Of considerable prominence also is
the uneducated use of what is becoming
the “airy” group of words, in which one
syllable is picked out and pronounced
as part of, but quite separately from,
the rest of the word. These fall into a
special category of their own. I think
that, without being unfair, we can
probably credit the Americans with these
distortions (and the mindless media types
who copy and broadcast them), of which
the following are common examples:
Word
Wrongly
Correctly
library
primary
secondary
necessary
voluntary
military
lybrairee
prymairee
secondairee
necessairee
voluntairee
militairee
lybr’ree
prym’ree
second’ree
necess’ree
volunt’ree
milit’ree
The senseless pause in the wrong
place in a sentence is a frequent and
irritating practice on TV and radio. For
example: “Henry came (heavy pause)
into the room.” The pause seems rarely
to have any point or reason. I wonder
why anyone makes it. Are the speakers
trying to make the whole thing sound
more portentous and themselves more
significant? Do they ever listen to
themselves? If they do, don’t they ever
feel just slightly uneasy. No-one speaks
like that in normal conversation, although
I suppose they might if the copycat factor
came into play, as in this vignette:
PROtestors surrounded the
libRAIRY where EElaine was engaged
in ECKonomic REsearch going to
the fronTIERS of knowledge. The
MONarch, who came from a long line
of RObust arIStocrats, was a worried
SPECtator in a nearby perGOLA. He
didn’t like these demonstrations in his
own terriTORY.
Enough. I’m off to watch my cherished
episodes of Grumpy Old Men.
Peter Henderson AC is former Secretary
of the Department of Foreign Affairs
this
Letter to the Editor
Can’t we stop the uneducated
controlling our language?
Dear Editor,
I, along with you, do not like the
misuse of our English language. While I
have no claims to being more proficient
than the average Australian in its use,
there are occasions which raise my ire,
most often when listening to radio or
television.
I am so tired of anyone and everything
being referred to as an icon or idol. My
understanding of “icon” is a religious
painting or artifact, not a football hero or
well-known beach. An idol is, I believe,
an object of worship, not a (frequently
very poor) singer on a reality show, or a
golfer.
Are other people annoyed by these
terms being used so often, so inappropriately, or am I just a “grumpy old
woman”?
Patricia Igoe AM
Ravenswood, Tasmania
The Order, Winter 2010
7
Are we sick of blame-game politics? Yes we are!
‘The conventional wisdom is
that people don’t want to be
involved in politics. However,
our experience with the
Citizens’ Parliament showed
that, when asked to seriously
consider a political question,
the answer is different.’
Fred Chaney AO
Australia’s First Citizens’ Parliament at Old Parliament House Canberra in 2009.
Nick Greiner AC
Putting people back in charge
A
self-employed electrician, an artist, a
fisherman and more, my friend Adam
is a self-made man.
He brews his own beer and is great for
a laugh. We’ve known each other since
high school. He fathered a child in his
20s, out of wedlock, when he was living
in far north Queensland, at about the
time at which I married my wife Anita.
That was the end of his fathering days but
not his domestication.
He’s now living on the South Coast
of NSW with a resourceful, lively lady,
Sue, whose husband died of a heart attack
a few years back. She’s a professional
marketing consultant — also self-made
— having worked for global companies
while raising two children.
In many ways, Adam and Sue are
everyday Australians: each has a unique
story. They get on with their lives and
don’t complain. They reserve their gripes
for politicians and government. That’s
not unusual. Things are still good in
the Lucky Country but, if there’s any
complaint, it’s usually about how they’re
governed, particularly on a state or
federal level.
New South Wales takes the cake in the
State complaint box, of course; premiers,
ministers and cabinets in and out like
circus acts. The Federal Government
seems to be travelling better but throw
in Tony Abbot (and Barnaby Joyce) and
Canberra starts looking a little clownish
too.
I sometimes say to Adam and Sue
that the system is the problem. The
party system is broken; the respective
ideological positions have effectively
merged; manufactured difference and
populism rule.
At this point, after a few glasses of
wine, Adam’s eyes usually glaze and
Sue’s mind has drifted off; Anita has
already got up from the table. They’re
trying to tell me I’m wasting my time.
It’s a conversation that’s been repeated so
often that it’s become boring.
That’s why we’re doing more than
talking. The newdemocracy Foundation
brings together ex-politicians from both
sides of politics with academics and
business people interested in political
reform.
Some of our members are people who
are considered “heavyweights”: former
politicians such as the Hon Fred Chaney
AO, the Hon Dr Geoff Gallop AC, the
Hon Nick Greiner AC and academics
such as Professors David Yencken AO,
Martin Krygier and Dr Kath Fisher.
However, our role is not to talk
but rather to listen. Our belief is that
the people who best know how to fix
Australia’s political stalemate are
Australians themselves; everyday
Australians who aren’t constrained by
petty bickering along party lines.
That’s why, together with the
University of Sydney, the Australian
National University and Curtin
University in WA, we organised
Australia’s first Citizens’ Parliament.
Held in February 2009 at Old
Parliament House in Canberra, we invited
150 randomly selected Australians to
deliberate on how to improve Australia’s
By Luca Belgiorno-Nettis AM
Director
the newdemocracy
Foundation
political system. After many meetings
and discussions, these 150 Australians
— of all ages and from all walks of life
— came up with a list of six high-priority
recommendations:
• Reduce duplication between levels
of government by harmonising laws
across state boundaries;
• Empower citizens to participate in
politics through education;
• Accountability regarding political
promises and procedure for redress;
• Empower citizens to participate
in politics through community
engagement;
• Change the electoral system to optional
preferential voting;
• Youth engagement in politics.
The conventional wisdom is that people
don’t want to be involved in politics.
However, our experience with the
Citizens’ Parliament showed that, when
asked to seriously consider a political
question, the answer is different.
Adam and Sue are hard-working,
sensible people and, like most
Australians, they’d like to see
government make good decisions.
They’re frustrated because they have
little say beyond the vote — largely
meaningless in this post-partisan 2010.
However, when given the chance,
Australians have plenty to say about how
their country should be governed.
For more information go to:
www.newdemocracy.com.au
The Order, Winter 2010
8
T
he 24th National Conference of The
Order of Australia Association, held
in Adelaide from February 11 to14, was
a lively, enjoyable, successful — and
profitable — event.
Including tours, there were 17 functions, some of which had waiting lists;
quotas were filled early. Some highlights:
• Registrations exceeded 200, above the
break-even budgeted number, 150;
• Sponsorships of money, bags, wines
and entertainment helped make the
conference profitable;
• 70 visitors were hosted for home
dining;
• Adoption of the theme Celebrating
Australia’s Diversity gave the
conference direction and purpose.
The welcome reception in the
impressive St Peter’s College Memorial
Hall was a delightful event, the SA
Patron, His Excellency Rear Admiral
Kevin Scarce AC CSC RANR, and Mrs
Scarce attending.
Conference, tours and services
made it all worthwhile
Above: Sikh dancers brought colour and grace to the MultiFaith Observance.
Left: SA’s Attorney-General, the Hon
Michael Atkinson MP (at podium),
representing the Premier, with the Lord
Mayor, the Rt Hon Michael Harbison
(extreme left) hosted the State/Civic
Reception in the Queen Adelaide Room
at Adelaide Town Hall.
T
ours to Fleurieu Peninsula, organised
by regional coordinator Ms Jocelyn
Bayly OAM, to the Australian Submarine
Corporation, to Kangaroo Island hosted
by Mr Michael Willson AM and Mr
Graham Trethewy OAM and to the
University of Adelaide and the South
Australian Art Gallery were popular and
well attended.
T
he conference symposium on the
topic Sustainability of Australia’s
Diversity was described as “outstanding
— a key contribution”. Held in the
delightful Elder Hall of the University of
Adelaide, the symposium was chaired by
the Hon Dean Brown AO.
Speakers were Professor Wasim
Saman, Dr Barbara Hardy AO, Professor
Dean Jaensch AO and Professor Graeme
Hugo.
T
he conference dinner at the Adelaide
Convention Centre was a sparkling,
lively occasion. Trumpeters from the
Brighton Secondary School Music Centre
and a string trio added music to the
delights of food and wine.
The SA Governor, Rear Admiral
Kevin Scarce AC CSC RANR, presented
Foundation scholarships to three students.
[Reports — page 16]
W
reaths were laid by the Governor,
the Association President, the Lord
Among South Australian members at the closing lunch (all nearest camera) were Mrs
May Jackson OAM (left), Mrs Diana Ramsay AO and Dr David Game AO KCSJ.
Mayor and the President of the South
Australian Returned and Services League
at the State War Memorial.
We heard the story of heroism by a
South Australian section of the 10th
Battalion on the first day at Gallipoli.
B
onython Hall, at the University of
Adelaide, was the venue of the
inspirational Multifaith Observance.
Eight faiths were illustrated with
scripture, chant, dance and music.
Tokens of the faiths were carried in
procession at the commencement of the
observance. The Lieutenant Governor, Mr
Hieu Van Le AO, who is Chairman of the
South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic
Affairs Commission, was the principal
speaker on the topic Sustainability of
Australia’s Diversity in Open Religious
Practice. [Report — pp 10, 11]
T
hose attending the closing lunch,
held in the Vines Room at the
National Wine Centre, heard David
Hickinbotham describe the contribution
that the Hickinbotham family had made
over four generations to the Australian
wine industry since his grandfather,
David Hickinbotham, the father of wine
chemistry, worked as a wine chemist at
Roseworthy Agricultural College.
9
The Order, Winter 2010
Members’ ideas to set course for future
By Peter McDermott AM CSC
Deputy National Chairman
T
he 2010 OAA annual conference in
Adelaide featured a members’ forum
at which 120 members and guests were
asked to raise issues of interest in a
friendly forum outside the formality of
the AGM.
The new-look forum replaced the
Regional Groups Forum to allow issues
right across the Association, at national,
branch and regional levels, to be
addressed.
Selected members of the national
committee sitting as a panel were
(pictured at right from L-R): National
Treasurer Geoff Vincent AM, National
Secretary Roger Dace AM QGM,
National Chairman Dina Browne AO,
National President Neil Conn AO,
and panel moderator Deputy National
Chairman Peter McDermott AM CSC.
The outgoing National President set
the scene by speaking to his challenging
article in the last edition of The Order. He
thought that we should:
• extend our membership to allow all
honours awardees to join us;
• balance our focus on social-based
activity with more lofty goals;
• put more weight behind our
Foundation; and
• review our national conferences to
make them more attractive.
Improving membership numbers was
a hot topic, all agreeing that there was
a real role here for
regional groups to
THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA ASSOCIATION
help encourage new
MERCHANDISE
awardees to join.
Both the tie and the scarves are of
new design. The scarves are made
of polyester twill or polyester chiffon.
Please SEND ME:
No. ........ Tie
@ $35.00 + $2 postage
........ Tie (original design)
@ $35.00 + $2 postage
........ Scarf
@ $27.50 + $2 postage
........ Pen
@ $10.00 + $1 postage
........ Cufflinks (sets)
@ $30.00 + $5 postage
........ Brooch
@ $15.00 + $2 postage
........ Decal (57mm x 78mm) @ $ 4.00 + $1 postage
........ Booklet Speeches to
Members of the Association
by Sir Zelman Cowen @ $10.00 + $2 postage
 Cheque attached; or charge my  Visa  Mastercard
Card Number …………………………………………………
Expiry Date ………………………………………………….
Name on Card ......…………………………………………...
Signature ……………………………………………………
My full mailing address is…………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………….
Telephone:…………………………………………………….
Fax:………………………………………………..........……..
Fax or mail your order to:
Mr Richard Rozen OAM, National Merchandise Officer
The Order of Australia Association
3/144 Were Street, Brighton, Vic 3186
Fax: (03) 9592 1767 Tel: (03) 9592 8068
NOTE: ONLY MEMBERS MAY WEAR TIES, SCARVES, BROOCHES, CUFFLINKS
Members heard the
results of a Victorian
Branch trial in which
regional group
members accepted
the chairman’s
invitation to join
through personal
contact.
All agreed that
the branches and
regional groups were
the eyes and hands
of the OAA and
could support the
nerve centre of the
national organisation
in following up
membership in a
A Governor
General’s
Legacy
See last item in
advertisement
at left.
local, personal way, as well as conducting
meaningful activities of benefit and
interest to members.
The Victorian Chairman, Mr Don
Hyde AM, reiterated the success of the
trial which will now flow through to all
branches and regional groups to give
them more responsibility in membership
development.
In a similar vein, the National
Chairman spoke of the preferred manner
of operation of the Association, whereby
initiatives agreed at the national level
were passed to branches and regional
groups for implementation — the
emphasis being on empowering the
whole of the Association to take a lead in
a coordinated and managed approach.
Many members thought that
the structure and appeal of annual
conferences could be improved.
The panel challenged members
to speak their mind on what they
expected from the annual meeting of the
Association.
The National President told members
that the NSW Branch chairman, Bill
Galvin OAM, had been appointed the
previous day to form a subcommittee
of the national committee to review the
conduct of the annual meetings. All were
invited to let Bill and his team know what
they wanted from their conferences.
Bill advised that planning was well
advanced for the 2011 meeting in
Tasmania and 2012 meeting in Darwin,
which would be managed so that costs
would be kept low, making the total
package much more affordable for
members.
The concept of a panel of the senior
leadership answering frankly and
clarifying issues was much appreciated.
Members clearly expected that their
concerns be recorded and acted upon and
the national committee and its executive
subcommittee now have a full agenda of
issues that will be thoroughly reviewed,
action taken being reported back to
members through their branch chairmen
and through The Order.
10
The Order, Winter 2010
South Australia’s Lieutenant Governor, who is a refugee
This is the text of an
address by the Lieutenant
Governor of South Australia
and Chairman of South
Australian Multicultural and
Ethnic Affairs Commission,
Mr Hieu Van Le AO, (pictured) at The Order of
Australia Association’s
Multifaith Observance
Service on February 14 at
the University of Adelaide.
... as someone who arrived here in a leaky boat among
the first Vietnamese ‘boat people’ of the 1970s, virtually my every waking hour is today dedicated to the
advancement of multiculturalism.
A
s an alumnus of the University of
Adelaide, I have much fondness for
this hall and this campus.
And — as an Australian citizen and a
recent awardee — I have great respect for
the Order of Australia and the Association.
This is a special moment for all of us.
Besides being the final day of your National Conference, today marks precisely
the 35th anniversary of the founding of
the Order of Australia.
On such an occasion it’s good for us
to reflect on the enduring value of the
Order. More than that, it’s good for us
to think about one aspect of national life
that the Order of Australia continues both
to reflect and foster — and that is our
country’s remarkable and much-admired
cultural diversity.
For many people, one of the most
important elements of cultural identity is
their religion — as well as the ability to
practise that religion in an environment of
freedom and respect.
We in South Australia place a high
premium on social harmony and — as
someone who arrived here in a leaky boat
among the first Vietnamese “boat people” of the 1970s — virtually my every
waking hour is today dedicated to the
advancement of multiculturalism.
In the context of the wonderful hymns,
songs, chants and readings we’re enjoying here this morning, I want to say that
Adelaide is a particularly fine place in
which to hold a multifaith service.
Across our city there are many examples of thoughtful multifaith dialogue
and I’ll touch on those in a moment.
Perhaps more significantly, the very
founding of South Australia was characterised by what we might call “religious
pluralism”.
The colony was established at a time
of great conflict, in Britain, between the
Church of England and the so-called
“dissenting” denominations — such
as the Baptists, Congregationalists and
Methodists. The Dissenters bristled at the
restrictions imposed on their churches
Mr Hieu Van Le AO
and at what they saw as daily inequalities
and humiliations.
So when the South Australian Association was formed in 1834 and when
Dissenters became prominent among
leaders of the putative colony, the topic
of religious freedom was clearly on the
agenda.
Well before the first ships left Britain
for the long journey to South Australia it
was resolved that this new colony — this
radical new society — would be a place
of “civil and religious liberty”.
One visiting writer from
Victoria noted that,
within a radius of less
than 1,000 yards of the
city centre, there were no
fewer than 22 places of
worship.
Circulars promoting the new colony
were distributed among Dissenter congregations across England.
This would be a land without an established church, the theory went, a place
without state endowments or grants for
religious purposes.
As one historian has written, it was
intended that South Australia “should be
neutral in religion but not secular”.
This principle more or less held in
those early days and the range of faiths
being practised led Adelaide eventually to become known as the “City of
Churches”.
One visiting writer from Victoria noted
that, within a radius of less than 1,000
yards of the city centre, there were no
fewer than 22 places of worship.
“So far, so good,” he wrote, “but there
seems to be an anomaly, for within the
same area there are 51 hotels”.
Besides the Anglicans and the Catholics, South Australia was home to Scottish Presbyterians, German Lutherans,
Quakers, Unitarians and even Swedenborgians.
There were plenty of non-Christians,
too. The Jewish community established
a congregation in 1848 — one that has
been going strongly ever since and recently celebrated its 160th birthday.
Members of the so-called Afghan
cameleers — who opened up the vast outback with telegraph lines — established
Australia’s very first mosque.That was
built at Marree, in the far north of South
Australia, in 1888 and it was followed
just two years later by construction of a
mosque in the south-western corner of
Adelaide’s “square mile” — a magnificent structure that remains standing and is
still used today.
Of course, throughout the 20th Century
the range of faiths present in South Australia grew with the arrival of every new
group of settlers.
There came Sikhs, for example, along
with Hindus, Baha’is and Buddhists,
some of the latter group hailing from my
homeland of Vietnam.
Today, this state’s religious profile is
vast and fascinating. Indeed, in the 2006
Census, South Australians identified
themselves as being followers of almost
150 categories and subcategories of faith.
Albanian Orthodox, Rastafarianism,
Taoism, Witchcraft, Animism, Druidism, Atheism — all these and more were
given as answers to the question “what is
your religious affiliation?”
We in South Australia are proud of our
religious diversity and the generally harmonious way in which faiths get along.
Continued opposite
...it’s good for us to think about one aspect of national life that the
Order of Australia continues both to reflect and foster — and that is
our country’s remarkable and much-admired cultural diversity.
The Order, Winter 2010
11
himself, tells us just how lucky we are
Continued from previous page
From my point of view, as both Chairman of SAMEAC and someone who
arrived here as a refugee after fleeing war
and tyranny, this diversity should be seen
in a wider context.
That context includes the model of
multiculturalism that exists in South
Australia, an ethos covering all aspects of
identity and culture, not just religion.
The bigger picture also includes the
establishment of a stable civil society
— a system of justice and democracy, of
rights and responsibilities, that allows
different religions to flourish in the first
place and for everyone to worship as they
wish, unhindered.
I must confess that I am not expecting
the imminent arrival of a multi-religious
utopia, either here in Adelaide or anywhere else in the world and I am enough
of a realist to know that the mere collection of different religions in the one place
does not, in itself, constitute dialogue or
harmony.
Being conscious of the existence of
other faiths is not the same as talking to
one another – to genuinely appreciating
one another.
One of the more high-profile multifaith initiatives to
come out of South Australia
recently has been Project
Abraham. This has brought
Christians, Muslims and
Jews together to create an
ongoing discussion among
members of the three Abrahamic faiths
Nevertheless, I do think that South
Australia has used its history of religious
pluralism as a solid basis on which to
build understanding.
As early as the 1940s, the various
Christian groups in our State started to
come together and cooperate on matters
of common interest and this led to the setting up of the South Australian Council of
Churches.This has continued ever since.
In more recent times we’ve been home to
many valuable examples of genuine interfaith and multifaith dialogue.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide
has recently extended the hand of friendship and understanding to the state’s
Muslims through the successful “Building Bridges” program.
The Intercultural Dialogue Society
was established in South Australia in
2007 and it has held dinners and other
events that have been attended by politi-
The Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide has extended the
hand of friendship and understanding recently to South
Australia’s Muslims through the successful ‘Building
Bridges’ program.
cal, religious and community leaders.
Also, Adelaide’s Muslim ‘Ayn Academy
recently embarked on its “Mosaic” initiative, which is designed to achieve what it
calls “faith harmony in Australia”.
One of the more high-profile multifaith
initiatives to come out of South Australia
recently has been Project Abraham.
This has brought Christians, Muslims
and Jews together to create an ongoing
discussion among members of the three
Abrahamic faiths.
The purpose of the project was to explore the common elements of these three
faiths, and to educate the wider community about their practices.
The group used this accord as a launching pad for a series of seminars, a school
program, a travelling exhibition and a
DVD and book.
After visits to various South Australian centres, Project Abraham expanded
its membership and support base and
then went national — eventually holding
events in places like Gosford, Shepparton
and the Gold Coast.
There are many other examples of
multifaith dialogue occurring in South
Australia — some of them quite small
and unheralded but no less important.
I hope that these kinds of initiatives
will continue to flourish and expand into
other parts of Australia.
Before closing, I want to say a few
words about why I’m particularly proud
to have spoken to you this morning.
I’ve always felt extremely lucky to
have arrived, settled, and successfully
made a life for myself and my family,
here in Australia. Like most refugees, I
came from a country torn apart by war,
ideology, and social and political division.
Many aspects of Australian life impressed me when I arrived — especially
the egalitarian concept of “a fair go” and
the easygoing nature of the people.
But the quality that struck me most, I
think, was the remarkable stability of this
country — a quality that one doesn’t fully
appreciate until it is absent.
I often ask myself why Australia is so
apparently “lucky” and is the envy of
the world. When I do so, I quickly come
to the conclusion that our good fortune
stems from the strength of our institutions
and our civil society.
We’ve inherited from Britain a system
that — although, of course, imperfect
— manages to strike a fine balance in
many important areas. There’s the bal-
ance between church and state.
There’s the balance between private
and public, between the Parliament and
the executive, between the executive and
the judiciary.
And there’s the balance between government and non-government organisations — the latter including groups such
as the Order of Australia Association.
We take it for granted that groups like
yours can meet on a regular basis and
carry out their business freely and that
their members can associate with whomever they wish.
I applaud you for making
Australia’s cultural diversity the theme of this year’s
gathering.
But in numerous places around the
world — both historically and today
— such liberties are simply not allowed.
Freedom of speech, tolerance of different views, respect for independent
organisations — all these are central to
the ethos that underpins our democratic
institutions and way of life.
It has helped add real substance to the
architecture of nationhood that was established. by Australia’s “founding fathers”,
through the Act of Federation in 1901.
That system of government — that set
of complementary values and institutions
— has underpinned Australia’s muchadmired form of democracy. And this
democracy has, in turn, allowed people
from all over the world to live here in
harmony and avail themselves of opportunity.
That’s why I am so personally grateful
for what Australia has given me and that’s
why I felt so privileged to be appointed
an Officer of the Order of Australia in the
recent 2010 Australia Day honours.
I applaud you for making Australia’s
cultural diversity the theme of this year’s
gathering. That diversity is something we
must never take for granted.
And the social richness and strength
diversity delivers are national qualities
that Australians should always cherish
and seek to build upon.
I wish the Association all the very best
for the future.
Today is the first day of the Lunar calendar year, the year of the Tiger; I wish
you all a new year filled with happiness,
good health, prosperity and successes.
12
The Order, Winter 2010
13
The Order, Winter 2010
The Murray-Darling Basin: food bowl, artery of history and essential to Australia's future
The water man
By Brian J Grogan OAM
T
he words of celebrated poet Dorothea
McKellar, “A land of droughts and
flooding rains”, certainly ring true for the
Murray-Darling Basin as elsewhere in
Australia.
The problem we have in Australia is
that we have barely 200 years of weather
records, as against hundreds or a thousand
years for other nations. This is not to avoid
the more recent challenge of any altered
climate-change trend.
The current severe drought has had
some areas of Australia experience 15
successive years of receiving less than 50
per cent of average annual rainfall, such
rain often occurring in irregular seasons.
Little wonder that the cumulative land and
economic impacts have been so extremely
dire.
The media focus has predictably
emphasised the negatives but has achieved
some positives of raising general public and
political consciousness, bringing the need
for assistance and placing funding and other
resources higher up the priority ladder. Such
assistance to restoration and preservation
of the Murray-Darling Basin is truly in the
national interest. Not only is the Basin the
nation’s food bowl but it is of enormous
heritage and environmental significance to
our nation.
It is my personal view that the order of
priorities across this vast and unpredictable
Basin is:
• the establishment of reliable and adequate
water supplies;
• building and maintaining morale and
confidence in future generations of Basin
communities;
• protecting the socio-economic capacity of
Basin communities;
• adequate recognition and protection of
the Basin’s unique environment; and,
most importantly,
• enhancing the capacity of the Basin to
continue to produce high-quality food,
fibre and other resources for the nation.
The Basin — and regional Australia
— would certainly benefit from not
concentrating continuing growth of the
Australian population on the eastern
seaboard or in the metropolitan cities,
as well as from recognising the need to
increase domestic and export production
of food and fibre. In spite of suggestions to
divert attention to northern Australia, the
Murray-Darling Basin can and must play a
continuing major part.
This is not to ignore, disregard or gloss
over the many problems created by our past
European style of settlement. Our treatment
of the Aborigines, overindulgent land
Brian J Grogan OAM
S
Children frolicking in the Murray River near the township of Renmark, South Australia. The river provides recreation for locals.
Picture: Arthur Mostead
... Governments and agencies come and go but the municipal councils and their communities remain ...
clearances, inappropriate developments
and demonstrably unsustainable land and
water practices are just some of the reasons
for our present difficulties, which are
highlighted in times of cyclical or neardrought periods.
This is not to attribute blame wholly just
to past generations but also to governments
and their agencies, which were also equally
culpable.
Although hindsight underlines past
mistakes, great credit, which is not
always granted readily, must be given to
current generations, whose inventiveness
introduces revised land and water practices
for the future sustainability of our natural
resources.
Cropping changes to no-till practice,
improved irrigation and drainage practices,
using much less for more production,
protection of native vegetation, strategic
tree plantings and the Landcare movement
are a few that continue to add value
to opportunities to improve over-all
investment and outcomes.
Even local government has become
involved increasingly in natural-resource
management and now invests more in the
environment than state and commonwealth
agencies combined.
With the eventual end of the present
drought cycle, a much-restored and
continuing sustainable future lies ahead
of the Murray-Darling Basin, its many
regions and their communities. This will be
enhanced by the injection of public funds
into restorative and enhancement works as
now scheduled.
The Australian community can be assured
that this funding will be complemented in
large measure by private and individual
investment. However, we all should
demand future operations to further develop
and not regress because of reintroduction
of past failed practices, both private and
government.
A continuing challenge across the
Basin is the governance relationships.
The previous Murray-Darling Basin
Commission was much beset by separate
interests and policies of the states. The new
Murray-Darling Basin Authority promises
“a whole-of-Basin approach” with a new
Basin Plan due later this year. Such a
plan must not close off options — e.g.
new supply points — or allow states the
intrusive right of veto that constricts revised
adaptive management.
Also, the grass-roots connection through
the conduit of local-government councils
across the Basin must occur. In the past,
this has often been ignored or occurred too
late and often only by pseudo-consultation
processes!
Governments and agencies come and
go but the municipal councils and their
communities remain and have to live with
policy decisions made by those who live a
long way from our river systems!
The Murray Darling Association policy,
on behalf of its 90-plus Basin councils, is
that the connection to local government is a
primary requirement, particularly on socioeconomic issues.
Both federal and state governments must
engage with and involve local government
and local government must be a match for
such determinations.
Indeed, our collective Murray-Darling
Basin future depends upon it.
on of a Kerang, Victoria, irrigation
farmer, Brian spent more than 40
satisfying and interesting years in the
Victorian water industry, including
various periods in irrigation, major
works such as dam-construction projects
and culminating as foundation Chief
Executive Officer — Lower Murray
Water, based in Mildura.
During his 30-plus years in Sunraysia,
Brian has been involved with a wide
range of community and public
organisations.
Some of have been as President,
Sunraysia Institute of Tafe; member,
Water for Growth Committee; member,
Mallee Catchment Management Board;
and two terms as Councillor on Mildura
Rural City Council.
Brian had a pivotal role in encouraging
the establishment of the Mildura
campus of Latrobe University and
the establishment of the Lower Basin
Laboratory, Murray Darling Freshwater
Research Centre.
He was honoured subsequently by the
naming of the Brian Grogan building at
Mildura Campus.
Much interested in the wider MurrayDarling Basin, Brian has served as
National President, Murray Darling
Association Inc, a long-standing body
dealing with four states and the ACT,
as well as its representative on the
Murray-Darling Basin Councils and
Communities for Conservation and
Sustainable Development. Still active
as Chairman of the Murray Darling
Environmental Foundation, he is
attempting to build and generate its
growth and momentum.
Brian’s present approach is,
“Active retirement with contribution
to community for the benefit of the
grandchildren.”
Supplement to The Order, Winter 2010
The Order of Australia Association
PROGRAM for the 25th ANNUAL NATIONAL MEETING
HOBART 10–11 February 2011
See you in Tasmania
Booking accommodation
Because of great demand at
this time, please book your
own accommodation as soon
as possible.
A list of hotels and B&Bs is
on the Association website,
www.theorderofaustralia.asn.au
e take great pleasure in
W
inviting you to Tasmania for
the 25th OAA Annual National
Meeting — a two-day event in
Hobart with wonderful optional
tours offered before and after.
The conference committee has
endeavoured to keep costs well
down by confining activities
largely to two locations in Hobart
and by having attendees arrange
their own accommodation.
The internationally recognised
Wooden Boat Festival,
Salamanca Market and Hobart
Regatta take place that weekend,
so there will be plenty to see and
do during your stay. These events
attract thousands of tourists
so please register and book
accommodation early.
he weather should be in
T
the 20s, comfortable and
pleasant. However, pack a
sun hat and a warm jacket, as
frequent changes are common.
For local knowledge and assistance, contact OAA
member Brian Sims AM
on (03) 6225 2562; or
email [email protected];
or, for expert help, phone
Discover Tasmania on
1300 827 743 or on the web:
www.discovertasmania.com
Have a holiday before the meeting or afterwards — or both! Carefully
planned day tours in each of Tasmania’s three regions provide pre-meeting
opportunities to sample a mixture of fresh attractions, including National
Trust buildings, historic country towns, wilderness areas and boat trips;
wineries, honey, raspberry and cherry farms. Meals are generally at your
own cost unless otherwise stated. Welcome dinners at restaurants in each
location will give you the chance to meet local members. You will need to
book your own accommodation in the region you select. Post-meeting
tours also offer quintessential Tassie experiences. At a reasonable cost,
and designed to save you packing and moving each day, this is a great
chance to explore the Apple Isle.
More details next page
2
Supplement to The Order, Winter 2010
The National Meeting, Hobart, February 10 & 11
his event will take place in two main venues. Thursday will centre
T
on the superb Town Hall, with registration and a chance to catch
up with friends over coffee from 9am to noon. The Lord Mayor’s
welcome and the meeting’s opening by the National President is
at 1.30pm.The symposium We are Australian — four distinguished
speakers — begins at 2pm, after which we go to Parliament House
(a 15-minute walk or go by taxi) for the Premier’s reception at 5pm.
Evening at leisure. Wrest Point is the focus for Friday, beginning at
9am with a simple Multifaith Observance and wreath-laying on The
Boardwalk, by the river. The AGM begins at 10.15am, then morning
tea and the Members’ Forum. Afternoon at leisure and then buses
will go from Wrest Point (at 5.30pm) to Government House for the
Governor’s reception, returning for the annual dinner, which begins
at 7.30 at Wrest Point. For all events, lounge suits and miniature
medals will be acceptable dress.
Come early for pre-meeting tours
Monday 7th, Devonport to Ambleside, Latrobe,
Bells Parade, Railton topiary, Sheffield murals. Includes Raspberry Farm, Anvers Chocolates; Dame
Enid Lyons’s home; Maritime Museum, and return to
the Argosy Motor Inn, Devonport.
Tuesday 8th, Devonport to Ulverstone through
Penguin to Burnie, Pioneer Village Museum, Wynyard Exhibition Centre and vintage cars; Wharf Hotel
Wynyard (lunch); Table Cape, Stanley Discovery
Centre, Highfield and return to Devonport;
Wednesday 9th, Devonport via Launceston to
Hobart, with fascinating stops at Evandale (Collectors on ABC), Campbell Town, Ross (lunch at Wool
Centre), Oatlands and Kempton.
Monday 7th, Launceston to Deloraine and Meander, exciting Ginseng Farm, Mole Creek (hotel
lunch), cave area, Cethana Dam, Raspberry Farm
and return to Launceston.
Tuesday 8th, Launceston to Legerwood (unique
wood carvings); Barnbougle Golf Course (lunch),
peaceful Bridport, Batman Bridge, Beaconsfield,
Tamar Ridge Winery and river road, via vineyards
back to Launceston.
Wednesday 9th, Launceston to Hobart as above.
WEST — Three-day tour — Mon 7th–Wed 9th
Launceston — A 3-day, 2-night tour from Launceston to Queenstown via Cradle Mountain and Zeehan,
then a day excursion to Strahan, Gordon River, Wilderness Railway and back to Queenstown. On the
Hobart’s beautiful harbour is formed by
a wider part of the Derwent River.
Comprehesive details of all tours are on the web site,
www.theorderofaustralia.asn.au and available from
your branch. All tours will depend on the numbers’ filling
– alternatives will be offered if any tour is not filled.
3rd day the coach goes via Nelson Falls, Tarraleah
and Derwent Bridge to Hobart.
Or select one of the tours on offer each day in
Hobart.
Tuesday 8th (1) Huon Valley, including sheep milking, Hartzview winery, Huon River and a Cherry
Orchard. OR
Tuesday 8th (2) A morning or afternoon tour to
the Female Factory for Devonshire tea with Matron:
includes history, tours, viewing of bonnets. Before
this, go to the top of Mount Wellington (outstanding
views if weather fine) or, if the weather is poor, visit
the Cascades Brewery (tour $20 extra). Wear warm,
wind & waterproof coat, hat and walking shoes.
Wednesday 9th (1 ) History and champagnois with
CEO and members of Friends of Theatre Royal;
short walk to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
for tour (including bond store) and lunch with Director; OR
Wednesday 9th (2) Heritage tour of greater Hobart
including visits to Arthur Circus, St George’s Church,
the Real Tennis Court, the Hobart Synagogue; lunch
at “Lyndhurst” (Collectors on ABC)
Wednesday 9th: Registrants are invited to join
welcome dinners in selected Hobart restaurants,
offering your choice of menu at affordable prices.
Stay on for post-meeting tours
No trip to Hobart would be complete without a visit to Salamanca weekend market.
Saturday, February 12th, visit the Salamanca Market or the Wooden
Boat Festival and then go on an optional OAA lunch trip on the Derwent in the ferry Cartela.
Sunday, February 13th, take a tour to Launceston, via the Lake
Highway and Golden Valley. The following day enjoy a historical tour of
northern environs, including Eskleigh.
Or on the Sunday, take a 2 day/1 night tour from Hobart up the east
coast via Coles Bay, overnight at Bicheno and reaching Launceston via
memorable north-eastern roads like the Weldborough Pass.
On the final day, Tuesday, February 14, a lunch river trip down the
Tamar and a dinner ‘finale’ in Launceston are available.
3
Supplement to The Order, Winter 2010
REGISTRATION FORM
Please complete this form for National Meeting, optional tours and payment
details. Copy and forward originals to: Mr A Douglas OAM 10 Aotea Rd,
Sandy Bay, Tasmania 7005
OR Register on line at http://www.tashost.com.au/oaa/index.php
National Meeting 10–11 February
DELEGATE
GUEST(S)
TOTAL
1.30 Lord Mayor’s Welcome — Town Hall
Yes/No
Yes/No
–
2.00 Symposium —Town Hall
4.30 Tour of Parliament
5.00 Premier’s Reception — Parl’t House
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
–
Yes/No
Yes/No
–
10.15 AGM and morning tea- Wrest Point
Yes/No
Yes/No
–
11.30 Members’ Forum — Wrest Point
Yes/No
Yes/No
–
Bus to & from Govt House
Yes/No
Yes/No
–
6.00 Governor’s Reception — Govt House
Yes/No
Yes/No
–
Registration per person
After 30 Nov 2010
COST
$ 70
$100
THURSDAY 10 February
9am–noon Registration — Town Hall
FRIDAY 11 February
9am Multi-faith Observance – Wrest Point
12.30 Lunch — Wrest Point — own choice
7.30 Annual Dinner — Wrest Point
$22
$75
TOTAL
PRE-MEETING (7-9 Feb) TOURS
Tours
Area
Mon 7
NORTH
WEST
Day Tour 1 Railton,Sheffield,Mersey Valley
Dinner -The Argosy; own cost
Day Tour 2 - Penguin, Wynyard, Stanley
Welcome Reception – The Argosy
Day 3 – Midlands H’way to Hobart
$60
NORTH
Day Tour 1 Deloraine, Mole Creek etc
Day Tour 2 Legerwood, Beaconsfield etc.
$50
$60
Day 3 Midlands H’way to Hobart
$25
Tues 8
Wed 9
Mon 7
Tues 8
Wed 9
from and
back to
Devonport.
- to Hobart
from and
back to
Launceston
- to Hobart
Mon 7
- Wed 9
WEST
COAST
Tues 8
SOUTH
Wed 9
L’ton- Hobart
from and
back to
Hobart
–
Please book your own accommodation
$
SELF
$70
$17
$30
GUEST
YES/NO
3 days 2 nights Launceston-Queenstown-Hobart
all inclusive
twin share - $560 pp
$125 single supplement
Day 1 - Huon Valley ; or
$60
Day 1 - Mt Wellington & Female Factory
$35
Day 2 - Theatre Royal / Museum; or
$50
Day 2 - Heritage Hobart tour
$70
Welcome Dinners own cost - pay at the venue
TOTAL $
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE
4
Supplement to The Order, Winter 2010
POST-MEETING (12-14 Feb) TOURS
Tours
Please book your own accommodation
Sat 12
OAA Derwent River Trip - Lunch on the Cartela
$60
Sun 13
EAST COAST 2 days, 1 night – Hobart-Bicheno-Launceston
inclusive $180 pp twin share ($40 single supplement)
OR
LAKE HIGHWAY 1 day - Hobart to L’ton via Lake Highway;
central highlands; Own Lunch
$36
Mon 14
Historic tour Evandale, Eskleigh etc incl. lunch
$70
Tues15
Tamar river cruise - incl morning tea & lunch
LAUNCESTON FINALE - Dinner – own cost
from Hobart
from L’ton
from
Launceston
SELF
GUEST
$120
Yes/No
TOTAL
PAYMENT
NAME …………………………………………………………….Title...............Post nominal .................
ADDRESS…………………………………………………………………..…………………………….......
………………………………………………………………………………..POST CODE ……………......
PH………………………….EMAIL…………………………………………………………………….….....
GUEST(S)………………………………………………………..Title………….Post Nominal……….......
SPECIAL NEEDS (diet/physical) …………………………………………………………………….….....
National Meeting - TOTAL
$
Pre-Meeting and Post Meeting Activities - TOTAL
$
GRAND TOTAL $
Please find enclosed my cheque made payable to OAA Meeting 2011
EFT payment : BSB 067 102 Acc Number: 10319542 Acc Name: Order of Australia Association Ltd
National Meeting Tasmania
Please debit my credit card for $..............................
Mastercard
Visa
NAME ON CARD (print) ……………………………………………………………………………
CARD NUMBER
Expiry Date
CARD HOLDER’S SIGNATURE ……………………………………………………………………………
Copy and forward originals to: Mr A Douglas OAM 10 Aotea Rd Sandy Bay TAS 7005
ENQUIRIES – Alastair Douglas OAM (03) 6225 2012 [email protected]
Linley Grant OAM (03) 6234 6672 [email protected]
Accommodation Advice: Brian Sims AM (03) 6225 2562 [email protected]
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to present, as accurately as possible, all the information contained in this brochure. The Meeting Organising Committee
reserves the right to change the program if necessary. The National Office and the Tasmanian Branch will not be held financially or administratively
responsible for the pre and post tours.
14
The Order, Winter 2010
Art in the vineyard
Ian Mathews AM recounts the difficulties
of an artist at work among the vines
In the style of many different works of art on display in reputable galleries, here’s Figures in a vineyard taken by the writer at sunrise
on a Fleurieu Peninsula vineyard near McLaren Vale.
W
e all know about art. Well,
we know what we like, which
doesn’t always mesh with what gallery
directors put on their walls. There’s
every conceivable art form from oils
to water colours, landscape to still life,
modernism to pointillism. You name it (or
not), there’s an art form to suit or annoy
everybody.
I know. I’ve been painting recently in
a vineyard. Vineyards lend themselves to
landscape art: the symmetry of the rows,
the contrasting light and shade of the
vines.
My efforts, however, fall under the
heading of numeric art — painting
numbers on the end posts of a row of
vines. One could call it figure painting
but that would only confuse those who
appreciate people, clothed and unclothed,
as models.
This was mathematical art at its most
elementary. I had to paint the figures one
to forty-six — 1 to 46 — in the correct
order. It sounds so simple. It’s not. My
first problem — and one that most artists
don’t have — was that my “canvas”
was virtually at ankle level. That might
have suited Toulouse Lautrec, although
he preferred the comfort of backstage
settings.
Each end post in a vineyard is
supported by a much smaller strainer
post at about knee level. Half-way down
that post, at shin level, was my area of
operation; and to manage that I squatted
at ankle level to number 184 posts. That
accounts for the same figure at each end
of a half-kilometre row plus two more
where the rows were broken for a tractor
track. Hence, four posts requiring the
same number in every row. Breaks in the
rows often indicate a change of
grape variety — chardonnay, merlot,
shiraz.
This sort of art requires a reason. As in
any row of houses, numbers identify
each row of vines. This makes it easier
for a variety of jobs, from irrigation and
spraying to pruning and picking, and
a dozen jobs in between. This is not
always original painting; some posts bore
numbers from a long-past stencil job. No
criticism of the artist or artisan concerned
but stencils lack the personal stamp.
I’m not against painting by numbers
as such. It’s said that Turner painted his
cloudscapes by numbers after making
sketches of clouds in Switzerland and
matching the colours he observed with
his numbered home-made paints in his
studio.
Once I'd started on the painting,
numbers became shapes and eventually
had no value as numbers. I frequently had
to check the previous post just to make
This perspective photo demonstrates the
depth of the vineyard rows, their identity
numbers are seen in the foreground.
sure the next number was in sequence.
As shapes rather than the numbers that
I write every day, I painted them with
different strokes. Eight, for instance,
is outlined with my paintbrush as two
circles rather than an S biting its starting
point as I would write 8 with a pen. I
even find I draw a four backwards.
Correcting the paintwork would
only add to the confusion so it stands
as a dyslectic .. In another attempt I
interrupted myself making a mess of
another 4 so it, too, stands rather like a
Chinese character at the end of its row.
My favourite numbers were nine and
seven. One can do a 9 with an elegant
flourish of the brush; 7 takes just two
straight (well, straightish) strokes.
Although the numbers became
just simple shapes, some still had
significance: birthdays, anniversaries and
33 — a vintage year for the writer. These
were emphasised by repeating the number
on the circular head of the strainer post.
Ideal viewing for helicopter pilots. Such
extra-arty numbers required a degree of
pointillism, so favoured by Seurat.
Occasionally, an adventurous ant
or blown leaf would stick to my
masterpieces in much the same way
as, it is said, that at least one of Claude
Monet’s haystacks — he did 25 of them
— captured a piece of blown grass.
The 46 rows on which I painted
numeric addresses represented only a
fraction of the whole vineyard. Oddly,
vineyards are often “interrupted” by
other vineyards as if your backyard were
split for your next-door neighbour’s
swimming pool. There are few fences
between competing vineyards.
There is no signature on this work of
art.
It will stand for several vintages until
weather, heat and rain take their toll and
another artist will work on Figures in a
vineyard.
The Order, Winter 2010
15
Mentors are essential to awardees’ progress
In addition to the $40,000 payment to help with education expenses, a
most important feature of The Order of Australia Association Foundation
Scholarship is to provide each awardee with a mentor. The Foundation
chooses each volunteer mentor from people who have received an appointment or award in The Order of Australia and are eminent in the awardee's
chosen professional field of study. The mentor’s main functions are to:
• Give advice to the awardee of the direction of studies, elective subjects,
suitable research avenues etc;
• Monitor the awardee’s academic progress, checking that levels of
excellence are maintained and give advice to overcome problems;
• Give a brief report to the Foundation of the awardee’s progress and
achievements at the end of each semester;
• Advise the awardee on short-term placements at other institutions in the
course of studies as well as further studies beyond graduation;
• Advise and assist on a suitable career path after graduation.
Here are profiles of three mentors appointed to help those who received
their scholarships at the annual conference in Adelaide.
Dr Robert Frater AO PhD DSc (Eng)
Hon DSc (Macq) FAA FTSE
r Frater has
researched
electronics,telecommunications,
radioastronomy
instrumentation,
electroacoustics
and biomedical
devices for more
than 40 years
and was
responsible for many ground-breaking
developments in instrumentation and
systems for radioastronomy and optical
astronomy. In particular, he directed work
on the Australia Telescope at Narrabri.
He was Professor/Director of the
Fleurs Radio Observatory in Electrical
Engineering at the University of Sydney.
He also played crucial roles in CSIRO
as a division chief and as Deputy Chief
Executive.
In 1996, Dr Frater was made an Officer
in The Order of Australia “In recognition
of service to radio astronomy.”
He has been working for the past ten
years in the medical-device world at
ResMed, where he is Vice-President
for Innovation. He chairs the NCRIS
Australian National Fabrication Facility
and the NICTA Evaluation Committee
and serves on the Research Advisory
Committees for Australian Hearing.
He is a Fellow of the Australian
Academy of Science and of the
Australian Academy of Technological
Sciences and Engineering. He and his
wife Margaret established in 2010 the
Bob and Margaret Frater Travelling
Scholarship for eligible teachers in the
NSW and ACT Catholic Primary School
system.
Mentoring is an important part of
the culture of ResMed and his own
experience of being mentored himself has
inspired Dr Frater in his role as mentor to
others. He has spoken of the importance
of those who have acted as mentors
D
for him from the worlds of academe,
industry, CSIRO and government. He
says “ResMed’s funding for a Foundation
scholarship gives me the opportunity to
take on the role of mentor for Pallavi
Gosain who is herself studying to be a
biomedical engineer, aiming to contribute
to the improvement of healthcare
resources.”
Dr Michael Rice
AM ED MB BS
FRACP
r Rice is a
paediatrician
with a special
interest in the care
of children with
cancer. After postgraduate training
in Adelaide,
Melbourne and New York, he
returned to the Adelaide Children’s
Hospital in 1967 and established a
comprehensive cancer service for
children in South Australia.
He is a former Head of Oncology at
the Women’s and Children’s Hospital,
Adelaide. In the course of his practice, he
has seen major changes in the treatment
of cancer to the point at which, as he
says, the majority of childhood cancers
are now curable, albeit after an often
difficult period of initial treatment.
He was appointed a Member of The
Order of Australia in 2004 “For service
to medicine, particularly paediatrics in
the fields of oncology and haematology,
to a range of professional and medical
organisations, and to the community.”
He has been closely involved with the
training and assessment of junior doctors
and has participated in medical policy
development in the Australian Medical
Association at state and federal levels
and as a member of various government
advisory committees.
He has always had an interest in
D
helping young people to develop their
professional careers and so is pleased
to accept the role of mentor to Alyssa
Fitzpatrick, who has evinced an interest
in improving the care of people with
cancer.
Emeritus
Professor Derek
Frewin AO MB
BS MD FRACP
FRCP FRACMA
rofessor
Frewin served
as the Dean of
the University
of Adelaide’s
Medical School
from 1991 to
2005 and as the Executive Dean of
the Faculty of Health Sciences at that
University 1996–2005.
He is a clinical pharmacologist/
physician by training and has a particular
interest in the causes and treatment
of high blood pressure. His current
clinical appointment is to the Royal
Adelaide Hospital, where he is the Senior
Consultant Physician and Head of its
hypertension clinic.
Professor Frewin was chairman of
the Committee of Deans of Australian
Medical Schools, a member of the
Australian Medical Council and its
sub-committees, an invited member of
the Committee of Presidents of Medical
Colleges and on numerous Hospital
Boards and other Health Boards in South
Australia.
He received a Fulbright-Hays Senior
Scholar award in 1972–73, which enabled
him to work at the Columbia Presbyterian
Medical Centre in New York. He
subsequently held several visiting
professorships at Columbia between 1974
and 1987 and another at the University
of Otago Medical School in 1981. In
2001 he received the Australian Medical
Association (SA) award for his “longterm dedication and commitment to
medical education, research and clinical
medicine”.
Professor Frewin was appointed an
Officer in the Order of Australia in 2003
“For service to the advancement of
medical education, to research in the field
of hypertension and to the community,
particularly in relation to the care of the
ageing and of people affected by drug
addiction”.
As current Patron of the Adelaide
Medical Students’ Society (AMSS) and a
member of its newly formed Foundation
Board, Professor Frewin has already
worked closely with Mark Hassall, who
served as the AMSS President in 2009.
He said he was delighted and honoured to
be invited to mentor such a distinguished
Foundation awardee as Mark.
P
16
The Order, Winter 2010
Scholarship awardees for 2009 tell their stories
A
LYSSA FITZPATRICK: Twenty-year-old Alyssa, of
Adelaide, is enrolled for the double degrees of Bachelor
of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of
Adelaide. Dux of Loreto College, she had outstanding results
throughout and finished with a Tertiary Entrance Rank score of
99.95 — the highest possible.
In her three years at university she has been top student in
her cohort and still participated extensively in university and
community activities: as elected medical student representative
in Insight-Global Health Group at the University; a social
justice advocate and worker; an active worker for the Heart
Foundation Doorknock Appeal; and in the University Volunteer
Program for International Students, in which she is partnered
with a student from China with whom she converses and helps
with orientation in libraries, museums and social centres.
Alyssa contributes and leads by example.
Her leisure activities include classical ballet, netball and
advanced piano studies. She is interested in the field of
oncology and spent lasts summer at the Hanson Cancer
Research Institute studying emerging treatments.
She is keen to undertake work in rural areas to improve the
quality of access to professional practice. Another ambition is
to work in developing countries. She would like to maintain a
balance between clinical and research work.
Funding for this scholarship was generously donated by
Mrs Diana Ramsay AO.
Alyssa receives her certificate from the Governor.
M
Report above
ARK HASSALL: Mark, 22, of Garran, ACT, is enrolled
for the double degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and
Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Adelaide. At Marist
College, Canberra, Mark achieved a Universities Admission
Index score of 98.2. He had excelled as College Captain, House
Captain and as delegate to the National Youth Science Forum.
He has completed all levels in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
At university, Mark has won distinctions and in 2009 became
a Bachelor of Medical Science with first-class honours. His
leadership potential shows in his election as president of the
Adelaide Medical Students’ Society in 2009; his membership
of the council of the South Australian Institute of Medical
Education and Training and his role as co-ordinator of SA
Health’s medical student focus group of the new Royal
Adelaide Hospital.
His community service includes helping to raise $32,000
for the National Heart Foundation; being a Big Brother Big
Sister mentor and a volunteer Lifeline counsellor; sponsoring
a child through World Vision; and fund-raising for the Florey
Foundation, the Hanson Cancer Research Institute and the
Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Recreation: he has run the London Marathon, Adelaide’s
City2Bay and its Marathon and will be in the Young Endeavour
sailing scheme this year. He is excited about combining
leadership and research in his profession. His interest in
research — especially neurology — is evident and he values
the power of collaborative projects.
Funding for this scholarship was generously donated by
Dr David Game AO.
See picture at right
Pallavi Gosain receives her scholarship certificate from the Governor
of South Australia, Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce AC CSC RANR.
P
See report below
ALLAVI GOSAIN: Twenty-year-old Pallavi, of Merrylands,
NSW, is enrolled for the double degrees of Bachelor of
Engineering (Chemical) and Biomedical Engineering at the
University of New South Wales. Educated at Girraween High
School (a selective school), Pallavi has benefited from an
accelerated progression through secondary schooling to achieve
a Universities Admission Index of 99.85. She was Dux in 2007
and received a NSW Premier’s Award. As secretary of the student
Charity and Philanthropic Society at school, Pallavi worked to
raise funds for the Salvation Army and UNICEF and to raise
awareness of many social disadvantages.
Her recreational activities involve vigoro, cricket, hockey and
soccer. She competed in a university student project to develop
a bionic hand and has maintained a high-distinction average at
university. She is keenly interested in emerging fields of research
and scientific breakthroughs.
The Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering has invited
her to join its Elite Student program. Pallavi hopes to contribute
to the improvement of health-care resources to combat the
alarming increase in lifestyle diseases. As a biomedical engineer
she pursues more efficient and cost-effective instrumentation,
new pharmaceutical products and better biocompatible materials
for surgical procedures. She aspires to work with organisations
that can bring pharmaceuticals, immunisation programs and
treatments to underprivileged communities. To do this she intends
to travel and work with Engineering Without Borders and other
similar organisations.
Funding for this scholarship was generously donated by
ResMed.
The Governor presents Mark Hassall’s certificate.
See report, left
The Order, Winter 2010
17
Awardees’ gratitude
H
ere are letters to Professor O’Keeffe
and the board of the Order of
Australia Association Foundation, from
awardees.
Mark Hassall, of Canberra, ACT,
writes:
I am writing in sincere thanks for my
OAAF scholarship and your welcoming
and enthusiastic correspondence
and guidance in the lead up to this
presentation.
These past months have been a very
exciting period and I have immensely
enjoyed the entire experience; from
when I first learned of my successful
application, until the presentation
ceremony itself ....
When I walked into the dinner on that
Saturday night I was blown away by the
atmosphere, the calibre of the attendees
and the general enthusiasm of all those
present to introduce themselves to me
and welcome my family and me to the
evening. Again and again I was humbled
by the sincere interest your colleagues
showed in my hopes, my career and my
plans for the scholarship itself.
Building upon this foundation of
validation, the finances of the scholarship
will permit me to undertake my core
university education more easily by
helping me manage my HECS debt
and my living expenses. It also offers
the phenomenal opportunity to pursue
educational experiences [such as] a
medical elective at the University of
Dartmouth teaching hospital in the USA.
Meeting my mentor, Professor Derek
Frewin AO, I believe will be the first of
many fruitful and otherwise unavailable
catch-ups that will help sculpt my
professional pathway over these vital
early transitional years ...
There’s no doubt this scholarship
represents a fundamental change in the
trajectory of my confidence, my career
and the realisation of my personal and
professional potential. Thank you so very
much.
Pallavi Gosain, of Merrylands, NSW:
I would like to express my heartfelt
gratitude and thanks to the Order of
Australia Foundation for its support
and generosity in accepting me into this
scholarship program. This scholarship
has opened a world of opportunities to
me as I progress through my education
and career.
On behalf of my family, I would
also like to thank the Foundation for a
truly wonderful evening in Adelaide.
Receiving my certificate in the presence
of so many eminent Australians was both
an inspiring and humbling experience,
and one that I will always treasure. The
encouragement provided by so many
people throughout the night made me feel
I was that much closer to achieving my
goals.
I also wish to thank Professor Brian
OAA Foundation
O’Keeffe AO, Professor Elaine Murphy
AM and my mentor, Dr Robert Frater
AO, for their valuable time and guidance.
In the coming years, I hope that I can
demonstrate the values of the Foundation
through my contribution to the Australian
community.
Alyssa Fitzpatrick, of Adelaide, SA:
I am writing to express my heartfelt
gratitude for all of your direction
and assistance in the lead-up to the
conference dinner last weekend. The
dinner was a wonderful experience for all
of us awardees and I wish to thank you
for all of your efforts which made the
night so memorable.
I am deeply grateful to all members
of the Association who make the awards
possible each year. The opportunities
provided by the scholarship are once in a
lifetime, and I feel incredibly privileged
to receive the award this year. The
scholarship provides an unparalleled
opportunity for all of us recipients to
expand our horizons, to learn from the
wisdom and experiences of our mentors,
and to have the freedom and security to
devote ourselves fully to our academic
and volunteering pursuits.
I am truly humbled by the faith you
show in us, as young Australians, to
contribute meaningfully to our respective
fields in the years to come. I undertake
to fulfil the aspirations of the Association
which they have entrusted in me.
Meet some of the Foundation’s generous donors
Diana Ramsay AO DSocSc (Adel)
FAICD
D
iana trained as
a social worker
at the University
of Adelaide and as
a medical social
worker at The
Women’s Hospital
in Sydney, serving
as Almoner from
1955 to 1960.
As well as playing hockey for South
Australia she has been a patron and
benefactor of the arts and many welfare
organisations. She and her late husband,
James, have supported the State Opera of
South Australia and special initiatives by
the Australian Ballet and made possible
fellowships for surgeons in provincial
areas through the Royal Australasian
College of Surgeons.
She is a founding member of the Art
Gallery of South Australia Foundation,
and later committee member and
Governor, and was appointed Life
Governor of the National Gallery of
Australia Foundation in 1993. Diana’s
and James’s generous support of the
Art Gallery of South Australia has
been described by its director as having
transformed its Australian, European
and Asian collections, recognised by the
naming of the James and Diana Ramsay
Gallery in the Elder Wing of Australian
Art, and by her receipt in 2004 of the
South Australia Great Arts Award.
Both Diana and James were appointed
Officers of The Order of Australia in
1992 for their philanthropy and service to
the arts and the community. In December
2009 Diana Ramsay launched the
James and Diana Ramsay Foundation
to continue to support the visual and
performing arts and medical scholarships
and have a strong focus on education and
support projects for troubled youth.
Dr David A Game AO MB BS KCSJ
FRACGP FRCGP FHKCGP (Hon)
MCFPC (Life)
r Game has a strong relationship
with the University of Adelaide
Medical School, both he and his late
wife having graduated MB BS in 1949.
A brother, a son, his father-in-law and
brother-in-law also graduated from the
school.
He has been associated with
the Royal Adelaide Hospital, the attached
teaching hospital, in various roles, first as
an intern in 1950, until January 2010,
D
when he retired from
a sessional position
in the Medical
Administration
Department.
He was a founding
member of the Royal
Australian College of
General Practitioners,
one of the first to
gain fellowship by examination and is
a past chairman of Council, President
and Censor-in-Chief. Internationally, he
was the first honorary secretary of the
World Organisation of Family Doctors
(WONCA) and was also president for
three years. Dr Game’s main professional
activity has been in general practice.
He has said that, “My professional life
has rewarded me in a most gratifying
and satisfying way and in return for and
recognition of this I was very happy to
be able to contribute to the professional
life of a very promising undergraduate of
the Adelaide School and a future medical
practitioner.”
He became an AO in 1983 in recognition of services to medicine. He
has also been Chairman of the South
Australian Branch of The Order of
Australia Association.
Another donor - Page 18
18
The Order, Winter 2010
OAA North American Group becomes active
A
n inaugural gathering of the widely dispersed North American members
of The Order of Australia Association’s Group is being planned with
the active participation of Vice-Patron Kim Beazley AC, Australia’s new
Ambassador to the US. The group serves members living in, or passing
through, its region — the USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
ANZAC Day in Washington DC saw North American Group Chairman
Gregory Copley AM lay a wreath on its behalf at the Korean War Memorial.
Commodore Simon Cullen AM CSC RAN, the Australian Defence Force
Liaison Officer to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, assisted him (see picture
at right). The wreath was then taken to the New Zealand Embassy for the
traditional Gunfire Breakfast and then to the US National Cathedral for the
ANZAC Day service. attended by a number of OAA members.
A generous donor
ResMed designs and manufactures
medical equipment to treat and manage
sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and
other respiratory disorders. ResMed was
established in Sydney in 1989.
At the time sleep apnoea was an almost
unknown health issue. Today the disor-
der is recognised as a factor in three of
the greatest health challenges facing the
developed world — heart failure, stroke
and type 2 diabetes.
The company has a focus on continuous innovation to develop breakthrough
products and technologies to improve
the lives of those who suffer from these
conditions. As global leaders in sleep and
respiratory medicine, ResMed educates
and raises awareness of the potentially
serious health consequences of untreated
SDB through knowledge-sharing with
patients, clinicians, industry professionals
and the broader community.
ResMed’s 3,000-plus personnel are
located in 22 countries with manufacturing operations in Australia, the US and
Europe and now in Singapore.
ResMed is proud to be a sponsor of
a Foundation scholarship. This is its
second such scholarship. Mentoring is an
important part of the culture at ResMed.
“Through our investment and mentoring
we can play a role in contributing to the
development of future leaders. The longterm impact of these young achievers on
Australia’s future is immeasurable and
we are delighted to assist them in reaching their full potential.”
No need to tamper with the states to control them
F
ederation was achieved after much
debate, stimulated at the time by the
need to meet certain perceived needs; for
example, free trade between states and a
common defence system.
From its inception Alfred Deakin
foresaw that the financial power of the
Commonwealth could be used to induce
the states to act in accordance with the
wishes of the Commonwealth in matters
outside the constitutional powers of the
Commonwealth.
His prophecy reached fulfilment in the
High Court judgment relating to uniform
taxation. In effect the financial power
provides a powerful extra-constitutional
means whereby the Commonwealth,
presumably acting in what it believes
to be in the best interest of the nation,
may encourage certain action by the
states. This is easier than changing the
Constitution.
Conditional grants for such specific
purposes from Commonwealth to states
lead to the undesirable “buck-passing”
and “duplicated bureaucracy” referred to
by Dr Drummond. Should some of these
matters be the subject of referendums?
If it were the will of the people, the
Constitution could then vest some or all
of the matters as the exclusive preserve of
the Commonwealth.
Some criticisms of our federal system
relate to the point of balance between the
powers of the Commonwealth and states.
These can be addressed by referendums
rather than moving from a federation to
a unitary system at the risk of “throwing
out the baby with the bath water”.
The article by Dr Mark Drummond in the summer edition of The
Order (No.26) headed Abolish the States and save $50 billion has
prompted considerable comment. In a recent debate between two
former Prime Ministers, Bob Hawke AC and John Howard AC, Mr
Howard ventured the opinion that Australia's founding fathers were
probably wrong to saddle us with states but it was too late to “correct”
it now. John Campbell OAM, who was Clerk of Victoria's Legislative
Assembly for 16 years, writes, “With trepidation, I venture to offer
a slightly different perspective.”
One criticism often advanced is that we
are over-governed compared with other
nations. I offer the following comments:
• Half of the G8 nations and many
Commonwealth nations are federations.
Surely they can’t all be wrong!
• Responding to long-standing political
pressure, Scottish nationalism and
the desire of the Scots to share the
wealth from North Sea oil, the United
Kingdom has created and empowered a
parliament for Scotland.
• Australia is vastly larger in area
than the UK, has great diversity
of climate, resources, terrain and
population density. Needs and
problems differ between our states,
providing justification for devolution
and diversity within defined limits as
provided by state governments.
• In the UK, lower levels of government
have traditionally exercised jurisdiction
in some areas which, in Australia,
have been the preserve of the states. It
is therefore understandable that local
governments spend more in the UK as
Dr Drummond states.
Why not have a unitary system?
Professor Greg Craven claims that
“the fundamental argument in favour of
federalism in Australia as anywhere else
is that it prevents the abuse of power
by dividing it”. He also states that it
guarantees a “balance of discourses”
where different views are put.
Having heard the excellent, wellresearched debates in the Victorian
Parliament on compulsory seat belts and
the abolition of capital punishment, I
endorse his comments and believe the
states have much to offer.
Let us amend the Constitution to meet
emerging needs in a changing world if
that be the will of the people. Rather
than abolish the federal system, I believe
it is better to review its operation and
maybe do some fine-tuning to make
it function more effectively, using the
mechanism designed by the Founding
Fathers to “change the rules” of the game
if necessary or desirable.
1
1
Australian Parliamentary Review, Spring
2009, Vo. 24(2) p.26.
19
The Order, Winter 2010
Training the entrepreneurs of tomorrow
Pills that enable you to speak a foreign language. Devices that can
teleport you to another location or time. Science fiction? Perhaps,
except they are the product of young minds grappling with how to
run a business such as Thank You Water.
Some have come up with ideas for portable skate board ramps,
hollow-handled paint-brushes fitted with a hose to wash off the
paint, plastic toys embedded in clear soap bars for children.
“Young people are enormously creative and, unfettered by the
constraints of reality, can come up with amazing ideas,” says Norman
Owens OAM, chairman and founder of Australian Business Week
and its Enterprise Education programs.
H
ow do we enable young people
still at school to get a better
understanding of business? That was the
question the executive of the Parramatta
Chamber of Commerce was asking back
in 1993.
Having recently completed an MBA,
Norman Owens proposed that if students
could get a taste of business by running
their own simulated enterprises with
input from the business community
they could start to prepare for the world
beyond the classroom.
Today Australian Business Week
(ABW), the not-for-profit venture
Norman established with his wife
Margaret, a high school teacher, is
providing enterprise education programs
in schools, colleges and universities
across Australia. In 2002 Norman was
awarded the Order of Australia Medal for
his contribution to education.
About 145,000 students have taken part
in ABW Enterprise Education programs
in Australia in the last 17 years, 10,724
participating in 2009.
Norman says, “Many of the ideas
are imaginary suggestions such as
pills to enable you to speak a foreign
language, or devices that can teleport
you to another location or time but many
are very practical and some have gone
into production or been considered for
production.
“An idea that went into production
was animal variants of the computer
mouse [looking like] cows, sheep, etc.
This product was commissioned by the
Granny May shops and a royalty paid to
the students.”
A former ABW student, Justine Hart,
wrote recently to Norman, “I have joined
with a team of five other uni students who
were inspired into action when we learnt
two simple, yet staggering facts. Firstly,
that two million people die each year due
to lack of clean water and secondly, that
Australians spend $600 million each year
on bottled water.
“The result? A new brand of water
... one bottle will provide at least one
month’s ... water, called ‘Thank You
Water’. [All] our profit funds water
projects, providing water to those who
most desperately need it. ...
“Thank You Water began as a dream
with no money or experience to back it
up. However, only a few months later, we
have secured contracts with the largest
private distributors around the country
— something we were told we could
never do. The support and donations
received from people in assisting the
launch of our vision has amazed us. We
were nearly knocked off our chairs when
our first distributor put in [a] first order
for 50,000 bottles.
... we sometimes have
selective hearing when it comes
to the phrase ‘It can’t be done’
“The product is now rolling out in
cafes and independent outlets in Vic, SA,
WA, Qld and in a few weeks NSW. Now
we are knocking on the doors of the big
retailers and sharing with them the Thank
You movement.
“... one of the best things about
our generation is we sometimes have
selective hearing when it comes to the
phrase ‘It can’t be done’.”
ABW has developed a range of
programs for senior high school,
primary and middle school students, as
well as tertiary students and corporate
participants. The programs have been
developed in collaboration with such
universities as Sydney, Sydney (of
Technology), Deakin, Queensland (of
Technology), South Australia, Murdoch,
and Curtin and major businesses and
organisations including IBM, CPA
Australia, Woolworths, Coca-Cola
Amatil, Unilever and the federal
Department of Education, Employment
and Workplace Relations.
Programs are designed for the full
range of students in Years 10, 11 and 12
and is typically conducted in-school for
the entire Year 10 or 11 cohort. They
let students take responsibility for their
learning across the curriculum by running
their own simulated business. The idea is
to provide every young Australian with
the opportunity to develop skills useful
in the transition from school to work,
including those to create and manage
personal, community, business and work
opportunities. The range of curriculum
Norman Owens OAM with the Global
Enterprise Challenge trophy.
areas develop work-related skills
including teamwork, time management,
leadership and decision-making.
The program is supported by a
comprehensive kit, including manuals for
participants, mentors and coordinators.
Workshops initially train coordinators,
usually senior teachers, and other
members of organising groups in running
the program.
ABW works with teachers and about
2,000 volunteers in all Australian states
and territories. Its operations employ
innovative technology to minimise
costs and are funded under a user-pays
philosophy rather than sponsorship.
Operations are essentially self-funding,
each participant paying an average $46
for an intensive one-week program.
Charges are kept to a cost recovery basis
to encourage more students to participate.
Occasionally there is private
sponsorship (less than $10,000 in the
last year) and Commonwealth and state
government funding to develop new
programs and resources but in the main
ABW has shown that its business model
is viable, sustainable and scalable.
Internationally ABW has acted as the
Australian organiser of the annual Global
Enterprise Challenge since its inception
in 2002. The GEC enjoys the support
of the NASA and the UN’s World
Intellectual Property Organisation.
In 2008, ABW was the main organiser
and host of this world-wide event,
launched that year by the Australian
Deputy Prime Minister and Education
Minister, Julia Gillard. ABW programs
run in several countries, including
England and Scotland.
The programs are also being conducted
under licence world-wide for employees
of major corporations such as IBM, Dell
and Fuji Xerox.
More information about ABW
programs is at www.abw.org.au
20
The Order, Winter 2010
Homage to the University
of the Third Age
People and places
An acrostic by Eddy Abraham OAM
Light Horse at Beersheba
I
am a native French speaker from
Mauritius. Since my retirement in 2003
as an English as a Second Language
Teacher at Kangan/Batman Institute of
TAFE, I volunteer my services, teaching
French to members of two Universities
of the Third Age, namely Hume U3A and
Yarra Valley U3A, both in Melbourne.
My approach is to get the participants
to acquire enough oral French to enable
them to function in a French-speaking
environment.
I hope you find my acrostic interesting.
[Acrostic (n) a series of lines or verses
in which the first, last, or other particular
letters, form a word or phrase.]
The Light Horse bronze Memorial in Bicentennial Park, Tamworth, which cost $200,000.
avid Evans OAM thought readers
The video clip was shot on Mornington
would like to see a part of Australian
Station, just north of Tamworth, NSW,
World War I history brought to life: the
and can be seen on Youtube — James
great Charge into Beersheba on October
Blundell — Riding Into Town.
31, 1917. David says he plays only a
David has been in radio and TV for
minor role — “but the job James Blundell 34 years. He works at present as an
and his film crew did is remarkable”.
announcer on ABC Radio at Tamworth.
“I just happened to be the modern Light He was awarded an OAM on Australia
Horse rider through the video sound clip.
Day 2007, for, amongst other things,
It is called Riding Into Town — James
“being the person behind the Light Horse
Blundell.”
bronze Memorial in Bicentennial Park in
David believes Beersheba was the
Tamworth. It cost $200,000”.
turning point for Australia in World War
David also rides the mare shown in
I “unlike the disaster two and a half years
Light Horse re-enactment marches on
earlier at Gallipoli”.
Anzac Day and Beersheba Day.
D
Changing of the guard
A
fter a year at the helm of Middle East
Area of Operations, Major General
Mark Kelly AM (Mil) has formally
handed the reins over to Major General
John Cantwell AO (Mil).
Defence personnel paraded and a
ceremony at Australia’s main support
base in the Area of Operations marked
the change of command at the head of
Joint Task Force 633.
The Chief of the Defence Force, Air
Chief Marshal Angus Houston AC AFC,
said the direction and professionalism
exhibited by Major General Kelly during
his tenure was in keeping with the finest
General Kelly
General Cantwell
traditions of the ADF.
In his farewell speech, Major General
Kelly said the young men and women
on parade and those across the Joint
Task Force, including Australian public
servants and contractors, had been a
source of inspiration for him throughout
his 12 months as their commander.
Under an old adage,
No adult of mature-age,
Invested in great courage,
Valiantly enough to project an image,
Evident on the world stage!
Redressing the situation, the grey army
has turned the page,
Seriously demonstrating to their
entourage,
Intellect is not any more on the wastage!
Tireless years of accumulated educational
mileage,
Yearn now for intellectual leverage!
Offers of courses are not in shortage.
Facultative reinforcement rests on a safe
anchorage!
Tutors offer their services without
claiming a wage.
Huge choice of courses, including
language,
Enable members to take advantage!
Time for ongoing pupillage,
Harmoniously catered, for those who
envisage!
Irrespective of one’s heritage,
Retirement takes on a new visage,
Delving into memories of one’s lifelong
voyage!
Applaud all those, whose duties are to
manage,
Giving selflessly to their peerage!
Enjoy the pleasant time that is sweet old
age!
OAMs run in the family
T
his year’s Australia Day Honours
List included a Medal of the Order
of Australia (OAM) for Barbara Heine
of Mt Macedon, Victoria, for service to
the community through her work with
hippotherapy — a health-service division
of the Riding for Disabled Association
— and to children and their families
through her personal charity, the Kids and
Families Foundation (KAFF).
Five years ago, in the Queen’s
Birthday Honours List of 2005, Barbara’s
sister, Nanette Oates, was awarded
an OAM for services to environmental
management through the development
of conservation programs and policies,
and to the community through education
about fire safety.
Their families think that it is pretty
special that two sisters should each
receive an OAM in such widely diverse
fields of endeavour.
Eddy Abraham with the then GovernorGeneral, Major General Michael Jeffrey
AC CVO MC (Retd), at Government House,
Canberra in February 2008.
The Order, Winter 2010
21
People and places
M
ore than 500 recipients and guests
attended a NSW Branch investiture
event recently at NSW Parliament House,
Sydney.
Guests represented all NSW regions
including Broken Hill, Thackaringa,
Bourke, Nyngan and Hay, all replete with
legends, grandeur and drama.
The Order of Australia Association in
NSW conducts these investiture events
each year to celebrate the Association’s
success, congratulate current recipients
and generally support the future of
members’ services in NSW.
The number of guests having increased
in the last two years, this is a strong
platform to welcome new members to
the association and have them meet
established members.
In 2009, the NSW branch established
a new set of speaker events designed to
welcome members after work at prime
locations. Speakers have included Sir
Lawrence Street AC, the Reverend Bill
Crews AM and acclaimed author Thomas
Keneally AM, all of whom attend the
investiture events regularly.
Medals for Korea
veterans
F
our NSW veterans who served in
post-armistice Korea have been
presented with the Australian General
Service Medal for Korea by the Minister
for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for
Defence Personnel, Alan Griffin.
They are Cecil (Bob) Robert Morris,
Rodney Vincent Coupland, James
Reardon and Noel Jackson.
This fulfilled a recommendation of
the 2005 Post-Armistice Korean Service
Review to establish an Australian General
Service Medal for Korea, providing
recognition for Defence Force personnel
who served in South Korea during the
post-armistice period, 28 July 1953 to 19
April 1956.
On 12 February 2010 it was announced
that the design and regulations had been
approved by Her Majesty the Queen.
Level 12, 135 King Street, Sydney
Picture: Gerald Charskey
Some of the members who attended the recent Parliament House event (report at left).
Survivor chosen as Australia Day envoy
R
ichard Rozen OAM was chosen by
Victoria’s Australia Day Committee
as an ambassador and addressed the
small township of Girgarre, Victoria on
Australia Day. His Order of Australia
Medal was for services to chess and
bridge as well as the community through
the Jewish Holocaust Museum.
Girgarre is 27km from Shepparton
but a very long way from Radom,
Poland, where he was born. He was six
years old when he hid with his parents
in a cupboard for 13 months, forced
eventually to move to the Lubin Ghetto
when their money ran out. Destined for
the Treblinka Extermination Camp, the
Rozencwajg family was smuggled to the
safety of a Polish village where Richard
spent several months disguised as a girl
using the name Marisa Ulecki.
He eventually joined his doctor father
in the partisans and survived there for 18
months until liberation. His father was
captured by the Germans in 1944 and
never seen again.
Richard Rozen arrived in Australia
in 1951 with his mother. The 17-yearold studied electrical engineering at
the RMIT, establishing a chess club,
founding the St Kilda Chess Club two
years later on. He went on to establish
businesses in knitting and confectionery
while adding bridge to his mental games
ability, representing Australia in the
World Bridge Championships in 1982.
He turned his attention to the Child
Survivors of the Holocaust, a group he
convened in 1994.
Among his chosen activities he lists
being honorary treasurer, Katzetlers,
Partisans and Fighters Association, a
national chess master, bridge grand
master, 11 years as President of the
Victoria Bridge Association and 10
years as a guide in the Jewish Holocaust
Museum.
His wartime experiences were
highlighted in Jane Mark’s novel The
Hidden Children and Dr Paul Valent’s
Child Survivors.
Commenting on his appointment as
an Australia Day ambassador, he says,
“It is a huge privilege and honour for
me. Australia has been wonderful to me
and I am grateful for a chance to give
something back. ...”
Source: J-Wire
The Order of Australia Association’s
booklet of Orations 2003–2007 records
the words and opinions of some of Australia’s finest minds:
The 2003 Oration
Science, Education and the Australian
Experience by Prof. Peter Doherty AC
The 2004 Oration
Searching for the Real Australia by
Dame Leonie Kramer AC DBE
The 2005 Oration
Advancing the National Interest and The
Order of Australia by the Hon Sir James
Gobbo AC CVO
The 2006 Oration
The Marginalisation of the Law in Australia: Sir Guy Green AC KBE CVO
The 2007 Oration
Federal Renewal and Unity in Reconciliation – A Return to Government by
the People by Lieutenant General John
Sanderson AC
Price: $5.50 (incl GST) + postage. For a
copy contact your OAA Branch.
22
The Order, Winter 2010
New president takes over
T
he National Committee is delighted
that the Hon Shane Stone AC QC
was appointed National President of
the Association at the meeting held in
Adelaide in February.
He has had a distinguished career in
public administration, politics, education,
law and business. He took up the
presidency with energy and enthusiasm
and has already met the executive
subcommittee and branches in several
states to share his vision for the future of
the Association.
The national conference in Adelaide
was well attended given the prevailing
circumstances and provided a comprehensive variety of activities and events
to entertain and engage members and
guests.
We were particularly grateful to His
Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce
AC CSC RANR, Governor of South
Australia, for juggling engagements so
that he was able to present the OAA
Foundation scholarships at the conference
dinner.
The Association, the Foundation and
Chairman’s Report –
Summer 2009-2010
by Dina Browne AO
the extraordinary awardees are indebted
to His Excellency for his generosity of
spirit and of time.
O
ne of the outcomes of the national
committee meeting was the
establishment of a subcommittee
to explore options for the national
By Roger Dace AM QGM,
National Secretary
National office notes
Y
ou will see from the letters pages
in this edition of The Order that
the changes in structure and content of
our magazine have been generally well
received but constructive criticism will
help us move in the direction you think
best. We have not yet been successful
in finding an agency to take on the
responsibility for selling advertising
space. Although that remains a continuing
task we are keen to hear from anyone
who might wish to place advertisements
for their own goods and services in The
Order. For details please contact the
Executive Officer, Mrs Pamela Peterson,
at oaasecretariat@ ozemail.com.au
or by post to The Order of Australia
Association, Old Parliament House, 18
Ready to come home
King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600
or phone (02) 6273 0322
A
t the last Directors’ meeting the
National Committee established a
new subcommittee under the coordination
of Mr Mick Davis AM, Queensland
Branch chairman, to consider the
continuing relevance of our Constitution
and associated practices. To make a
submission contact the National Secretary
at [email protected]
by June 30.
The National Committee has accepted
that increases in membership fees are
a regrettable necessity. We hope that
by offering members the opportunity
to spread their membership fees over
an extended period this will provide
members and prospective members with
the easiest practical way to remain in or
join the Association.
t a meeting between the GovernorGeneral and the Association’s new
national president, Shane Stone AC QC,
it became clear that the Governor-General
is in favour of increasing, where possible,
those branch community programs that
will benefit young people and indigenous
communities.
he next meeting of the National
Committee will be held in Sydney
on August 18. Branch chairmen are also
directors of the Association so if you
have an issue please raise it with your
branch chairman well before that date.
A
In Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, recently,
Chief of Army Lieut-Gen. Ken Gillespie
AO farewelled Sarbi, an explosive-detection dog that vanished more than a year
ago in an attack. Sarbi is in quarantine
now, preparing for repatriation.
T
conference, the emphasis on making it
more relevant and accessible and at lower
cost.
The committee, chaired by Mr
Bill Galvin OAM (NSW) has been
liaising with the Tasmanian conference
committee and together they have
designed a conference that does all the
above.
Although pre- and postconference
tours are still available to those who want
to extend their visits into holidays, the
actual conference will be run over only
two week days.
This has reduced costs considerably
and the Tasmanian Branch has also
managed to keep the registration cost
well down. The registration form and
more information are elsewhere in The
Order and on the web site.
If you have been unable to attend
a conference before, I commend this
opportunity and suggest that you make
early bookings. This helps the organisers
and ensures that you will get a berth in
very busy Hobart.
I
have noted before, in my reports in The
Order, our concerns about membership
and the role each member can play in
actively encouraging recipients to join.
The Association provides interest for
members at all levels and we are working
to increase its sphere of influence.
I thank all the wonderful volunteers
who help run the Association at national,
branch and regional level.
I am very appreciative of the
commitment of the national directors/
branch chairmen, which ensures that the
national committee remains effective and
dynamic.
Books
23
The Order, Winter 2010
This occasional book page will focus as much as
possible on books written by or about people who
have received an honour in the Order of Australia.
The man who changed an evil world
Nelson Mandela: A
life in Photographs
by David Elliott
Cohen; text by
John D Battersby
Published by Sterling, New York; distributed in Australia
by Capricorn Link,
Windsor
ISBN978140277707 3
RRP $34.99
Reviewed by
Ian Mathews AM
I
t seems that he has always been in our
mind’s eye, on the front pages, smiling gently with the powerful, addressing
political leaders at the UN or in their national parliaments. It was not always so.
This handsome coffee-table book
deserves to be read for it contains six of
Nelson Mandela's speeches, including
one he could not deliver because of a ban
on his speaking in public.
Each reader will have an opinion of
which is the most powerful. For me, it’s
Mandela’s “statement from the dock” at
his trial on April 20, 1964 when he was
already serving five years’ imprisonment
for leaving the country without a permit
Mandela at his 1999 investiture
as an honorary Companion in the
Order of Australia.
and for inciting people to strike in May
1961. His court speech sets out cogently
and with terrible precision the evil effect
of the apartheid system on human beings.
He notes that the violence of the regime
can only engender violence in return.
Not surprisingly, his lawyerly eloquence
failed to sway the court and he began his
27 years in prison.
The mass of excellent photographs
and descriptions, as well as the helpful
footnotes, make this a book to treasure,
to boast of your ownership, to share and,
Lessons from Troy revisited
Ransom, by David Malouf
Published by: Knopf, Sydney 2009,
ISBN: 9781741668377 pp224
RRP $29.95
Reviewed by Richard Murison
D
avid Malouf AO, winner of literary
awards and prizes, has produced
a beautifully written novel in Ransom.
Malouf’s language, describing nature and
country, is lyrical. His underlying theme
is human relationships. He recounts the
story of Achilles, Patroclus, Hector and
Priam, King of Troy, in a very different
way from the Iliad. The siege of Troy by
the Hellenes happened about 1100 BC.
Malouf re-enters this era of Troy, having
heard half the story from a teacher in
wartime Brisbane.
In the first 50 pages of the book
he sets the background to Achilles’
committing an atrocity, which leads
to Priam’s desperate vision. From the
moment Priam and his wife, Hecumba,
discuss putting his vision into action, the
reader is captivated. In consulting her
he is considerate of her tactics, finally
leading to a family council of fascinating
argument and counterargument.
This book focuses on father and son
bonds and those between bitter enemies;
the overcoming of the worst of human
feelings; and explores the relations
between ruler and ruled, with their
different feelings and knowledge of life.
All this succeeds because of Malouf’s
wonderful imagination.
Ransom should be read by anyone
curious to know why people need to
hear storytelling. In taking a chance in
human relations, what seems foolish is
sometimes just what is most sensible.
A classic photo from the book.
one hopes, to learn from Nelson Mandela’s incredible life.
A woman of compassion
Mama Jude: An Australian nurse’s
extraordinary other life in Africa
By Judy Steel with Michael Sexton
Published by ABC Books in
association with HarperCollins
[ISBN 978 0 7333 2478 9] pp301]
C
an one person solve the problems of
illiteracy, HIV/AIDS, unemployment,
hunger, lack of accommodation in Africa?
No — but South Australian Judy Steel
AO doesn’t accept that one person cannot
make a difference. She’s living proof.
She writes that, at 56 at the end
of a successful career as a nurse and
administrator, she and her husband
Allan should have been planning their
retirement.
Instead she embarked on a new career,
providing medical aid in the slums
of Kampala but as well as a hospital,
maternal-health clinic and physiotherapy
centre she has established a literacy
school for adults and a micro-credit bank
and expanded into farming infrastructure.
She hates AIDS, which has robbed
much of Africa, especially Uganda, of
generations. The old care for the very
young who have AIDS from the womb.
She writes, “Drugs that extend life and
ease the pain of HIV in other parts of
the world have been unavailable or
outrageously expensive in Uganda.”
Her book is about seven stints in
Uganda, each time bringing medical
supplies and solace to the dying.
24
The Order, Winter 2010
Ideas whose times have come
I
n the next few months we will be subjected to an onslaught of debates and
points of view, all delivered in bite-sized
cliches — entertainment masquerading as
information. Election debates are about
exposure, not explanations.
New publishing firm Pantera Press has
sought to bring order where now there
is only discord. Its Why vs Why series
adapts and improves on the “Yes” and
“No” cases in referendums.
The first two publications are on
nuclear power and gay marriage. Points
of view and rebuttals of each argument
are included in each. The reader decides
which point of view should “begin” the
book by turning the book over — each
argument “begins” the paperback.
Writers include Professor Ian Lowe
AO, president of the Australian Conservation Foundation and a climate-change
scientist against nuclear power. Turn the
book over for the case for N-power by
Professor Barry Brook, of Adelaide
University’s Environment Institute.
Bill Meuhlenberg, secretary of the
Family Council of Victoria, puts the case
against gay marriage. Turn the book over
and Rodney Croome AM, puts the case
for such unions.
For more information go on line to
www.WhyvsWhy.com
M
ention Australian–Indian relations
and you are likely to hear about
Indian students’ being bashed or the huge
success of India’s 20-20 series or both.
Is this all there is to the bilateral bonds?
It may surprise you but a solid foundation
has existed since Australia’s settlement,
according to authors Peggy Holroyde AM
and Joyce Westrip OAM.
After 25 years of academic and neighbourhood research in both countries, they
write, “... there is already a solid and
lengthy foundation — indeed from 1788
onwards, when food from Calcutta and
exchange of letters between governors
was essential for survival — for Australia
and India to build even stronger natural
ties, especially in today’s complex global
world”.
Australian–Indian links, so long
ignored or forgotten, include some scant
knowledge of horses, the famous Walers
being shipped out of Victoria and Western
Australia for the Indian cavalry and poloplaying princes; jarrah logs exported for
the sudden expansion of the Raj railway
system after the 1857 Sepoy Rebellion
(the Mutiny). This relationship with
Asian neighbours came to an end in 1901
with federation and its ban on the threat
of “cheap Asian labor”.
The authors ask, “Why is India still
neglected in Australian thinking, both
at popular level as well as academic,
when its rising industrial power and
global clout are beginning to equal that
of China, which so dominates Australia’s
future policy projections?
“And why is the vast majority of
Indians so ignorant of the rapidly changing nature and increasingly sophisticated
attitudes of cosmopolitan Australia?”
Their timely ideas are explained in
their co-authored book, Colonial Cousins: a surprising history of connections
betweeen India and Australia published
by Wakefield Press, Adelaide.
Preserve the memory and acknowledge the support of others
We can help you preserve the
memory of your Investiture
and acknowledge the support
of family and associates who
contributed to your award.
We offer to :
• supply you with a high-quality
replica of your medal, with the
appropriate ribbon;
• copy your Warrant;
• supply a plate with the details
of your award;
• prepare a display frame with
two of your photographs
from your Investiture day,
as illustrated, or to your
individual design.
We offer other display options
too, such as a smaller frame
with a replica medal, ribbon
and plate.
If you use a replica medal in
a frame you can display the
original in its box.
You might also consider having
additional displays made for
family members or for your
supporters.
Medals, Mementos & More
Vic Medals & More
Queensland Medals & More
PO Box 375
Blackwood SA 5051
15 Stirling Crescent
Glen Waverley VIC 3150
PO Box 412
Mooloolaba QLD 4557
Phone and Fax: (08) 8278 8530
Mobile: 0411 415 817
[email protected]
www.medalsmementos.com
Phone: (03) 9590 0052
Fax: (03) 9545 0101
Phone and Fax: (07) 5478 4830
Mobile: 0402 041 952
www.queenslandmedals.com
[email protected]
[email protected]