National Service Australia

Posted on February 19, 2010 at 6:39pm | 1 comment

My father Peter undertook compulsory National Service for three years from 1954, aged 18 to 21.

There is a pleasing new focus on National Servicemen in Australia, and rightly so. Most had their lives disrupted while they completed their duty.

I recently discovered the website of the National Servicemen’s Association and had Dad’s name added to the honour roll.

Dad didn’t talk much about his military service. I got the impression he didn’t really want to do it.

In fact, here are his brief notes on three years of his life: (more…)

Australia Day reflection

Posted on January 26, 2010 at 7:42pm | 2 comments

I’ve written a couple of posts about Australia Day in previous years.

In 2005 I wrote that Australia Day didn’t mean much more to me than just being a holiday. In 2007, I suggested having a new date for our national day.

I wrote on Wendy’s Cultured Views this morning:

“I don’t like the choice of date because it’s NSW focused and marks the founding of a prison. I would prefer Australia Day to be on June 9, the anniversary of Matthew Flinders completing the first circumnavigation of Australia. Get rid of the Queen’s birthday holiday (it’s the wrong date anyhow) and introduce a new holiday on December 31 for New Year so January 1 can officially be Federation Day.”

At first I thought I was alone in being disturbed by the growing jingoistic nationalism associated with Australia Day. I started writing a blog post, but stopped because I thought it would invite redneck attacks. (more…)

The flag debate

Posted on January 25, 2010 at 3:42pm | 1 comment

This might surprise some people, but I’m open minded about possibly changing the flag … if the alternative is good enough.

Prince William

Posted on January 17, 2010 at 5:34pm | 0 comments

It’s good that Prince William chose to visit Australia, despite not receiving an invitation from any of the Labor governments or WA.

Australian change makers

Posted on November 28, 2009 at 11:26pm | 0 comments

The Good Weekend magazine in The Age is celebrating its 25th anniversary and in a special edition today named the 25 Australians its panel considers the greatest change makers over the past 50 years.

“Who made Australia what it is today? We asked a panel to name the 25 people who have changed the nation the most,” the introduction boldly proclaims.

There were eight judges, four each from Melbourne and Sydney, possibly because that’s where the magazine circulates or maybe because that’s where the editors think Australia starts and finishes.

They came up with a mixed bunch, trying to focus on the arts and sciences without dwelling too much on politics. In the process they forgot about the law (except for Eddie Mabo) and overlooked sport (except for Cathy Freeman). (more…)

Billy Hughes

Posted on November 22, 2009 at 1:12pm | 2 comments

I’ve just finished reading “Billy Hughes” by Aneurin Hughes (not related). The sub-title is “Prime Minister and controversial founding father of the Australian Labor Party”.

It’s not a full biography and tries to paint a portrait of the man, rather than the politician. But Hughes lived for politics, becoming the longest serving elected member in the British Commonwealth.

I knew only a little about him and still feel there is much more to learn.

He has been demonised over the failed First World War conscription referendums, which split the Labor Party.

Most people remember Hughes for that and the photographs of him as an old man still serving in Canberra. (more…)

Halloween in Australia

Posted on October 27, 2009 at 8:17pm | 12 comments

Halloween was never observed in Australia until the past few years, as far as I can remember.

It happened suddenly one year we were living at Porepunkah that several neighborhood kids, dressed in costumes, knocked on our door for “trick or treat”.

It was a novelty then and we found some lollies for them.

Our kids took part the following year and the whole thing seemed to grow a life of its own.

Now our youngest kids, age 5, want to go trick or treating on Saturday night, which I won’t allow. (more…)

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