National Service Australia
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
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
This might surprise some people, but I’m open minded about possibly changing the flag … if the alternative is good enough.
Prince William
It’s good that Prince William chose to visit Australia, despite not receiving an invitation from any of the Labor governments or WA.
Billy Hughes
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
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…)
