ED: The following was submitted by Brian Hurlock

It is not my place to be proselytising on behalf of a group just because I have decided to support them! I have no right nor intention to so do!

But as I’ve explained previously, I’ve known Gary Johns as a fellow Member of a variety of organisations for social good, over a period of about 30 years, and I consider him as someone I can genuinely claim to be a friend!

This new organisation he has helped to form with a group of other high achieving Australians, both Aborigine and non-Aborigine, is on the right path in my opinion!

Nothing can guarantee it, of course, but knowing Gary’s great achievements, and his qualities, his practical approach to problems, his ability to DO things, and to cut to the things that matter; plus his ability to communicate complex issues in plain, succinct, direct, common-sense language, have me confident this new NGO will be capable of actually achieving things where many others have failed!

Anyway, that’s why I onforward this latest from Gary! You might have an interest, you might not! Entirely your choice! But there is also the chance you might have someone in your family who you think might have an interest; or perhaps one of the offsprings or Grandchildren might NEED to see a different approach from the propaganda which has been stuffed into them by the totally biased (against Australia!) Education (sic) systems in our Nation?

Anyway, just doing what little bit I can still do at this late stage of my life, for the GOOD of Australia, NOT to keep the divisive race-based garbage going as we’ve been fed over recent decades! To change the policy direction, we’ve been on as younger generations are taught to hate their Nation and our Nation-building pioneers, rather than respecting them for what they achieved and handed on to us – Aborigine and non-Aborigine together!

In a significant move set to reshape the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), plans are underway to more than double the size of its surface fleet. This initiative stems from an independent analysis commissioned in response to the Defence Strategic Review.

Defence Minister Richard Marles and Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy have highlighted the urgency emphasized in the independent analysis. It pointed out that the current surface combatant fleet is the oldest in the Navy’s history, necessitating immediate action to enhance capabilities in air defence, long-range strike, presence, and anti-submarine warfare.

Addressing these concerns, the future surface combatant fleet of the Navy is slated for substantial expansion, reaching a total of 26 major surface combatants. This fleet composition will include:

• Three Hobart Class air warfare destroyers, boasting upgraded air defence and strike capabilities.
• Six Hunter Class frigates, aimed at bolstering undersea warfare and strike capabilities.
• Eleven new general-purpose frigates, designed to offer maritime and land strike, air defence, and escort capabilities.
• Six new large optionally crewed surface vessels (LOSVs), significantly enhancing the Navy’s long-range strike capacity.
• Decommissioning two of the oldest ships among the remaining six Anzac Class frigates, in accordance with their planned service life.

Minister Richard Marles emphasized, “The enhanced lethality of the surface combatant fleet will ensure that the Navy is optimized for operations in both current and future environments. This optimization is underpinned by the thorough assessment conducted by the independent analysis team.”

Leonard Beadell OAM, BEM, FIEMS. (21 April 1923 – 12 May 1995) was a surveyor, road builder, bushman, artist and author, responsible for constructing over 6,000 km (3,700 mi) of roads and opening up isolated desert areas – some 2.5 million square kilometres (970 thousand square miles) – of central Australia from 1947 to 1963. Born in West Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Beadell is sometimes called “the last true Australian explorer”.

A message from the Violet Town RSL Sub-Branch

An impressive mural representing women who served in, or supported, Australia’s and allied defence forces in times of war has been unveiled at the Violet Town RSL Sub-branch in Northeast Victoria.

It is the largest mural in Australia dedicated to honouring all women’s contribution to war. Painted by recognised mural artist Tim Bowtell, the largely black and white artwork tells the story of local women from the Violet Town area who served, but set in the context of Australian women’s service in all military conflicts.

The large mural is 17 metres long and nearly 2 metres high, and is located next to the town’s Boer War Memorial in Cowslip Street, just off the busy Hume Highway linking Melbourne and Sydney.

The RSL project to build the mural, which extended over several years, highlighted that while there were about 20 local women who had been identified as having served in the Army, Navy, Air Force or on the home front, they served only during the First and Second World Wars.

The project team was keen to create a mural that symbolically represented those who served across the spectrum – from the Boer War to the present – as well as those who helped on the home front.

The mural covers the major areas of conflict of the 20th and 21st centuries, and shows portraits of local women and other women, representing those who played their part. Other features are women at work in factories highlighting work on the home front, and high ranking officers, representing the rise of women in the ranks of military services. Storyboards highlight the different organisations which women joined and the roles they played.

The mural will become part of Victoria’s military history trail, extending from Seymour northward. The Violet Town RSL Sub-branch is proud that the RSL is recognising the women of the district as well as the men, as Australian women have been able to serve in all combat roles since 2016.

In a unified statement, Simon Birmingham, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Andrew Hastie, the Shadow Minister for Defence, and David Fawcett, the Deputy Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade, have issued a clear ultimatum.

“The Albanese government must promptly elucidate its reasons for disregarding new evidence and direct Defence to halt the decommissioning of Australia’s MRH-90 Taipan helicopters,” the joint declaration asserted.

“Labor has offered various justifications for Australia’s inability to supply the Taipans to Ukraine, including assertions that it’s too late in the dismantling process to fulfill the request, concerns about the safety of the aircraft, and doubts about their suitability due to low availability.

“However, evidence presented during Senate estimates on February 14th contradicts these claims, revealing that the Taipans are indeed safe, some helicopters have not been extensively stripped, and our close allies in New Zealand demonstrate the successful operation of a reliable fleet.

“This evidence suggests that it may still be possible to pause the dismantling process and provide the helicopters to Ukraine, aligning with Ukraine’s request and offers of assistance from our allies.

“Despite the debunking of Labor’s narrative, Defence officials, during the hearing, were unable to identify who within the department provided the advice.

“What we are witnessing is a dysfunctional and confused government, unaware that the helicopters could potentially be supplied to Ukraine and lacking the resolve to direct Defence to reconsider its approach.

“The opposition urges the government to acknowledge that it’s not too late to halt the dismantling of some remaining Taipans and to consult with European allies and industry partners to explore the feasibility of meeting Ukraine’s request.”

The joint statement condemned the decision to decommission the helicopters as emblematic of weak leadership, indecisiveness, and a lack of accountability within the federal government.

The ADF MRH-90 Taipan helicopter fleet was initially grounded late last year following a series of accidents. A helicopter crashed during Exercise Talisman Sabre in July 2023, another ditched during a training exercise in March 2023, flying operations were suspended in June 2021, and a tail rotor problem was identified in 2019.

Efforts by NATO Helicopter Industries to find buyers, including a request from Ukraine in December 2023, were unsuccessful.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting Ukraine but explained that the Taipans were not suitable for the conflict Ukraine is facing.

When the shearing sheds are silent, and the stock camps fallen quiet

When the gidgee coals no longer glow across the outback night

And the bush is forced to hang a sign, ‘gone broke and won’t be back’

And spirits fear to find a way beyond the beaten track

When harvesters stand derelict upon the wind-swept plains

And brave hearts pin their hopes no more on chance of loving rains

When a hundred outback settlements are ghost towns overnight

When we’ve lost the drive and heart we had to once more see us right

When ‘Pioneer’ means a stereo and ‘Digger’ some backhoe

And the ‘Outback’ is behind the house. there’s nowhere else to go

And ‘Anzac’ is a biscuit brand and probably foreign owned

And education really means brainwashed and neatly cloned

When you have to bake a loaf of bread to make a decent crust

And our heritage once enshrined in gold is crumbling to dust

And old folk pay their camping fees on land for which they fought

And fishing is a great escape; this is until you’re caught

When you see our kids with Yankee caps and resentment in their eyes

And the soaring crime and hopeless hearts is no longer a surprise

When the name of RM Williams is a yuppie clothing brand

And not a product of our heritage that grew off the land

When offering a hand makes people think you’ll amputate

And two dogs’ meeting in the street is what you call a ‘Mate’

When ‘Political Correctness’ has replaced all common sense

When you’re forced to see it their way, there’s no sitting on the fence

Yes, one day you might find yourself an outcast in this land

Perhaps your heart will tell you then, ‘ I should have made a stand’

Just go and ask the farmers that should remove all doubt

Then join the swelling ranks who say, ‘ Don’t sell Australia out!’

Author credit- Chris Long

Far North Queensland

Following a triumphant trial period last year, the 9th Brigade’s Reserve Accelerated Training Scheme (RATS) is set to commence again in 2024. This pioneering endeavour offers part-time soldiers a flexible pathway to engage in full-time contracts spanning 3 to 12 months, akin to a ‘Gap Year’ experience.

In 2023, the 10th/27th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment (10/27RSAR), administered the program with resounding success, affording 37 soldiers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the dynamics of a full-time platoon within a combat brigade.

Private Lachlan McCulloch embarked on his full-time contract through RATS, commencing as a recruit. Following his induction at Kapooka in January 2023, he diligently pursued his initial employment training, becoming fully proficient just in time to join the platoon’s deployment to Indonesia for Exercise Super Garuda Shield in August 2023.

Reflecting on his experience, Private McCulloch remarked, “The RATS program has provided me with unparalleled exposure. The calibre of training and camaraderie within the community has been exceptional. It has ignited in me a desire to turn what I once viewed as merely a job into a career.”

RATS participants were afforded the opportunity to expedite their individual training, acquiring a plethora of corps qualifications, combat behaviour training, promotion courses, and specialized certifications such as protected mobility vehicle driving and direct fire support weaponry operation.

The augmented training and heightened readiness of the platoon empowered its soldiers to actively contribute to advanced collective training sessions and security cooperation endeavours, including participation in Exercise Super Garuda Shield 23 and the combined-arms platoon live-fire exercise on Exercise Rhino Run 23. Furthermore, they served as a high-readiness force element for domestic response contingencies.

Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Jackson, Commanding Officer of 10/27RSAR, hailed the initiative for its capacity to afford part-time soldiers the flexibility to complete training under full-time contracts, thus expediting capability delivery. “The Reserve Accelerated Training Scheme presents a remarkable opportunity for Australians keen on serving their community to sample the rewarding careers available in the ADF,” remarked Lieutenant Colonel Jackson. “Participants not only acquire invaluable skills in leadership and teamwork but also undergo significant professional development. Moreover, this initiative underscores the battalion’s prowess and its effective utilization in exercises and operations.”

A noteworthy outcome of the 2023 RATS program is that one in five participants are transitioning to Service Category 7 full-time service. However, many, including Private McCulloch, intend to revert to Service Category 5 part-time service following the conclusion of their contract.

Lieutenant Colonel Jackson expressed optimism for another fruitful year of the program in 2024, anticipating continued success and positive outcomes for both participants and the Australian Defence Force as a whole.

The Bombing of Darwin, a pivotal event etched into Australia’s wartime history, unfolded on the fateful day of 19th February 1942, forever known as the Battle of Darwin. This date marked the gravest assault ever launched by a foreign power upon Australian soil during World War II. In a staggering display of military might, 242 Japanese aircraft descended upon Darwin in two relentless waves, targeting not only the town itself but also the ships nestled within Darwin Harbour and the crucial airfields that served as lifelines for Allied operations in the region. The objective: to cripple Allied capabilities and thwart any resistance against the Japanese advance towards the strategic territories of Timor and Java.

Darwin, though strategically significant, stood inadequately fortified against the ferocity of the Japanese onslaught. The defenders found themselves vastly outnumbered and ill-prepared for the scale of the attack. The Japanese, exploiting this vulnerability, unleashed a barrage of destruction upon Allied forces, inflicting heavy losses with alarming efficiency. The casualties mounted swiftly, both among military personnel and the civilian populace, as bombs rained down indiscriminately, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake.

The repercussions of the bombings extended far beyond the immediate carnage witnessed on that harrowing day. The fabric of Darwin’s urban landscape bore the scars of war, with buildings reduced to rubble and infrastructure crippled by the relentless assault. The toll on civilian lives was equally profound, as families were torn apart and communities shattered by the chaos of conflict. In the aftermath of the attack, a palpable sense of fear and uncertainty gripped the populace, prompting a mass exodus as more than half of Darwin’s residents fled the area in search of safety, their lives forever altered by the trauma of war.

The Bombing of Darwin, however, was not merely an isolated event but rather the ominous prelude to a sustained campaign of aerial bombardment that would haunt Australia’s shores for years to come. Over the course of 1942-1943, more than a hundred air raids would rain down upon the continent, leaving a nation grappling with the harsh realities of war on its doorstep.

Significantly, the timing of the attack added to its seismic impact, coming a mere four days after the catastrophic Fall of Singapore. The surrender of a combined Commonwealth force to the Japanese marked a humiliating chapter in British history and sent shockwaves rippling across the Allied powers. The proximity of these two events served as a stark reminder of the formidable adversary confronting the Allies in the Pacific theatre and underscored the urgent imperative for unified action against the advancing tide of Japanese aggression.

In retrospect, the Bombing of Darwin stands as a sombre testament to the relentless brutality of war and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable adversity. It serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who endured the horrors of conflict and a solemn vow to never forget the lessons learned amidst the ashes of devastation.

LEST WE FORGET