RSL ANZAC OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2024

he Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) today announced the recipients of the 2024 RSL ANZAC of the Year Awards.

The nominations for the ANZAC Awards are assessed and selected by the National RSL ANZAC Awards Committee whose members include:

  • Chairman – Greg Melick, RSL National President;

  • Paul Singer, Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia;

  • David Belgrove, Assistant Secretary Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet;

  • former Senator Margaret Reid;

  • Phil Winter, RSL Australia CEO.

The ANZAC of the Year Awards are presented ‘to recognise the efforts and achievements of up to seven Australians who have given service to their fellow Australians and to the community in a positive, selfless and compassionate manner.’

The 2024 recipients are:

Mr Ian Smith of South Australia, in recognition of decades of tireless, dedicated, and passionate service to the veteran community of South Australia and his contribution to the State Veterans’ Advisory Council, the ANZAC Day Committee, the Aboriginal Veterans of South Australia Committee, and the Consortium of South Australian Ex-Service Organisations.

Mr Robert Mitchell CD of Western Australia, in recognition of his 30 years of dedicated, committed, and selfless service to the RSL and wider Veteran community and as a respected contributor and advisor to many communities/groups including the Australian Army Museum, the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Society, the National Trust, the Royal United Services Institute, Scouts Australia, and the Rottnest Island Cultural Advisory Committee.

“On behalf of the RSL National Board and Members of the RSL I would like to congratulate the two individuals who have been selected for ANZAC of the Year Awards,” Greg Melick said. “They are exemplars of community service and an inspiration to all Australians.”

“This year’s Award recipients exemplify the Spirit of ANZAC in the community through their dedication and commitment to the benefit of others.”

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Families of Veterans Guild: Extending Support Beyond Widows

Australian War Widows NSW has undergone a transformation, now known as Families of Veterans Guild, with an expanded mission to provide comprehensive support and services to all family members of Australian veterans. The decision to rebrand came after thorough consultation with group members.

Under its widened scope, the organization will deliver peer support, social work services, and advocacy for all family members of veterans, prioritizing their social and emotional well-being.

Renee Wilson, CEO of Families of Veterans Guild, emphasized that the name change aims to ensure accessibility to assistance for anyone connected to a veteran. Wilson stated, “We recognize the essential need for support, services, community, and representation within the veteran system for families of veterans. By altering our name, we’re opening doors for widows, veterans’ children, partners, parents, siblings, and extended families.”

Wilson elaborated that the decision stemmed from identified gaps in the veterans’ support landscape. She highlighted, “Our services complement existing ones. Comprehensive support for veterans’ families requires collective effort. Together as a community, we can bridge gaps and enhance the lives of these families.”

The shift aims to eliminate barriers for defence and veteran families in Australia, ensuring that the organization caters to all segments of this community, totalling nearly half a million individuals.

 

 

The Beaufort bomber MEMORIAL SERVICE

The Beaufort bomber veterans remains are being returned to Australia at the families request and there is a full ceremony planned at Amberley Air Force base on the 26th April (day after ANZAC day) with attendance from the prime minister QLD premier and numerous other dignitaries at 1000 hrs for those interested.

The discovery of this historic aircraft and the efforts to bring it back to Australia serve as a testament to the dedication and respect for those who served during World War II

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has recently made a significant discovery related to a Second World War Beaufort aircraft (A9-186) that went missing in 1943. The aircraft, along with its four crew members, was positively identified after an extensive search mission in the waters south of Gasmata, Papua New Guinea (PNG). The crash site was discovered in 2020 and was confirmed by Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Robert Chipman.

The challenging task of identifying the remains of the aircraft after 79 years involved specialist divers who worked on an aircraft that had been extensively damaged by fire and covered in layers of sediment and marine growth. The wreckage was located at a depth of 43 meters underwater. The identification process required considerable time, effort, and teamwork.

The remains of the aircraft, including the aircraft identity plate and cockpit lever, will be returned to Australia under a permit granted by the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery. Unfortunately, no remains of the other two crew members, Flight Sergeant Albert Beckett and Flight Sergeant Gordon Lewis Hamilton, were recovered. However, the RAAF remains committed to finding, recovering, and identifying missing service personnel as part of honouring their service and sacrifice for the nation.

Comment – Climate Change: The Movie

Gday Ray,

I just want to say how grateful I am to see you spreading the word on this extremely important movie exposure of the most massive, most costly, most environmentally destructive FRAUD in the whole history of Mankind.

If some wonder why you included it in “Frontline”, they shouldn’t! There is nothing of more importance going on in the world, worldwide, which needs MORE attention than the great Climate Change False Alarmism . The great FRAUD that it is, has already undermined Western Civilisation, and our free-market, capitalist economies, to such an extent it is now a greater threat to our very democracies, our freedoms, our liberty, than even the current wars, and threat of an imminent Third World War are!

Unless we can reverse the current INSANITY which drives the economic suicide being driven by the politics of those supporting the FRAUD, we won’t be able to sustain our support for our Armed Services, nor be anywhere near strong enough, nor self-sufficient enough, to defend Australia (or Western Civilisation itself), against the advance and subversion from within, of socialism/communism!

I am saying to as many rallies, friends and acquaintances as I can, please view this movie, onforward it to as many as possible, and especially sit down and watch it with your kids and grandchildren.

We are at a desperately late stage in this battle for survival, and we are STILL LOSING the war!

Again, many thanks to you for doing YOUR bit!

Hooroo 4 now, Brian Hurlock

Missing bomber and crew remains found.

Courtesy Department of Defence

The RAAF has positively identified a Second World War Beaufort aircraft (A9-186), reported missing in 1943, along with its 4 crew members.

The aircraft was recently discovered after a challenging mission in the waters south of Gasmata, Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Robert Chipman confirmed the identification of the crash site, which was discovered in 2020.

The discovery was made by an Ocean Ecology Pty Ltd dive team working for Dr Andrew Forrest as part of an ongoing search for his uncle, Flying Officer David Forrest, who was lost during a mission to Gasmata while piloting a similar RAAF 100 Squadron Beaufort.

In February 2022, Dr Forrest’s team returned to the crash site to identify the aircraft. Two members of the RAAF Directorate of Historical Unrecovered War Casualties (HUWC) accompanied them to provide historical aviation expertise and support.

The A9-186 wreck site is located in 43 metres of water, which meant identifying the remains of the aircraft after 79 years took considerable time, effort and teamwork.

Specialist divers worked on an aircraft that was extensively damaged by fire and covered in layers of sediment and marine growth.

The aircraft identity plate and cockpit lever, which were recovered from the site, will be returned to Australia under a permit granted by the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery.

Air Marshal Chipman said small amounts of bone material recovered during the identification mission were analysed by anthropologists and DNA specialists.

‘The RAAF’s HUWC team collated the evidence and a Defence Identification Board identified the remains as those of Warrant Officer Clement Batstone Wiggins and Warrant Officer Russell Henry Grigg,’ Air Marshal Chipman said.

‘Unfortunately, it’s with a heavy heart we can confirm that no remains of the other two crew members, Flight Sergeant Albert Beckett and Flight Sergeant Gordon Lewis Hamilton, were recovered.

‘We will continue to strive to find, recover and identify our missing service personnel as part of our commitment to honouring their service and sacrifice for our nation.’

Veterans return to Timor-Leste for INTERFET 25th anniversary.

19 April 2024

A group of 31 Aussie and Kiwi Timor-Leste veterans and support staff will soon return to Timor-Leste for Anzac Day 2024.

Their return, organised by the Brisbane-based wellness program Timor Awakening, is a journey of reflection and remembrance, and is testament to the bonds between Australia, New Zealand, and Timor-Leste veterans.

The visit is even more special this year as it coincides with the 25th anniversary year of the International Force East Timor (INTERFET) peace-making operation, which followed the UNAMET observer mission overseeing Timor-Leste’s vote for independence.

A highlight will be a public Anzac Day ceremony in Dili at the Timorese Council of National Liberation Combatants Headquarters.

‘I’m experiencing a mix of emotions as I prepare to return to Timor-Leste,’ said RAAF veteran Nicole Stubbs.

‘There’s a sense of nervousness as I anticipate witnessing the changes in the country and holding high expectations for its progress.

‘One of the most cherished aspects of my experience was traveling to remote communities across the country and encountering the radiant smiles of the Timor-Leste people.

‘Their unwavering courage and resilience were palpable, leaving a lasting impression on me. It was heartening to witness their optimism and determination amidst the challenges they faced.’

Australia’s involvement in East Timor, from 1999 to the end of 2012, was instrumental in that nation gaining independence. INTERFET, which deployed from 1999 to 2000, remains Australia’s largest peacekeeping mission to date, and the largest overseas military deployment since the Vietnam War. Furthermore, it was the first time Australia had led a major international coalition.

Timor Awakening is a peer-to-peer wellness program centred around an immersion in Timor-Leste, with Aussie, Kiwi and Timorese veterans coming together to help each other. It is an opportunity for participants to take pause, learn about themselves, be inspired, empowered, and take responsibility for a positive direction forward in life.

Army veteran Michael Stone, founder of Timor Awakening, said that for many, returning to Timor-Leste is a profound step in their journey of healing.

‘There are benefits for veterans returning to a former conflict zone, to experience places through a new perspective and reframe images, releasing trauma blocked inside,’ he said.

‘Returning to other conflict zones for contemporary veterans is not possible. Timor-Leste is a peaceful, welcoming, and spectacular country, only a one-hour flight from Darwin.

‘Veterans from all theatres of war and peacekeeping operations have found healing visiting Timor-Leste, a nation that embraced reconciliation and forgiveness as the practical way forward.’

Frank Feldman the perfect man.

ED: Thanks Terry for this one.

A man walks out to the street and catches a taxi just going by. He gets into the taxi, and the cabbie says, “Perfect timing.  You’re just like Frank.”

Passenger: “Who?”

Cabbie: “Frank Feldman. He’s a guy who did everything right all the time. Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happened like that to Frank Feldman every single time.”

Passenger: “There are always a few clouds over everybody.”

Cabbie: “Not Frank Feldman He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand-Slam at tennis. He could golf with the pros.
He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star, and you should have heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy.”

Passenger: “Sounds like he was really something special.”

Cabbie: “There’s more. He had a memory like a computer. He remembered everybody’s birthday. He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything.
Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out. But Frank Feldman could do everything right.”

Passenger: “Wow, what a guy!”

Cabbie: “He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams. Not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them.
But Frank, he never made a mistake, and he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good. He would never answer her back even if she was in the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too. He was the perfect man! He never made a mistake.

No one could ever measure up to Frank Feldman.”

Passenger: “How did you meet him?”

Cabbie: “I never actually met Frank. He died and I married his wife.

 

The AUKUS nuclear submarine deal moves forward.

The passage of the foreign aid package through the US House of Representatives marks not only a significant legislative achievement but also a pivotal moment in advancing the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal. Within this comprehensive funding package lies the crucial ‘Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental,’ a testament to the United States’ commitment to bolstering regional security.

With the approval of this package, the lower house has allocated an impressive $US3.3 billion, matching Australia’s investment, to support the expansion of submarine construction within the United States. This infusion of capital serves to propel the AUKUS alliance forward, providing tangible resources to enhance naval capabilities and strategic partnerships.

Congressman Joe Courtney, a prominent voice in the Democratic Party, aptly highlights the transformative impact of this funding, stating, “It will turbocharge AUKUS with real capital and match the Australian government’s commitment to invest $3 billion into the US industrial base.” This alignment of financial resources underscores the shared dedication of both nations to fostering innovation and bolstering defence infrastructure.

Moreover, the significance of this allocation extends beyond immediate gains, as Congressman Courtney elucidates, “The supplemental, along with continued procurement of two Virginia subs per year, will ensure that our Navy has sufficient inventory to sell three subs to Australia in the early 2030s, as the agreement calls for.” This forward-looking approach ensures the readiness of both the US Navy and its Australian counterparts, laying the groundwork for future cooperation and strategic initiatives.

In essence, the passage of the foreign aid package signifies not only a tangible commitment to bolstering regional security but also a concrete step towards realizing the objectives outlined in the AUKUS agreement. By investing in submarine construction and strengthening defence capabilities, the United States reaffirms its role as a key partner in promoting stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

 

Climate: The Movie (The Cold Truth) English

ED: Set aside one hour twenty minutes to watch this movie.

This film exposes the climate alarm as an invented scare without any basis in science. It shows that mainstream studies and official data do not support the claim that we are witnessing an increase in extreme weather events – hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves, wildfires and all the rest. It emphatically counters the claim that current temperatures and levels of atmospheric CO2 are unusually and worryingly high. On the contrary, compared to the last half billion years of earth’s history, both current temperatures and CO2 levels are extremely and unusually low. We are currently in an ice age. It also shows that there is no evidence that changing levels of CO2 (it has changed many times) has ever ‘driven’ climate change in the past. Why then, are we told, again and again, that ‘catastrophic man-made climate-change’ is an irrefutable fact? Why are we told that there is no evidence that contradicts it?

Why are we told that anyone who questions ‘climate chaos’ is a ‘flat-earther’ and a ‘science-denier’? The film explores the nature of the consensus behind climate change. It describes the origins of the climate funding bandwagon, and the rise of the trillion-dollar climate industry. It describes the hundreds of thousands of jobs that depend on the climate crisis.

It explains the enormous pressure on scientists and others not to question the climate alarm: the withdrawal of funds, rejection by science journals, social ostracism. But the climate alarm is much more than a funding and jobs bandwagon. The film explores the politics of climate. From the beginning, the climate scare was political. The culprit was free-market industrial capitalism. The solution was higher taxes and more regulation. From the start, the climate alarm appealed to, and has been adopted and promoted by, those groups who favour bigger government. This is the unspoken political divide behind the climate alarm. The climate scare appeals especially to all those in the sprawling publicly-funded establishment. This includes the largely publicly-funded Western intelligentsia, for whom climate has become a moral cause. In these circles, to criticise or question the climate alarm has become is a breach of social etiquette. The film includes interviews with a number of very prominent scientists, including Professor Steven Koonin (author of ‘Unsettled’, a former provost and vice-president of Caltech), Professor Dick Lindzen (formerly professor of meteorology at Harvard and MIT), Professor Will Happer (professor of physics at Princeton), Dr John Clauser (winner of the Nobel prize in Physics in 2022), Professor Nir Shaviv (Racah Institute of Physics), professor Ross McKitrick (University of Guelph), Willie Soon and several others. The film was written and directed by the British filmmaker Martin Durkin and is the sequel of his excellent 2007 documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle. Tom Nelson, a podcaster who has been deeply examining climate debate issues for the better part of two decades, was the producer of the film. #ClimateTheMovie will be available for free at many online locations starting on March 21 2024. Subtitles for numerous languages are currently being created by the Clintel Foundation. Follow @ClimateTheMovie and @ClintelOrg for updates.