Private Kovko has been placed under a media microscope with too many of those peering through the lens only seeing their own prejudices. I have watched with amazement as a media circus lays the blame for his death and subsequent misplacement/missidentification at the feet of their enemies without a single solitary fact being considered. I’m further amazed at the dignitary list for his funeral with Prime Minister John Howard, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson, Defence Force chief Angus Houston, Army chief Peter Leahy and officers from 3RAR. I personally think military funerals for soldiers should be restricted to family; both geneological and military with politicians best kept away least the event turns into a media circus. It’s a private and personal moment. During the Vietnam war the home battalions conducted funerals for the away battalion resulting in my being well versed in the procedure. Having acted as the Sergeant in charge of many funeral parties I can only conclude that what I saw on TV last night was a military funeral for a general….times change. My reading of the cause of his death was a single gunshot wound to the head administered while he was alone and until an inquirey is completed no amount of speculation will clarify the situation. Readers commenting throughout the blog world have gone as far as to lay out in military fashion the laid down procedures for clearing a 9mm Browning pistol with asides like ‘professional soldiers don’t have UDs’ (army talk for accidental discharge); ‘it’s impossible to accidentaly kill yourself with a 9mm pistol‘ and ‘if you do it properly you will not have an UD’ that all seem to ignore the reality of war. When on operations Infantrymen suffer from sleep deprivation working anything up to 20 hours in any one day all of it under some sort of pressure. This leads to errors of judgement and weapon handling. It also leads to over-familiarity with weapons and all of this leads to accidental death. It happens. A comment at Tim Balir’s site sums it up well.

No one can even guess what happened to this man. There are too many contradictory stories, and the people telling them may have reasons to obfuscate. No matter what the facts are, they have now been buried under everyone elses agenda. The actual man, and his actual family, are no longer any consideration. Those poor people. My condolences to them, and my condolences to those Aussies who are saddened to lose one of their protectors. No matter how he died, he died in a foreign country, doing the dangerous things that we sent him to do. Let the man rest in peace, he has earnt it and leave his family alone, they need time to heal.

A PLAN to check English fluency and Australian values as part of a citizenship test for prospective immigrants has been blasted by politicians and ethnic groups. Sounds good to me. I have no problems with the premise that aspiring immigrants should be able to communicate with us and understand a little of what we are about. It makes their transition to our culture so much easier. Senator Nettle, espousing the standards of some obscure ideology or country other than Australia doesn’t agree;

She says: “A fluent grasp of English is not a prerequisite of being Australian.

Maybe not but I can see things being a whole lot easier for immigrants if it was; and

“Has Mr Robb forgotten that many Indigenous Australians do not speak fluent English? Is he suggesting that they are less Australian?

He isn’t suggesting any such thing you silly woman but I suggest not having english is a part of the problem of the many indigenous Australians you refer to and besides,the fact that someone in Australia isn’t fluent in english is not an arguement to not try and get everyone up to standard.

If Australia was gaining any ascendency in the Great Cartoon debate we lost it with Bill Leaks answering Rakyat Merdeka’s grubby effort depicting Howard and Downer in sexual union with a equally grubby cartoon depicting SBY doing something similar to the West Papuans. Bill , in a satirical piece in todays Australian asks;WHY is it that us cartoonists are copping so much flak lately? Because some of your cartoons offend people, that’s why, but then you already know that Bill, it’s how you sell copy. Satire, all to often an excuse for stating ones opinion under the guise of poor taste, doesn’t answer the critics and all the cartoon has done is made it more difficult for Howard and Downer to placate the Indonesians over the Papuan refugees. It’s difficult enough as it is without undergrad humour. Trying to bring some sense into the debate PM Howard tries to defuses the debate saying;

(He was)  optimistic yesterday that Australian-Indonesian relations would survive the rift over Papua, as Australians rallied in four cities to support the Papuan cause for independence from Jakarta. 

I’m not sure supporting the Free West Papua movement is the way to go at the moment.  Better to keep encouraging the Indonesians to  be reasonable in their handling of the area.   I’m further convinced it’s a  no-win situation when I read Senator Bob Brown addressed the rally.  If he’s involved whatever he suggests won’t be in anyones interest.  I note in other sources that the Indonesians have refused to give Greens Senator Kerry Nettle a visa to visit.   Good move. Bob Brown is quotes as saying;

“If the Howard Government’s repeated calls for liberty and democracy around the world are not hollow, then it must act to ensure one million West Papuans get liberty and democracy,” Senator Brown said. 

Long on Howard bashing yet decidedly short on suggestions as to just how Australia might force Indonesia to give West Papuans liberty and democracy.  What does Bob mean by liberty and democracy…Independance? ….another East Timor? No wonder the Indonesians are cranky with loose cannons like Brown suggesting in a public arena that Australia should ensure anything relating to what are after all, peoples of a sovereign government.  Let the diplomats encourage the Indons to lift their game without making public statements that could be construed as interefering threats.

A lot of Labor supporters and assorted Howard haters are depending on the Cole Commission to bring about the decline of the Howard Government. I’m sure Caroline Overington fantasizes about basking under the warm glow of public ovation as she steps up to centre stage to receive a Walkley Award while ‘Tricky” Rudd, in his dreams, struts the world stage as Foreign Minister of the new government. Caroline Overington’s latest expose crashes from a leader of “Cole orders Downer to reveal all” to senior counsel, John Agius SC quoted as “We have written to them and asked them for statements,” he said. “If I need to call them, I will” in three short paragraphs. The Australian editorial asks alot of questions but the public are wearying and are starting to ask whether Canberra can get on with governing the country rather than spend a lot of energy looking for someone to hang over the AWB doing what it was charged with doing – selling wheat. I’ve seldom witnessed such a storm over an inquiry before the findings are published. The bizarre episode this week where it was revealed that Howard and Cole shared the same Alma Mater and had both been present at a reunion is just an indication of how desparate the anti-conservative groups are. They can’t get within cooee of the government on things that matter like fiscal management, interest rates,unemployment or defence and yet they pontificate about “fees” when the whole counry knows, or should know, that corporations and businesses have done the same thing under Labor governments. As a general bench mark, if the ABC and the SBS are heavily into a subject then the general public aren’t; likewise, if the readership and comments on Lavartus Prodeo are going beserk over a subject then you can bet all the dollars paid in “fees” that the public’s attention is elsewhere. I’ll pass soon. The inquiry will finish, Cole will make a submission and if there are steps to be taken then that will happen. In the meantime, it’s all wishfull thinking. The hardest aspect to call is listing every player’s agenda. Some, like the ALP, simply want the keys to the treasury, I presume the Australian wants Downer out of the picture; The US Wheat farmers want more trade and the local wheat farmers are split between wanting a single desk sales mechanism or their own personal interest sales mechanism in place. Interesting theatre but I’m waiting for the final act. I think several players and organizations are going to be dissapointed – at least I hope they are.

History Under the Hammer. I have been busy with the Brisbane Legacy Auction that we run every year to raise funds to support the widows and children of deceased Australian war veterans. Following is an extract from Brisbane Legacy’s E-news.

Imagine owning your own piece of military history – a 400-year-old Samurai sword, rare uniforms, Nazi books and equipment or Army, Naval and Airforce memorabilia, from pre-Federation to today’s Defence Force.

All that and more is on offer at Brisbane Legacy’s Militaria Auction on the 2nd of April.

Having grown to become Queensland’s premier Militaria Auction, the event is expected to bring hundreds of Militaria enthusiasts and collectors from all over Queensland and other states around Australia, some as far as Adelaide.

Brisbane Legacy Researcher for the auctions, Mr Kevin Gillett, says the Auctions attract a wide variety of collectors and an even greater variety of memorabilia.

“Collectors regularly travel from as far as Northern Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria to attend the event. At the Auction in October last year we had a whole family travel across from Perth just to extend their collection of rare WW1 and WW2 Medals�

“This year we’ve received a very diverse array of over 400 items. We have a collection of over 20 Japanese swords, over 20 shell cases from WW1 to Vietnam, a 1938 copy of Mein Kampf, rare uniforms including an Australian WW2 AWAS uniform and a NSW Pre-Federation Military Forces uniform and even Nazi dinnerware�

Also at the Auction is a Militaria stall selling a huge variety of bargain priced memorabilia.

“The stall runs on Saturday and Sunday and contains over 1000 items. Lots of Military training pamphlets, books, uniforms and other memorabilia is available for direct sale at bargain prices�

The popularity of the auction helps raise over $20,000 for the widows and children of Legacy.

If you are interested in attending the Auction there is a viewing on Saturday April 1st from 10am to 2pm.

The Auction itself starts at 10am on Sunday with viewing available from 8:30am.

If you would like more information on the Militaria Auction, would like to volunteer to help at the Auction or would like to be e-mailed a catalogue E-Mail here or contact Legacy on 1800 534 229(freecall) for more details.

…………………………………

Not only am I the ‘Researcher’ but I manage the database, function as date entry bloke and produce the website. A usual I am also running behind time but by late this evening I will have the website up and running. After, say 1800hrs AEST, visit here for a full catalogue. If you are into owning very old and significant pieces of Australia’s (and sometimes, our enemies) military history then do visit.

Regular readers would be well aware of my military background and thus would not be surpised that I support Legacy. I consider it a sacred trust to help widows and children of our fallen servicemen but in the world of volunteer workers too few answer the call. If you are of the more community spirited type of person, not necessarily ex military, but would like to help others then email me or leave a comment. We are currently restricted to one auction year due to lack of support. I am looking for MS Access managers, data entry help, and volunteers to help catalogue, identify, value and tag items for next years auction. (or another auction later this year if I actually get volunteers) The peak period lasts for about two weeks prior to the Auction day.

Swamp me with offers of support….NOW

I’ve been waiting for someone to have sufficient bad manners to compare Larry with Katrina – didn’t take too long. Over at LP Kate raises the issue thus giving readers a platform to vent their spleen against Bush. It’s all about Aid to the Civil Power. In a national disaster the authorities from the local government up have to request help from the Federal government before the Military etc can be deployed. In Queensland’s case the Mayor at Innisfail and the Premier of Queensland were obviously well versed in the procedure and acted accordingly. In Katrina’s case the Mayor and Governer seemed to be ideological incompetants and procrastinated over decisions. There are other obvious differences; the first being the relative sizes of Larry and Katrina and Innisfail and New Orleans. Still, gives them a chance to put down on Bush again. Ian Gerard, in the Australian sees the glass half empty as he finds problems in the relief work;

In a sign that the relief effort is struggling to cope with Cyclone Larry’s aftermath, the most powerful cyclone to hit the Queensland coast in more than 80 years, tempers flared as a large crowd waited in torrential rain.

And John Howard was jeered at first but later earnt applause;

John Howard was initially jeered in Innisfail when he arrived yesterday, but was later cheered when he announced $10,000 tax-free grants for small businesses and $200,000 low-interest loans to allow local businesses and farmers whose crops were wiped out to rebuild.

Yeah…right. Waiting in the relief queue outside the Innisfail courthouse yesterday was Shiralee Hazel;

She expressed the frustration of many: “Effing do something now. That is my message for them. Get off their fat arses and do something.”

They are off their fat arses, Shiralee. The Disaster Coordination Centre in Brisbane was functioning days before Larry hit Innisfail; the military were on standby at Lavarack Barracks waiting for road access before they despatched hundreds of trucks all loaded with gear ready to help. The Army doesn’t load these trucks post the event -they were loading while the North was getting flattened. Green painted water purifcation and desalination plant are in situ now as are kitchens to help feed the locals who have lost their kitchens. The Army Blackhawkes have been there helping and the RAAF have been doing photo runs with F11s to asses the damage further out. RAAF Hercules aircraft from Sydney have flown in hundreds of tarps and other supplies. The Power authorities had vehicles load with sufficient cabling to recable complete towns and generators to power up water and sewerage pumping stations prior to the full disclosure of the damage. They left Brisbane as soons as roads were opened. Power and Telstra crews were in working on the afternoon of the day of the disaster. State Emergency Services local crews were working that day as well helping other locals as they tried to make sense of their lives and hundreds of volunteer crews are heading to the area and a lot are already there. I listened to radio yesterday and the day before and noted the admirable work being done by dozens of agencies as the announcer spoke to them all. He was actually in situ and interviewed soldiers as the headed North from Townsville. It was all good and as it should be. Everyone he spoke to just wanted to get there and help restore people’s lives. I have empathy for Shiralee but the fact that she was in a queue the day after Larry struck fully expecting to get a cash handout suggests to me that the public servants were off their arses as well. Personally, I think Ian Gerard has denigrated the work of everyone involved by quoting some stressed out woman in a queue. Maybe, just maybe, he could go further afield and talk to the majority of locals who are thankfull for any help they are getting. Of course, while all this is going on the rain continues to bucket down flooding access roads and communities and slowing a lot of relief work but you can see on TV that the Australians who are there to help are not stopped by this – they continue to strive. When the news of the disaster struck I was instantly over the Commonwealth Games and looked for full-on TV coverage of the relief work. Not to be; Australians are suffering and we sit and watch pampered athletes win gold and subsequent lucrative endoresments. The heroes are up in Innisfail working in appalling conditions, often on a voluntary status (no financial reward), against nature at her worst only to be told to get off their respective arses.