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Registered by AUSTRALIA POST NO. 100003999 THE October 2013 VOL. 36 No. 5 The official journal of THE RETURNED & SERVICES LEAGUE OF AUSTRALIA POSTAGE PAID SURFACE ListeningListeningWA Branch Incorporated • PO Box 3023 East Perth, 6892 • Established 1920 AUSTRALIAPostPostMAIL Sandakan Memorial Day The 22nd Anniversary of the Sandakan Memorial Day was held in Boyup Brook on Tuesday, 10 September. Although the weather turned very grey and threatening it did not deter the elderly or the student delegation from the St Mary's Primary School, local primary school and District High School, helped by the local choral group. The recent inclusion of a youthful Cadet Honour Guard capped it off to make it a successful morning. Full article on Page 10 2 THE LISTENING POST October 2013 THE October 2013 VOL. 36 No.5 Listening Post Annual ANZAC Club Springtime TeaEntertainment Dance to be provided by 11.00 am – 2.00 pm Bill Louwen & Tuesday, 15 October 2013 The Sapphires! Including dancers from Daele Fraser Dance Studio Morning Tea, Dancing, Lunch and Bar Services and the usual fantas- tic value of the ANZAC Club. Reserve your table or group for this fantastic morning of memories Ph: ANZAC Club on 9287 2714 LISTENING POST MESSAGE BOARD Deadline for next edition: 15 November 2013 For contributions to next edition. Opinions expressed by contributors in articles and reproduced If possible, submissions should be typed and double-spaced. articles are the individuals opinions or the authors of such Preferred method of receiving submissions is via email. reproduced articles and are not necessarily those of the RSL. Photographs can be black and white or colour. This is your Reproduction of articles (or extracts) contained in The Listening journal and contributions are welcome. Post are welcomed, provided the source is acknowledged. Address to: The Editor, The Listening Post The Editor reserves the right to accept, reject, sub-edit and re-arrange material submitted for publication. RSL, PO Box 3023 East Perth, WA 6892 Email: [email protected] CONTACT DIRECTORY Editorial Information Contact Directory STATE Editor/Vice President: Denis Connelly (08) 9287 3716 CEO / State Secretary: CMDR Phillip Orchard Email: [email protected] AFNI RAN (Rtd) EXECUTIVE Assistant Editor: Amy Hunt (08) 9287 3700 Assistant State Secretary: Nola Keen 2012-2015 RSL Advertising: Executive Assistant: Caitlin Harnwell Editorial Assistant: Nola Keen Administrative Assistant: Amy Hunt Email: [email protected] Receptionist: Wendy Quinn State President Graphic Design: Type Express Membership: Kathy Clark, 8.00am to 3.30pm Mr Graham Edwards AM Mr Peter Aspinall Printer: Rural Press Mon-Thurs, 9287 3705 State Vice President Mr Ross Davies Contact Details ANZAC House Manager: Matthew Holyday 9287 3714 Mrs Donna Prytulak Mr Denis Connelly Mr Damian Dixon The Returned & Services League of Australia Financial Services: Peter McGlade 9287 3718. WA Branch Incorporated Helen Beech 8.30am to 4.30pm Mon-Thurs 9287 3703 State Treasurer Mr Tony Fletcher ANZAC House 28 St Georges Tce PERTH WA 6000 Records and Information Manager: Helen Starkie Mr Phillip Draber RFD JP Trustees Email: [email protected] Welfare: Rosalind Howat 8.30am 4.30pm State Executive Kevin Trent OAM RFD JP Website: www.rslwahq.org.au Mon-Fri, 9287 3707 • 0412 009 191 Mr Bob Allen OAM Wayne Tarr RFD ED Telephone: (08) 9287 3799 Snr Advocate: Jim Boland 8.00am to 4.00pm Mr Bill Collidge RFD Facsimile: (08) 9287 3732 Mon-Fri, 9287 3708 Don Blair OAM RFD ED WA Country Callers: 1800 259 799 Mr Scott Rogers STATE Secretary PO Box 3023, East Perth, WA 6892 Mr John McCourt CMDR Philip Orchard AFNI RAN (Rtd) THE LISTENINGTHE LISTENING POST October POST October 2013 20093 3 From the Presidents Pen! A Worrying Spike in Welfare Support A source of concern for welfare services stems Having spent a number of years in welfare related to become WAVAC. work I know it can be very taxing and demanding from a considerable increase in request for financial I have asked Judy and Donna Prytulak to oversee a on a personal basis. It is of course a very satisfying assistance to ANZAC House. Our Welfare office “Women in the RSL and Ex-service Community” area when endeavour turns to fruition on behalf of Rosalind Howat reported that she has recently Forum to be held early in the new year. experienced a rise in requests for financial assistance a client. to help with water, electricity and other utility and However, I think it is timely to acknowledge and It seems to me if we are going to grow the RSL into associated costs. While some of this might be show appreciation for those who work in this area the future it will become crucial to ensure the views attributable to increased heating in a cold and wet to provide services for our members. Be it out of of serving and ex-service women are listened to and winter the spike is concerning. ANZAC House, or through our sub-branches, on behalf of RSLWA I say many thanks to all of our understood. However, more on the forum in the near For instance in the month of August ANZAC House future. was approached by 75 people seeking assistance welfare officers for the tremendous work they do. in a range of areas including requests for financial, Be assured, it is appreciated. National Congress emotional, crisis, advocacy support and resulted in Our National Congress has just concluded and some cases in referral to other services or financial State Executive myself and your State Secretary attended. More assistance for food, accommodation, utilities and Following the recent resignations of two members detail is published in The Listening Post and will personal help. of the Board of Directors (Digger Cleak and Peter be available on various websites, however while Fardon, both because of other pressing duties) and WA is small in number with just two delegates in Rosalind also assisted a 91 year old member who the earlier existing vacancies necessary changes and comparison to other states we made sure our voice was very distraught when told the house she had adjustments have been made to the Board & State was heard. rented for 20 years was to be sold and she would Executive structure. need to move out. The considerable assistance An important document which was accepted is provided to her resulted in a Department of Housing John McCourt will transfer from State Executive the National Priority List for government consid- unit where she has adequate security. to the Board and two new members have been eration and these priorities included Fair Indexation, accepted. They are Judy Bland, who will be known Veterans Disability Pension Rates, Additional The welfare volunteers were also kept busy with 11 to many of you through her long involvement with Resources for the Improvement of Mental Health home and hospital visits undertaken. the Returned Ex-Service Women's Sub-Branch and and BEST funding. While the number of people seeking welfare support younger/contemporary veteran Gavin Briggs. Gavin is currently a serving member of the RAAF reserve Another Resolution of Congress was: is of concern, of equal concern too is the number and also a member of our Younger Veterans forum. who might be slipping through the cracks and who “To endorse the decision of the Australian War are not aware of our services or for one reason or Another recent addition to the Board is Scott Rogers, Memorial to change its criteria for inclusion on the another are not coming forward. The provision President of the Bellevue Sub-Branch. Scott is ex- Roll of Honour those who have given their lives on of welfare services and support is a key, indeed army and the son of a veteran who served in Vietnam peacekeeping or humanitarian operations.” core, part of the DNA the RSL. If you are aware with the 7 Battalion RAR, so Scott comes with a In conclusion I would like to congratulate Blue of a member or eligible person who might need good pedigree. Ryan for his recent election to the position of assistance please point them in our direction and we I welcome our three newcomers who bring with National President of the T&PI Assoc. Blue is no will take it from there. them fresh ideas and vast experience from Judy and stranger to this position and the challenges that go If a person is not sure of their eligibility then present the younger perspective from Scott and Gavin which hand in hand with holding a national Chairman's anyway and if not eligible for direct assistance RSLWA will need to carry it into the future. position from WA. Rosalind will refer them to the appropriate agency. John McCourt will take over as chair of the WA I wish Blue well and I look forward to working Those eligible include any veteran, widow, Veterans’ Affairs Committee and will be amalgamat- constructively and in cooperation with him and his dependant, or ex-ADF member. ed with Gavin and the Younger Veterans Committee association in the future in the interests of veterans. RSL ANZAC Club Recognised for Gold Card Specialist Fees Excellence in Training In recent times there have been some reports of Specialists not accept- ing the Gold Card, in the past the TPI Federation has had an input into addressing this issue by providing information to DVA and Government. We need accurate details when this occurs to enable us to compile a sub- Matthew Holyday (ANZAC House Manager), Theresa Pangilinan (Apprentice Chef) and Michael Hatcher (Chef) mission to DVA/Government. Theresa was awarded the prestigious The restaurant at ANZAC House If you are made aware of this could you please provide the following, the doc- continues to excel at producing Margaret Johnson Award for the most tors name, the date it occurred, the town/city and the specialist area IE: vascular, award winning chefs.