Braidwood Bugle FREE Independent News for Braidwood & the District www.braidwoodbugle.com.au Number 52 21 April 2021 Peacekeepers’ Bench handover RSL Peacekeepers Bench Handover: Tim Thistleton, Richard Harrowell, Garry Pieper. A handsome bench, to commemorate Australia’s Peacekeepers, Garry Pieper and Ron Bateman, in accepting the bench finely crafted from local native timbers by the Braidwood Men’s on behalf of the Sub branch thanked the Men’s Shed Shed, was formally handed over to the local RSL Sub branch in for their generous donation of their labour and the the RSL Precinct in Ryrie Park on Sunday 4th April. timber and the deep appreciation of the Sub branch The bench has the emblems of all three services embedded in for the support. the timber with inscribed plaques to Honour our Peace Keepers Richard Harrowell, a centenarian soldier from WW2 and encourage travellers to Rest and Reflect. service in New , was presented with his RSL Noel Shepherd, on behalf of the Men’s Shed, presented the Membership Badge and Card to much applause from bench to the Sub branch. It was accepted by three members, all the small gathering of invited guests. veterans - Richard Harrowell, Garry Pieper and Tim Thistleton Iit is intended to dedicate the bench next month on representative of those who served in World War 2, Vietnam 2nd May at 1100. and subsequent operations, including the Peace Keepers. Photo & Story: Terry Roach News for Braidwood & the district Bugle Letters Page 2 21 April 2021 Anzac Day – a chance to reflect, Citizens, Guard your precious parks! give thanks and connect I suppose we just take our local town parks for granted. They're always there should we choose to stroll, play, sit With Anzac Day comes an opportunity to reflect, give thanks and chat, cycle, celebrate or simply rest in the shade. And and connect. Occasions like this prompt us to make that time we just expect that our council will keep them maintained in our busy lives. for our pleasure. Leading up to Anzac Day this year the wider community has These replenishing green spaces were for generations received an insight into the deep challenges our veterans and often classified as "Crown Reserves" and that meant many their families must rise to as a result of their service to our were managed by local people as trustees or, in some country. cases, by statutory committees (s355) on behalf of the I recently met with Eden-Monaro veterans on the lawns in citizens and state. The job of a trustee manager is to be front of Parliament House. trusted to look after something on behalf of others. And For too long we have been aware that the suicide rate among most of them, like most of us, believed they looked after our veterans is nearly twice that of the general population. I welcome news that a Royal Commission will now look at the these parks in perpetuity, ie., so they would be there many issues that play into this tragic statistic. We need to forever. brace ourselves for what we will learn and galvanise our But the current NSW government at about the time of the resolve to do better. council amalgamations changed the law - well a few laws. MPs on both sides of politics have added and shared their These changes mean - certainly here in Queanbeyan own experiences, and it’s been my privileged to sit in the Palerang - that the Council is the trustee; no more citizen chamber and bear witness to this testimony. trustees or local management committees. My colleague the Member for Solomon, Luke Gosling, a Accordingly, now our parks are supposed to be classified veteran himself, drew on the words of Russ Swan, a Vietnam as "community land" and there should be a management veteran from Darwin. plan for that land publicly available. While classified as “Consider this,” Russ asks. "community land" Council has no power to sell it. “You sign up to serve your country, and as a result, However, to their horror the citizens of Bungendore have afterwards, you’re so disillusioned you’d rather die than live learnt that their town park – the only one above the flood and enjoy being a grandfather or a grandmother.” zone - is to be sold! The Council is about to sign a deal to Simply heartbreaking words; feelings that are reflected by sell off a large part of their precious park, their oasis in local veterans. town, surrounded by the heritage precinct, the footie field, This Anzac Day, as always let us acknowledge all those who the war memorial, and even containing, it is understood, have served and continue to serve in our Defence forces – an unmarked grave. The community-built pool is to be but with a special focus, let’s remember the women and men who have suffered the despair that Russ points to – and the demolished and other community facilities affected. A people they leave behind. stake in the heart of Bungendore. To the veterans still living with that sadness. So far no-one has been able to retrieve the Council's Please know that you are loved and needed. Please reach requisite management plan for the land. Today I was out and get the support that is rightfully yours. advised that no such management plan exists. Is that Mental health and wellbeing support for current and ex- lawful? serving Australian Defence Force personnel and their families Locals have been able to establish that millions of dollars is available via 'Open Arms’ - 24 hour counselling on 1800 are being exchanged for the land - no definite number of 011 046. dollars as this transaction is deemed "commercial in More than that, the simple act of coming together as a confidence"; an outrageous concept when we are dealing community and showing your support with your time and with public land being sold by one public instrument of presence has real potential to help a veteran who might be government to another! This process has been happily struggling at this time. lauded and facilitated by our local member, John Barilaro. Services are planned from Queanbeyan to Majors Creek, to The purpose for the sale is largely irrelevant. The problem Eden, Cooma, Tumut, Yass and Braidwood. I’ll be doing my is the legal - and moral - capacity for such a sale to go best to get to as many as I can and I encourage you to join ahead in the first place. your local commemorations. As to the purpose: if the park is to be sold in order to build Your smile and words of thanks will mean so much. a high school, how many other communities have had to Kristy McBain pay for their entitlement to a high school with the trade-off Member for Eden Monaro of their town park? If Bungendore is entitled to a high school then the Department of Education should proceed to seek an adequate greenfield site in the usual way. The community understands that the “park” site was initially rejected by the Department. It’s hard not to read the local member’s actions as opportunistic promises for a high school on the cheap to be delivered by the 2023 state election – who cares about the community losing its park! The amalgamated council, sitting off in the distance from its satellite villages, dances to the local member’s tune. So dear citizens, what's next? Ryrie Park in Braidwood? Belmore Park in Goulburn? Hyde Park in Sydney? Keep your eyes open! Trustees no more! Susan Doran Braidwood News for Braidwood & the district Braidwood Bugle Page 3 21 April 2021 ANZAC Day arrangements Anzac Day Commemorative Events will be held this year in Braidwood. The Dawn Service will be held in the RSL Precinct in Ryrie Park adjacent to the War Memorial at 0600. The Commemorative March led by the Light Horse and KAPYONG Company from RMC Duntroon will occur this year, assembling in Wallace Street adjacent to D&S Motors/Lolly Shop at 1030 and stepping off at 1045. Traffic Diversions will be in place. The public observing the parade are asked to observe COVID social distancing protocols and those participating in the March will be requested to add their names to lists for each contingent. Araluen March from the Old Post Office to the War Memorial March begins at 9am Captains Flat Braidwood RSL Sub Branch changes March from Miner’s Memorial to War Memorial Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Garry and Helen PEIPER, Garry Photo : Jennie Marston Service 9.30-11.30am and Hellen are now the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of Majors Creek the Braidwood RSL Sub-Branch as Chris Nelson is due to move Plans for our usual ANZAC day commemoration have North. Garry is a Vietnam Veteran having served in 6 Battalion now been finalised. Some of the important changes Royal Australian Regiment as an Infantry Soldier. we have had to make to comply with covid public Congratulations to incoming President, Mr. Terry ROACH, health orders include the mandatory covid Commodore RAN rtd. And Mr Ron BATEMAN RAN Rtd. registration of our ANZAC day which basically means Treasurer. Thankyou to Lt Colonel Ted YOUNGER on his many that we need everyone attending to register using a years as President of the Sub-Branch. Ted is now retired and QR code or simply filling out their name and phone living in Canberra. Ted steered the Sub-Branch through some number on paper attached to a clip board. The code hard years. and clip boards will be available at the two gates as you enter the grounds of St Stephens.