ELECTION LURES FOR VETERANS
On 24 April - the day before Anzac Day, the Coalition government came out
with two media releases aimed at veterans. The first was a $25,000
compensation payout for Prisoners of War of the Japanese and the other was a
National Service Medal.
Could it be that there is an election on the horizon ? The
"compensation" to former PoW's was supposed to have been paid by the
Japanese government many years ago and has never been vigorously pushed by
either the RSL or governments since the 1950's.
Successive governments have claimed that payments made to ex PoW's from
the sale of Japanese assets from 1949 to 1950 had been sufficient. These
payments were made in three instalments to returning PoW's and amounted to a
total of 106 pounds ($212).
The original intention had been that our PoW's were supposed to get $US
30,000 each and that it was supposed to come from the post war Japanese
government as a form of reparation to compensate for hardship and slave
labour.
The Japanese government signed a "treaty" in 1952, absolving them from
having to pay any compensation due to the PoW's having accepted and signed
for the previous 106 pounds. Since that time governments in the USA, Canada
and Holland have pursued the issue and compensation payments have been made
to their PoW's (both military and civilian internees) whilst here our
governments have continually reneged on action and placed the issue on the
back burner.
Recently the UK government paid sums to its remaining PoW's as has the NZ
government only last week. It would seem then, that the belated attempt by
our government to make some amends (whilst no doubt being appreciated by our
ex PoW's) is considerably late and does not, repeat NOT include widows of
PoW's.
The current value of the Australian Kangarouble at about 50 cents US
makes the $A25,000 seem a little mean when compared to when $US 30,000 would
have converted to about $A 40,000 when at its best and when the payment
should have been made. What this means in everyday terms is that the
converted values translates to buying power of Kangaroubles $A 12,500
instead of the $A 40,000 that is overdue by at least 30 to 40 years.
Australian PoW's of the Japanese came home having left thousands of their
mates behind under atrocious conditions. About 22,000 came home and today
they are all over 80 years old and only a little over 2,000 remain. They
are currently dying at about 10 per week and should the government wait
another few short years then neither our government or the Japanese will
have to worry about the money at all - the poor cheated blokes will all be
dead.
In a letter to the editor of the Courier Mail, one War Widow stated -
"When I read that the widows of PoW's were not to receive any compensation,
I was very upset. We were the ones who nursed them through the years and
sat with them when they had nightmares. My husband did not live long enough
to receive the compensation he hoped for. Fifty years is a long wait for
justice. What is wrong with the Australian Government ? New Zealand and
Canada are compensating the surviving spouses of PoW's. Why are we excluded
?" Does that make your heart bleed ? FIFTY YEARS ! NOTHING !
Maybe I took too many paranoia pills this morning but I smell an election
coming on.
At nearly the same time, another Media Release was issued from Bruce
Scott, the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister Assisting the
Minister for Defence, which stated that about 330,000 National Servicemen
would receive a new Commemorative medal for the Anniversary (50th) of
National Service - 1951 - 1972.
That the government should recognise the service of these conscripted
non-volunteers is a good thing, but it would appear after much thought that
the decision was hasty and not well thought out. Consultation with the
major Ex-Service organisations and the leaders of these groups (who are very
largely NOT former Nashos), seems not to have taken place. Consultation
with the recently formed groups representing Nashos also seems not to have
taken place. Surely discussions with the Nasho groups would have been the
place to start ?
Already within a few days the friction has started or maybe the
government is once again practicing "divide and rule" tactics. One recent
headline was - "Battlelines drawn over extra medal for nashos." To their
credit, many former Nashos are writing letters to their editors along the
lines of - "The new national service medal announced by the Prime Minister
on Anzac Day ought to be given only to those Nashos who did not serve in
Vietnam or other conflicts. We don't want or deserve anything more than our
regular mates get. We've got our campaign medals and a Nasho medal will
only differentiate - which did not happen on the battlefield and we do not
want now."
Another letter writer says that the two types of National Service -
1951-59 (3 months Army, more for RAN/RAAF followed by part time CMF) and
then 1965-72 (Conscription by ballot with possible overseas/combat service
for 2 years from 65-71, then 18 months with no overseas/combat service in
71-72) make it difficult to recognise the various types of service done by
these (sometimes) non willing and non volunteers.
There are many potentially divisive issues at stake. Nashos were forced
to serve by an act of parliament and many suffered pay cuts and career
damage to do so. Many Nashos who served in Vietnam are of a "lost"
generation, they came back to a hostile reception in many cases and would
never be a soldier again and would never be a civvie again, being unable to
relate to their former peers due to the abnormal experiences they had been
through. As a former practicing Advocate representing veterans in the
process of their claims, I explained to too many former Nashos that
subjecting a young man who had a "normal" upbringing in a "normal" society
(of the 60's and 70's), then subjecting them to an "abnormal" set of
sometimes horrifying circumstances which results in a "normal" reaction
which in turn makes them "abnormal" in the society to which they returned.
Many of these men, now in their 50's have led lives where they had too many
jobs over too short a time, too many moves to too many locations as they
couldn't settle down and too many relationships with too many women and
kids, none of whom could "understand" them. As an Advocate I have had to
deal with far too many of these men whose lives have been shattered and
where they have suffered what could perhaps be called "arrested
development", to the point where emotionally they are still not progressing
beyond 21 but living in a 50 year old body.
How can you compare the service of these men to men who also served their
country but for a 3 month full time period followed by 3 years part time ?
They have all served but, equally ? A potentially divisive issue, or is
that what the government wants.
A cartoon in The Australian has two Nashos looking at the new medal which
is enscribed - "Vote Lib". Is this medal two birds with one stone in that
people will get a medal which is in fact a "Commemorative" issue to denote
1951-2001 (50 years) since Natiional Service was initiated. Is the other
bird that of "divide and rule" to keep ex-service people fighting each other
and to take the heat off the government in the lead up to the election ?
Recognition of National Servicemen is fine and overdue. It should have been
done in such a way that the individual service was recognised rather than a
general "Commemorative" medal. It is not the medal that is important, it is
only after all a bit of tin and rag. It is what it signifies that is
important.
For over two years there has been a campaign to update and benchmark the
Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) compensation rate from Veterans'
Affairs. The government's reaction was initially to ignore (literally) the
people who started the agitation to get the process moving. Recently it has
been to duck shove issues and to continually stall whilst appearing to
"listen".
The only "action" on this and other issues to do with veterans has been the
throw aways of a well overdue "compensation" of a too small amount that
doesn't go to widows, of a measly sum to those few PoW's that are left and
now the mooted National Service Medal.
None of these moves were in the slightest what could be called "well
thought out" in actual practice.
At the present time and dating many years back, the Defence Forces have
suffered from low retention rates and poor recruiting levels. A Senate
Inquiry is seeking submissions by 18 May 2001 on this issue and enquiries
should be addressed to - Senator John Hogg, 02 6277 3545, email
fadt.sen@aph.gov.au
, or look at www.aph.gov.au/senate_fadt<http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_fadt> . Perhaps the Senate Inquiry should
take into account the words of George Washington who said - "The willingness
with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how
justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the
veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation."
Says it all, doesn't it ?
Zev Ben-Avi
4 Brooker St
Woodford Qld 4514
07 5496 3444
linkezev@caliph.net.au