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