Click the pic above to access the Kedron Wavell
Services club web site.
Hey mum – I’m home.
The last leg of my epic “Lap of Oz” was Exmouth to Coral Bay,
Carnarvon, Denham, Geraldton then down to Perth. 8 months on the
road, 27,718 Km, 3,990 litres of diesel, (an average of 14.4
litres/100Km – 19.6mpg) fuel cost $5,317 (average fuel cost $1.33
c/l) and not one haircut or shave.
If you get the chance – do it!!!
Protecting your wealth
from scams
In 2016, the Australian
Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch website
experienced a 47 per cent increase in reports of scams over the
previous year, according to the
ACCC Targeting Scams Report. This alarming increase should
prompt all of us to be well informed about how scams work, and to
take steps to protect our savings and investments. These tips will
help you do just that.
Beware of banking
scams.
Bank and credit card
scams are all too common, and many are caught out by the deceptive
ways that criminals can obtain your account details. One of their
most common methods is known as phishing and involves the scammer
duping the unsuspecting victim into handing over personal account
information. A typical example is receiving an email, text message,
or phone call from someone claiming to be from your bank. They seek
to lower your defences by saying there is a problem with your
account and ask you to give them your account details or click on a
link to remedy the situation. This information is then used to steal
money from your account.
Computer hacking is
another common method. The scammer gains access to your computer by
exploiting security weaknesses. Malware or ransomware can then be
installed on your machine, giving them access to your files or
allowing them to spy on your computer activity.
Staying on guard.
To protect yourself
against such attacks, always be wary of any direct phone call or
email from someone claiming to be from your financial institution,
or a government agency such as the tax office. You should make your
own call to the institution to check on the bona fides of the
contact. In relation to electronic security, ensure your privacy
settings are up-to-date on your social media accounts, keep your
computer security system up-to-date, choose passwords that are hard
to work out, and avoid using the same password for multiple logins.
It is also wise never to accept a message or friend request on
social media from someone you do not know.
Credit card
skimming.
This involves your
credit card being read by an electronic device, which can be
handheld or covertly installed on an ATM. The skimmer reads the
magnetic strip on your card and electronically captures information,
which can then be used to access your account. To avoid being
skimmed, always keep your card in sight when paying at a shop or
restaurant, never share your PIN, and be watchful for signs of
tampering at an ATM. It’s also wise to check your credit card
statements regularly to identify any unauthorised transactions.
Investment scams.
Investment scams often
come in the form of a phone call, an email, or through social media.
While they can be very slick, seeming legitimate and substantial in
their promotional material, the “investment” they are offering is
either totally fictitious, or if it does exist, your money is not
going towards that investment. Those who are drawn into these
investment schemes end up having their money going straight into the
scammer's bank account.
Know the warning
signs.
Telltale signs include
the lure of high, quick returns, or tax-free benefits. They may also
claim to have no risk with the option to sell at any time, get a
refund, or swap one investment for another. There may be promises of
“inside information” or an early bird offer before the investment
goes public, designed to grab your attention and add a sense of
urgency. The scammer will often call you persistently, and can be
highly persuasive.
If it sounds too
good to be true.
It probably is, so do
your research and ask questions to gain some verifiable information.
Find out the name of the company, the address, who owns it, and what
their Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) number is. If
they try to avoid answering these questions, it is probably a scam.
If you have any inkling
of suspicion, do not engage with the person any further. Hang up the
phone, ignore emails, and block them on social media. You can also
report any suspicious activity on the
ACCC
Scamwatch website.
Take the trustworthy
route.
It is always wise to
obtain independent financial advice before investing in anything.
This is one of the advantages of using a licensed financial adviser,
who is subject to stringent regulations on how their professional
standards are maintained, how they assess your needs, and how they
present their research and recommendations on financial solutions to
fit your goals and circumstances.
The
big smoke.
A farmer and his son
head into the city for the very first time. See
HERE.
DVA set to improve.
Liz Cosson AM CSC
Deputy Secretary
Chief Operating Officer
DVA
For nearly a century, DVA’s fundamental mission has been to support
those who serve, or have served in defence of our nation and to
commemorate their service and sacrifice. The veterans who come to us
looking for support need our help. They often need this assistance
immediately. To date, we have not always been able to offer that
immediate help, though that is our goal for the future. We know we
can do better, which is why we are now focused on a comprehensive
upgrade to our systems, processes and technology that will improve
the way we do business, address delays and streamline the services
we offer.
These improvements are necessary to transform us into the Department
that veterans need us to be. We believe that simplifying our systems
will make it easier for our clients to communicate with us. This
will allow us to build relationships with a larger number of
veterans, providing assistance to those who may previously have seen
connection with the Department as too complex or burdensome. We
know, for example, that there are often significant wait times
associated with our services and that our phone systems need
streamlining. Our ICT systems are outdated, we’re governed by
complex legislation and our largely paper-based business processes
need a complete overhaul.
The transformation program that is currently underway will allow us
to make significant improvements to the system. It will allow us to
set in motion plans
to
consolidate the number of external DVA phone numbers to reduce phone
transfers and, in time, move towards a system where clients will
access help by ringing a single 1800 VETERAN number. The reform
process will allow us to work towards dramatically reducing approval
times for urgent medical health treatment. It will allow us to
decommission legacy ICT systems and ensure documentation for every
new client we serve is set up and maintained digitally rather than
in paper form, as we simultaneously digitise 300,000 pages per week
from existing client files.
We are working in partnership with other agencies across government,
including the Department of Defence, the Department of Human
Services (DHS), the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, and
others, to leverage their skills, experience, systems and business
processes as we embrace change. Through these relationships, DVA is
learning what works well for similar clients and how it can change
to provide better, more modern services to veterans and their
families.
Changes like this will see DVA evolve from an organisation that
focuses on claims to one that places veterans and their families at
the centre of everything it does. Transforming DVA won’t happen
overnight, but with our sights clearly set on improved outcomes for
veterans, we’re well on our way.
Gold Cart entitlement.
From 1st July this year, Australian participants in the
British Nuclear Tests (BNT) in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s and
Australian members of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
(BCOF) have been entitled to a Gold Card.
BNT participants include former ADF personnel, Commonwealth
employees and contractors who provided services and support to the
nuclear test program and civilian personnel who may not have been
involved in the nuclear tests but who entered a nuclear test area.
BCOF members include ADF members who served with the British
Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan between the end of the Second
World War and the disbandment of the BCOF on the 28th
April, 1952.
Anyone who believes they may be eligible fo the Gold Card is
encouraged to contact DVA. There is more information on the DVA
website
HERE
Eligibility for Health/Medical
assistance from DVA
Depending on their individual situation, Veterans who have served in
Australia's defence force may be eligible for pensions or benefits
from DVA. Some British, Commonwealth and Allied Veterans who served
in conflicts in which Australia was involved may also be eligible
for pensions/or benefits from DVA.
Qualifying service is one of the criteria used to determine if you
are eligible for a service pension. Qualifying service for a service
pension is different from operational service for a disability
pension. You may be eligible for a disability pension, but not be
eligible for a service pension.
The Department of Defence has launched a new website for current and
former ADF members called Engage ‘Supporting those who serve’.
The Minister for Defence Personnel and Minister for Veterans’
Affairs the Hon Dan Tehan MP launched the site on 11 August 2017.
Previously, members and former members, their families and those
involved in their support had to navigate a broad range of websites
in search of information, support and services provided by
Government agencies, not-for-profit service providers and charities.
This new website aims to simplify the process of finding information
and accessing free support and services for current and former ADF
members, their families and those involved in their support.
Engage is funded under the 2016 Defence White Paper as part of Phase
Three of the Support for Wounded, Injured and Ill Program. The
website is hosted by Defence with the data maintained by
participating service providers who are registered on the site.
Pauly and Maury are having a drink at the
bar and chatting. Pauly looks forlorn and Maury asks him if there
are any problems. Pauly: "I got fired from my construction job."
Maury" "What happened?" "You know what a foreman is?" asked Pauly.
"The one who stands around and watches the other men work?" "What's
that got to do with it?" asked Maury "Well, he just got jealous of
me," Pauly explained. "Everyone thought I was the foreman.
Who are Australia’s Veterans?
What does the average DVA client
look like? Or the typical veteran, for that matter? If you’re
thinking of a former serviceman aged in his 60s, 70s or older,
you’re only seeing part of the picture. As it turns out, one quarter
of DVA’s veteran clients are aged under 50, with a further 35% aged
between 50 and 69.
Some 23,000 of the Department’s
clients are under the age of 40. Sure, more than 201,000 are 65 or
older and one in seven Australians over the age of 85 have a DVA
Health Card, but almost half of DVA’s clients (48%) are women and
2500 of them are dependent children.
Speaking of dependants, 25% of DVA
clients who are dependants are under 70, 48% are aged 70–89 and 27%
are aged 90+. Another factor to consider is that the Department is
undergoing a significant period of change. DVA’s overall client
numbers are falling. Today, DVA has contact with one in three
veterans who have served since Vietnam and one in five veterans who
have served since 1999. This change gives DVA the opportunity to put
veterans at the centre of everything it does.
Departmental transformation will
empower veterans and their families by making it simpler to access
the services they require. Veterans will enjoy improved health and
wellbeing outcomes under a system that focuses on veteran wellbeing
– moving away from a claims-based rehabilitation and healthcare
system
Scanning docs.
A large program of document scanning within DVA is helping to speed
up the claims process and make client records more accessible to the
DVA staff who need to use them.
Since its inception, the Department has stored clients’ information
primarily on paper files. Until 2015, some 25 tonnes of paper
were being moved around the country each month, as part of usual DVA
operations, with more than a million files taking up space in three
warehouses and other storage facilities. In these modern times, this
is no longer acceptable.
In November last year, the Department ceased creating a paper file
for each new client that lodged a claim, and now creates a digital
file only. This brought to an end a practice that began almost a
century ago and ushers in the beginning of a new digital era for DVA.
Following an initial trial, the conversion of client paper files
into digital, known as digitisation, is well underway. This program
has so far digitised more than 20,000 client records (more than 5
million pieces of paper).
On any given day, DVA receives around 2,500 pieces of mail from
clients, providers and other parties. These are all now routinely
digitised and delivered electronically to the Department each day.
In the months to come, DVA will significantly boost the amount of
digitisation that it undertakes with a recent injection of funds
received under the Veteran Centric Reform program. The Department
expects to be digitising well over 300,000 pages per week, with one
of its goals being to digitise DVA’s most used and most recent
client files within the next six years.
If you want a
demo - click
HERE to see Chi Chi at the club back in 2011.
A touching story......
As she sat by him at his sick bed, he
whispered, eyes full of tears, "You know what? You have been with me
all through the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to
support me. When my business failed, you were there. When I got
shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you stayed right
here. When my health started failing, you were still by my side...
You know what Martha?" "What dear?" she gently
asked, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth. "I'm
beginning to think you're bad luck."
Older Persons Advocacy Network.
Click
HERE to obtain a Power Point presentation that was given at the
recent National Aged Care Consultative Forum. As many ESOs,
including Welfare Officers, are having difficulty with navigating
the
MyAgedCare system and find it hard to assist their members it
may help to consult the OPAN Advocacy Service. ESOs, and in
particular Welfare Officers, can advocate on behalf of Members
directly with OPAN.
In addition to this resource, DVA has now established an Aged Care
information page for Veterans and War Widows on their website. It
can be found
HERE. The benefits and entitlements that differ from the general
public include use of :
1.The Gold Card – many Veterans are being told they will never
be able to use their gold card while in Residential Aged Care
Facility (RACF). This is totally incorrect.
2.Their own GP, Specialists and/or Pharmacy – again, many are
being told they must use the RACF’s GPs and Specialists and
Pharmacies. Again, this is totally incorrect.
3.All items listed on the Rehabilitation Appliance Program (RAP)
– again, many are being told they cannot use the DVA Lift chairs,
wheelie walkers, motorised scooter etc. They also have a higher
allocation for incontinence products. The RACF usually have a
limited supply per day but the Veteran has an unlimited supply from
RAP.
Secret Japanese Aircraft of WW2.
Hangar 7, Brisbane.
Hangar No.7 was constructed in 1942 at 116 Lamington Avenue, Eagle
Farm (Brisbane) to house the work of the Allied Technical Air
Intelligence Unit which involved the technical examination,
reconstruction and simulated combat trials of captured Japanese
aircraft. The ATAIU was formed to collect technical information on
aircraft with which to develop combat techniques to counter the
Japanese, and their work was integral to the Allied victory in the
South West Pacific Area.
The development of hangar 7 for the ATAIU, and of Eagle Farm as an
aircraft assembly depot and aerodrome, is a result of a shift in
Australian foreign policy in December 1941, when Prime Minister
Curtin announced that Australia now looked to America free of the
United Kingdom to shape a plan with the United States as its
cornerstone. As a result, the RAAF was placed under the control of
General Douglas MacArthur in April 1942. This contrasts with the
previous role of Eagle Farm as part of an RAAF Elementary Flying
Training School from 1940 which serviced the Empire Air Training
Scheme to provide airmen for the defence of Britain.
The hangar is representative of the massive wartime infrastructure
constructed at and around Eagle Farm, the existence of which
resulted in the Eagle Farm aircraft assembly depot and aerodrome
becoming the Brisbane Airport after the Second World War.
You can watch a very interesting video on this below:
Hangar 7 still
exists, click HERE to
see what it looks like today.
An older couple were at home watching TV.
Phil had the remote and was switching back and forth between a
golf channel and a porn channel. Becoming more and more annoyed
Sally final said, For goodness sake, Phil...leave it on the porn
channel... you know how to play golf.
Pensions.
There are different eligibility rules for APS members who are
ex-defence force and who have done what is considered to be eligible
"Active Service". Under the Centrelink rules the current "Age
Pension" entitlement is from age 65 to 67 depending on what year you
were born. If you’re ex-military with
an eligible period of active service in a war zone or eligible
conflict or peace keeping force that was declared Warlike (such as
Rwanda in 1995) then there may be a bit of a surprise for you! If
you fit the category above (and provided you have retired from work)
you may be entitled to the DVA "Service Pension" at age 60 which is
almost identical in value to the Centrelink aged pension.
In contrast to the Centrelink Age Pension, the Service Age pension
is payable from 60 years of age. This is in recognition of the
intangible effects of war that may result in premature ageing of the
veteran and/or loss of earning power. Invalidity service pension may
be granted at any age up to age pension age. See
HERE.
What is a service pension?
A Service Pension is an income support payment that provides a
regular income for people with limited means. A Service Pension can
be paid to eligible veterans on the grounds of age or invalidity and
to eligible partners, former partners, widows and widowers. It is
subject to income and assets tests.
The service pension is paid fortnightly. The rate of service pension
is adjusted twice-yearly, in March and September, in line with
movements in the cost of living and/or average wages. The
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is issued by either DVA or
Centrelink, to eligible veterans, partners, war widows and widowers
who do not receive an income support pension from DVA or a pension
or benefit from Centrelink because their income and/or asset levels
exceed the amount allowing payment. This card entitles the holder
to:
pharmaceuticals at the same cost as people receiving an income
support pension,
access to the Medicare Safety net threshold.
Additional concessions from state and local government authorities
may be available. You may also be entitled to a quarterly payment of
the Energy Supplement. You can see further information
HERE.
If you meet the war service eligibility as outlined above then as an
added bonus you (only you as the member, not your partner)
automatically qualify for the DVA "Gold Card" at age 70 (regardless
of any health conditions). Also, DVA will cover you automatically as
an ex defence member for any Cancer related treatments regardless of
whether it was caused by your service or not.
The full DVA Service pension rates are as follows:
(These figures include pension supplements and also the energy
supplement and are identical to the Centrelink aged pension
figures):
Single - $888 per fortnight
Couple (Combined) - $1,339 per fortnight
The service pension is also asset and income tested in much the same
way as the age pension so your PSSap, PSSdb or MSBS pensions are
assessable against it in the same way.
How to work it out what you "might" get for the service pension as a
single or as a couple:
You can see additional Centrelink "Aged pension" Calculators (but
not related to the service pension)
HERE and
HERE.
I hate all this terrorist business.
I used to love the days when you could
look at an unattended bag on a train or a bus,
and think to yourself, "I'm gonna have
that!"
Fred Smith.
I was listening to the ABC’s Christine Anu’s program on Remembrance
Day night and she included a session which featured various songs of
a military flavour in keeping with the day. One of which was a song
by Fred Smith.
I’m sure all of us Vietnam Vets (and most of the general population)
would know of John Schumann’s iconic
“I was Only Nineteen”.
I, for one, had never heard of Fred Smith and his music even though
he has written, recorded and performed his songs in regards the
recent conflicts in the overseas “sandpits”.
The ABC program played one of Fred’s composition entitled “Sappers
Lullaby” – you can hear it
HERE.
Sin! Because if you don’t, Jesus died
for nothing!
Another great actor who probably wasted his life on drugs and
alcohol
DVA provided transport for
medical/dental appointments.
If you’re eligible for DVA transport to/from a medical/dental
appointment, you will know sometimes there can be a wait while you
or the medical/dental provider rings DVA to arrange the transport.
There is a better way.
You can get around the waiting for someone at DVA to answer the
phone (Monday’s are the worst), all you need to do is obtain a card
from the taxi driver who takes you to the appointment, then when
you’re ready to go home, call the Taxi company’s number on that card
and book the trip. DVA has already approved for the return trip so
the taxi company already has your details. This will save you or
your medical/dental provider having to call the DVA booked car
operator and cut down on waiting times.
Queenstown NZ.
Anyone who has flown into Queenstown in NZ and was lucky enough to
have a window seat, would still be raving about the wonderful
scenery you experience from about 15 mins out until you land.
Especially in the colder months. If you’re coming from Oz, you
commence your descent over the snow covered mountains of the
Fiordland National Park, followed by a left turn that puts you over
Lake Wakatipu. Sometimes it’s socked in and it’s an ILS approach,
this is when you hope the Radtech G’s have done their job and the system has been configured correctly. When you break out of
the cloud, you can see the Lake and the town itself on the left hand
side, then it’s touch-down and you’re there.
What a wonderful experience.
But the pilots have a much better view, see the video below.
Only
in America.
Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs are
banned
in the US of A because they are a “health hazard!”.
Semi-automatic
rifles aren’t – make sense???
Vietnam.
Over the years there has been a lot written and a lot of video
produced on Australia’s commitment to the war in Vietnam, some of
which are mediocre, some are good.
Below isone of the good ones.
Ask Ted!
For
many years now, lonely ladies have been coming to yours truly
for expert advise on how to attract and keep a handsome specimen of
the opposite sex and being a true specialist in this complicated
field, I have been able to put together many lovely and lonely
ladies with handsome beaus. I do this free of charge of course,
that’s just the sort of bloke I am, but unfortunately, the word of
my success in this field has spread far and wide and I find I am not
able to devote as much time as I ought to these lovely ladies –
after all, 5 or 6 hundred calls a day is a bit more than even I can
handle, so, I have decided to put together a wonderful little video
which the ladies can watch and which will give them the tools and
expertise necessary to snatch and keep an unsuspecting male.
Girls – you can watch the video
below – no charge!!
Political Correctness.
I don’t know about you, but I think these
days political correctness has gone way over the top, today it
controls nearly every aspect of our lives. Where once we could have a bit
of harmless fun at someone’s or something’s expense, try it today
and the blue rinse set will tutt tutt you and you’ll be ostracised. Facebook, Twitter and the ABC will brand you as the worst of the
worst, even though secretly they themselves also found what you said
or did was a teeny bit funny. You can’t laugh out loud at anything
anymore, you can’t flirt anymore, these days flirting is called sexual
harassment, what a shame, flirting was once one of life's treasures.
This political correctness stuff is called keep up appearances and it’s all crap!!
Well, we don’t care, I saw
THIS on the net recently and I think it’s funny, if you don’t,
then God help you.
Veteran Web.
The Veteranweb Network provides information to Australian veterans,
ex-service, and service personnel. It reaches more than 12,400
readers daily and the numbers are growing. All service and
ex-service personnel can subscribe to the Veteranweb Network
cost-free, simply provide your service number and unit. Information
is provided via email from various reliable sources. Veteranweb is
an information service, while it is not a forum you are welcome to
contribute.
to
consolidate the number of external DVA phone numbers to reduce phone
transfers and, in time, move towards a system where clients will
access help by ringing a single 1800 VETERAN number. The reform
process will allow us to work towards dramatically reducing approval
times for urgent medical health treatment. It will allow us to
decommission legacy ICT systems and ensure documentation for every
new client we serve is set up and maintained digitally rather than
in paper form, as we simultaneously digitise 300,000 pages per week
from existing client files.
an eligible period of active service in a war zone or eligible
conflict or peace keeping force that was declared Warlike (such as
Rwanda in 1995) then there may be a bit of a surprise for you! If
you fit the category above (and provided you have retired from work)
you may be entitled to the DVA "Service Pension" at age 60 which is
almost identical in value to the Centrelink aged pension.
