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Contents.

ANZAC Day 2022 – Brisbane.

ANZAC Day 2022 falls on a Monday which will make April 23 – 25 a long weekend. The ANZAC Day Parade Brisbane Committee has finalised the order of March for 2022. There will be 10 Groups, with step off times and locations as below: The ladies in the WRAAF Association are in Group 2. The blokes in various RAAF Sqns have been allocated to Group 7.

Following is the RAAF order of march.

The march will start in George St, on the corner with Elizabeth St (near the casino) and will end at the Post office in Queen St.

13 CABS.

13CABS have generously offered support to the Parade with both individual pickup from home (WWII & incapacitated veterans) and operating a Maxicab shuttle service to transport veterans from the Taxi Rank at Roma Street train station to the Buggy Shuttle area on Queen Street (best accessed from Eagle Street via Eagle Lane).

From the Buggy Shuttle area participants can board the large shuttle vehicles on Queen Street to either the Jeep/Buggy Loading area (Commonwealth Bank junction of Queen & Edward for non-marchers) or, subject to availability, towards the junction of Elizabeth and George for those marching in the Parade.

This 13CABS service will run from 8:30am-10:30pm and they will have water and Anzac biscuits at Roma Street. 13CABS representatives will be on-site to answer queries and direct personnel, this is an alternate option to disembarking at Central Station and walking across Post Office Square to the new Jeep/Buggy Loading area or proceeding direct to George/William Street to form up. Dependent on take up by veterans participating in the Parade the service may be offered again in 2023.

Should WWII and incapacitated veterans wish to be collected from home and participate in the Parade inside a taxicab they should call 07 3556 5788, Cut off for Registration is the 19th April and subject to volunteer driver availability. Veterans will remain in the cab throughout then be transported home after the event.

You are asked to pass this information to your membership to make best use of this service to those utilising public transport to access the Parade, as well as being dropped directly to the Buggy Shuttle area via private means.

Regards,

Scott Mackie

Executive Officer, Anzac Day Parade Brisbane

Jeeps.

If you've ordered a jeep to carry you in the "March,"  the pick-up point is different to previous years. Instead of leaving from behind the Myer Centre in Elizabeth St, you will now pick up your transport on the corner of Queen and Edward Streets. For those not familiar with Brisbane's streets, this is at the bottom end of the Mall, not far from the GPO.  (See the map above).

DFRDB Update.

Jim Hislop advises:  “A recent short hearing of Clinton McKenzie’s matter in the Federal Court took an unexpected but positive turn from ADFRA’s perspective. Justice Melissa Perry (right) recognized the potential significance of the outcome of the matter for a large number of former members of the Australian Defence Force, their widows, widowers and dependent children and orphans. Accordingly, her Honour issued an order requiring the Federal Court Registrar to attempt to arrange Pro Bono legal assistance for Clinton.

One remarkable aspect of the hearing is that Counsel for the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) said that the issues in dispute affected only a few hundred people. Clinton clarified that the issues affected tens of thousands of people, which seemed to be a revelation to CSC’s Counsel.

To be clear: Clinton is not making any argument based on members being misled about the effects of commutation. Clinton is arguing that, properly interpreted, the DFRDB Act does not have the effect of permanently reducing the rate of commuted retirement pay. Clinton is arguing that the reduction only lasts until a member reaches the age on which the applicable expectancy of life factor in Schedule 3 of the DFRDB Act is based.

If the Court accepts that argument, the previous apology given by the Commonwealth for failure to provide adequate information about how the DFRDB Authority and the CSC were going to permanently reduce commuted retirement pay (and commuted Class C invalidity pay) will have been unnecessary. The necessary apology will instead be for not administering the system in accordance with the law, quickly followed by payment of the pay unlawfully withheld beyond a member’s Schedule 3 life expectancy.

We are under no illusion that there are strong arguments for the DFRDB Authority’s/CSC’s interpretation, however, the judge will ultimately decide the correct interpretation.

Members should rest assured that they are not at risk of losing anything as a consequence of Clinton's Federal Court action. If the DFRDB Authority’s/CSC’s interpretation prevails, nothing will change. Our commuted pay will continue to be permanently reduced as a consequence of commutation, in accordance with the DFRDB Authority's/CSC's usual practice. That would be a disappointing outcome which – sadly – would merely confirm that the generous scheme used to entice us into and remain in the Defence Force was deliberately less generous than was marketed to us at the time.

In any event, the most significant and important fight for us remains the indexation methodology which continues to result in the inexorable reduction in the buying power of our entitlements.

One practical matter that has become obvious is how difficult it can be to utilize video conferencing technology (Microsoft Teams) used to stream the Court hearing. It was evident that quite a number had difficulty obtaining and/or accessing the link to the hearing and some who were successful made unintended virtual appearances in Court today. Fortunately, they were not too disruptive, and Justice Perry was lenient.

Nearer to the date of the next hearing, we will organize an ‘anyone can join’ Teams Meeting to enable members to master the technology. Clinton is happy to make himself available to field any questions members may have. We will circulate a link to the meeting at the appropriate time.

We will keep members updated."

Brisbane’s bid for the Olympic Games.

Brisbane put together a couple of great little 2 minute videos in its attempt to obtain the rights to hold the 2032 Olympic games.

You can see the PR video HERE  and the site selection video HERE

And you wonder why we live here…..

Cyber War.

Malwarebytes.

Malwarebytes advise that following the invasion of Ukraine, the cybersecurity community is watching diligently for any increase in cyberattacks or a change in their nature. As we’ve seen with previous global crises, cybercriminals will often use these times of fear and uncertainty to advance their goals. There is also a danger that cyberattacks conducted as part of the conflict will affect people and organizations outside the region.

To our valued customers around the world, we urge you to take steps to ensure you’re protected, to use caution when browsing online and interacting with email and understand the potential cybersecurity impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For additional information on how to protect your data and privacy, we recommend this guidance.

As always, our team at Malwarebytes is working diligently to detect and block new threats as they emerge to keep your devices and data safe.

Be careful!

Mental Health.

I am emailing to let you know we have Mental Health First on offer at the Gaythorne RSL on the 30th & 31st May from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

If you or anyone else is interested in this please call 1800 011 046 to register. Click HERE for a flyer.

Mental Health First Aid

A national educational workshop to help you learn practical skills for helping a family member, friend, co-worker or other person who is experiencing mental health problems.

• Learn how to listen and respond to someone with a mental health problem, even if they are experiencing a crisis.

• Help someone access the support they might need as part of their recovery journey.

•  Actively reduce stigma in the veteran community, by responding appropriately to myths and misunderstandings about mental illness.

•  Developed by Mental Health First Aid Australia and delivered by Open Arms qualified instructors, who specialise in working with the veteran community.

Attendance at both days is essential.

Who can attend:

Anyone concerned about family, friends, colleagues or others in the veteran community experiencing common mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, psychosis or substance abuse problems.

Tamara Hall

Group Program Support Officer

Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling

1800 011 046

www.OpenArms.gov.au 

RAAF Communications Reunion 2022.

The RAAF Communicators (the Djinnang Association) will hold their annual reunion on Saturday the 28^th May 2022 at the Paddo Tavern in Given Terrace, Paddington (Brisbane). Doors open at 2.00pm.

You can download their flyer HERE.

Click HERE to see who, as at 23^rd March 2022, have indicated they will be there.  If your name is not there and you wish to come, you can add your name HERE.

REOA (Vic)

President David Graham, on behalf of the AFA (Vic.) Technical Branch / RAAF Engineer Officers Association (REOA) committee invites EngOs to attend their mid-year luncheon.

Although Covid restrictions continue to ease, if only for other elderly attendees, please ensure you are fully vaxed.

Please note that this invitation is extended to interstate members in case you are fortunate enough to be in Victoria at the time.

RSVP SLIP ---- Delete as applicable.

From: ...................................................................

I will attend the AFA Vic /REOA Luncheon on 22 June 2022.  I will be bringing ......... guests, whose names are .......................................................................

I have mobility issues and request consideration for reimbursement for taxi / uber.

I have deposited $ --------- to Bendigo Bank BSB:  633 000,   Acct:  168 482 370,   Title:  G.H. Gould & D. Nebauer (REOA Acct),

Please include your surname on the deposit note.

Email the form to  gould@alphalink.com.au Cc to: rcem.bennett@bigpond.com

Back to Vietnam Tour.

To commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the last Australian troops to leave Vietnam, an 18 day “Last Out” tour back to Vietnam has been organised by JCP Tours Pty Ltd. Click HERE for further information.

The West’s Armies?

THIS is obviously a parody of the US Army but it could be “renamed” to define quite a few other country’s Armies.

It’s a joke Alice!!

Then, Now, Always.

In December 2021, the RAAF released a glossy 460 page coffee table format book which provides an illustrated history of the Air Force and the Australian Flying Corps.  The book comprises ten chapters covering key periods of the RAAF, including between the wars, World War 2, the Cold War, southeast Asian conflicts, peacekeeping and operations abroad, wars on terror, the 5th generaton Air Force, the Air Force centenary and the next century of the Air Force. It also contains a chapter on the Australian Flying Corps.

Overall, the book is impressive and is a must have for anyone who has served in the RAAF. It is an appropriate commemorative release for the Air Force Centenary and will be embraced with pride by serving and ex-serving members of the Air Force who have helped make the Air Force what it is today and what it will be in its next 100 years.

The book costs $39.00, we've got a copy, it's a great read, you can order a copy from HERE.

Airport scanning devices.

Anyone who has flown from a major city will know those scanning machines where all your luggage is inspected for damaging and prohibited devices. You just drop all your luggage on the conveyor belt and it goes through the X-ray machine – except for your lap-top computer that is.

The security people operating those machines always ask you to remove your computer from its case and place them separately on the conveyer. Why is that?

It’s pretty simple really, your computer contains a large battery which contains dense metallic material which would obscure anything beneath it. If you left your computer in its case, you could hide something under the computer and the X-ray machine couldn’t/wouldn’t see it. When you take your computer out of its case the X-ray can then scan both your computer and its case and you can’t smuggle any bad stuff onto the aircraft.

Some people worry that the X-ray machine will/might damage their computer and could wipe some info from your hard drive. You needn’t worry – screening will not damage your computer or any electronic device, your biggest worry is not to forget to pick up your device once it has been screened.

But – if you’re one of those people who still take photos on film, you should never pass unprocessed film through the X-ray machine as it will permanently damage the film. Carry it with you through the walk through corridor as it uses a far less powerful X-ray.

2022 Seniors Discount Guide.

You're a senior. You've paid your dues. You've worked for years, followed the rules and now it's time to collect some hard-earned discounts. And there are plenty of valuable discounts and entitlements out there for you. The trick is, you have to know where to find them - now, all you have to do is ask for them.

YouLifeChoices has released a 293 page book showing you where and how to get discounts on most things you will need to buy – but, you will need a Seniors’ Card to qualify for the discounts.

The Seniors Card is administered by individual State Governments, unfortunately it is not a Federal thing, although it should be. East State has a different set of requirements and application method in order to get one. If you ‘re over 60 you could qualify, click each State below for further info.

Once you have your Seniors’ Card, click HERE to download the book then enjoy the discounts.

St Patricks day.

HERE’s  why it’s in March.

Camp Gregory.

Approximately 15 minutes’ drive from Woodgate, (near Childers Qld) lives a pristine place called Camp Gregory Veterans Retreat. A place for all serving, ex-service personal, veterans, first responders from Fire and Rescue, Ambulance, State Police services and their families to camp, relax and get away from it all. The facilities are free for all of the above and include camp sites for caravans, motor-homes, camper trailers and plain old tents.

Amenities include flushing toilets, hot showers and fresh drinking water. Situated right on the Gregory River, you can enjoy some fishing and crabbing all year long. For those without camping gear we have dongas available with beds (all you need is linen). As Woodgate is a 15 minute drive this gives you the convenience of shops, fuel, ice and bottle shops, as well as one of the most beautiful beaches Queensland has to offer.

We are constantly working on making Camp Gregory user friendly with our work committee and a string of volunteers. Local businesses and council have donated both time and materials which have helped in making Camp Gregory such a peaceful place to stop and bring your family. All our workers, including the caretaker and committee members, are volunteers, so please show them the respect and courtesy they deserve.

Camp Gregory is currently looking for two caretakers. The positions are available to both singles and couples. Accommodation is available on site.

For further details and terms and conditions please contact Mick Polak on 0417 618 534 or email Mick at  polak@bigpond.net.au

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