Lest we forget?

25th April is ANZAC day - Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. This is supposed to be a solemn remembrance of soldiers who fought and died in WW1. On the 25th of April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers joined together to set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula. Anzac Day was officially named in 1916, and the Australian Army website says: "With the coming of the Second World War, Anzac Day also served to commemorate the lives of Australians who died in that war. The meaning of Anzac Day today includes the remembrance of all Australians killed in military operations." Just Australians?

ANZAC included New Zealanders, who might not have reflected as many soldiers as Australia, but they fought just as well as Australians, they died just as Australians, and Anzac Day is still remembered in New Zealand. In a New Zealand history website they explain that for later wars - WW2 and Vietnam - Anzac soldiers fought together against the enemy. Why don't the Australians remember this?

Australia remembers a military history which no longer has any relevation in current history. Since WW1 and WW2 there has been Korea, VietNam, Papua New Guinea, Gulf War, East Timor, Afghanistan, Iraq and, most current, military intevention against ISIL. Australia has been at the front of the war military, often with no New Zealand, yet they still, every 25th April, remember WW1, Anzac Day, and not New Zealanders.

I was in the New Zealand Army back in the 80s. On Anzac Days I used to go with my troop to local towns and stood as a guard on the memorial. It has been many years since then when I moved over here, yet at the one and only Anzac Day I would attend here I was told at one RFL that I wasn't allowed in that day because I was not "Australian" defence. I don't attend any more.

It winds me up that "Lest we forget" is still used, every year, when Australia is somehow only remembering their own soldiers in WW1. It's now 100 years. Isn't it time to lay it down? There are far too many issues and people in our current life. I have listed a few that I support. Do you?

• Brain Foundation introduces themselves as "a nationally registered charity dedicated to funding world-class research Australia-wide into neurological disorders, brain disease and brain injuries." The Brain Aneurysm Support Australia Facebook page which I admin has set up to try to win some funds for Brain Foundation to do research for aneurysms. There is a video included in this application which tells so much about what an aneurysm is and does. Will you vote for us?
• Indigenous people have been in this country for more than 60,000 years. Quite a few Aboriginals were in the Australian Army in WW1, but they were left behind when the white soldiers came home. Now, the current LNP government is still working against them, trying to get them off their own land in WA. That is absolutely unacceptable! Will you support them?
• There are many domestic violence groups throughout the country, yet LNP has cut funds. If you need to find a group in your own area, try the Google search. There are quite a few listed. Jess Hill in The Monthly noted that so far this year "a woman is murdered at least every week, another hospitalised every three hours." Do we allow this to happen, or do we do something to stop it? 
• Oscar's Law works in Victoria to protect companionable animals. It has supported cases against breeding factories. Their website explained: "The smell of a puppy factory is unforgettable, an overwhelming stench of urine and faeces. The simultaneous barking of hundreds of dogs creates a wall of sound that makes it hard to think, let alone converse." That is so sad that most people should support them! Will you?
• Throughout Australia here are some Blind Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs, which have proven very helpful to people who do need them. These dogs are complete reversals from the Oscar's Law dogs, so support them because they will certainly be trained to help!
• The Heart Foundation "seeks to strategically drive cardiovascular research and facilitate high quality research into the causes, diagnosis, treatment, management and prevention of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, stroke and blood vessel disease." Their website is very good, full of information that every person should know about how their heart lives and how they should look after it. Just like the Brain Foundation, the Heart Foundation relates to everyone. Does it relate to you?
• People on the present unemployment benefit usually do look for work. The Statistics Bureau provides monthly reports which show the movements of the rates, and this has increased from 733,000 from February 2014 to 778,000 this year. In the last 5 years this has grown from 614,000, and does not ever look like getting lower. The government needs to increase the benefit. People need to be supported really. The Guardian wrote an article in February this year with very interesting details - have you read it? Do you support unemployed people? Or do you believe that all of these people choose to be unemployed? Perhaps you should be reading reality about this.

It's now April 2015. Many Australians will attend either the dawn parade or the main parade for the Anzac Day. It is, this year, 100 years since the history happened. For me, it was only a year ago when I had brain surgery for my aneurysm, accompanied by a stroke. I am not working now but I am volunteering in an Art Gallery. If you know people who don't work, for whatever the reason, help them. If you have your own dog because you love dogs, if you run to support some of the very large charities for your own or your relative's reason, if you know about Indigenous people, homeless people, refugees, people who are domestically beaten, people whose property has been stolen, people who are alone, so many people in this country who are not supported, help them.

Lest we forget.

Need a job?

I've been following the articles about this government (LNP and Abbott) who seem to despise unemployed
people, whether young or older, label them as dole bludgers and make some terrible plans for the unemployed to "work for the dole" (WFTD). The Department for Employment started its website (https://employment.gov.au/work-dole) with:

"Work for the Dole activities provide eligible job seekers with work experience which helps job seekers to learn new skills and improve their chance of finding a job."

"Dole" became the principle description for unemployed people and unemployment payments. Britain was even paying it back in the early 20th century. Aussie's WFTD was started back in the 1990s.

"Dole" actually means "a person's lot or destiny" (noun) or "distribute shares of something" (verb). The dictionary.com explained the idiom as "They couldn't afford any luxuries while living on the dole." So very real, but still ignored by the government.

What, exactly, is "WFTD"? Wiki describes this as started in 1998, as "one means by which job seekers can satisfy their mutual obligation requirements. Other mutual obligation measures are accredited study, part-time work, Army Reserves and volunteer work" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_for_the_Dole). On 1 July 2015 "jobactive" comes into existence. It says that jobactive organisations "will assist eligible job seekers to find and keep a job and ensure employers are receiving candidates that meet their business needs". This is broken down to age groups, meaning that people under the age of 30 still need to WFTD for at least 25 hours a week. Perhaps just sweeping the floors. Those aged 30-49 need to do WFTD for 15 hours a week. 

Those from 50-59 still need to do something, but not WFTD. According to ABC last year, more than 200,000 over 50s are on unemployment benefit, an increase of 45% since 2010. Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said: "I would suggest that that's not just population increasing as our population ages – that there are some employment barriers there that older workers are facing and that they are not being able to re-engage with employment." (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-29/older-australians-turning-to-the-dole-new-figures-show/5630552)

A couple of years ago Julia Gillard, the Labor PM, was doing very well to save Australia from the world financial crisis. Australia had low debt compared to many other countries, but we changed when Abbott got into government. Our debt has increased and the debt payment looks to continue to grow in the next 5 years (http://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2014/jun/09/government-debt-it-all-depends-on-how-you-look-at-it). The government has become determined to get an aggressive TPP and fails to tell everyone what this means. GetUp had info on their website about it, calling it "The dirtiest deal you've never heard of" (https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/tpp/tpp/the-dirtiest-deal-youve-never-heard-of). Government just don't care, are just as determined to deal with very large companies who seem to get the right to sue this country if their deal is broken.

To make money the government plans to cut the unemployment benefit and to make unacceptable job training which, in my mind, goes against school training. So why are unemployed people supposed to do "training" to "get them ready" for work? Will sweeping a floor help? Will stacking a shelf help? Will working, with no pay, for companies who have signed a TPP, help the unemployed, or will that help these companies or this government to make their money? 

The government has very recently provided a report on the "Unemployment benefits and the minimum wage" (http://www.ncoa.gov.au/report/appendix-vol-1/9-11-unemployment-benefits-minimum-wage.html), which talks about the change to Newstart Allowance, which is nowhere close to current unemployment benefit. It sounds, from this, that if a person is out of work but may not have been unemployed long enough to go broke, they need to support themselves. This seems completely wrong, but doesn't seem to be able to be changed. This may have been passed to, or advertised to, companies who inform immigrants (for instance, https://www.justlanded.com/english/Australia/Australia-Guide/Jobs/Unemployment-Benefit), and seems to be written as for real already when the government website says 1 July 2015. What do we just believe in?

http://www.chermsidedistrict.org.au/chermsidedistrict/01_cms/details.asp?ID=112

In Google, when I searched for some photos to come on here, I found this one. These, most only men, were unemployed in 1930, lining up waiting to be offered a minimum wage.  What has happened in the 85 years since that day? How many times have governments complained about the dole and make changes to how unemployed can WFTD? Has the dole been related to minimum wages or slipped below that - to well under the "poverty" line? How will any parent, with very little of their own income, support people up to the age of 25?

Has anything changed?  

Get on with it!

In February this year I was a year on into my RRV and I had the right to apply for citizenship. My income made this look not available - I had dropped to DSP after my aneurysm and stroke in April 2014, which is less than half what I had earned when I still had a "job". But belonging to OzKiwi, thankful to them for giving me the information which allowed me to apply for - and get - my RRV, now meant I should, at least, apply.

The information about fees is interesting. Most applicants pay a minimum for their citizenship application. Mine, it seems, has a discount for my DSP. I paid that and I certainly hope that it's real.

Completing the application online is hard, for people like me who have lost our own thoughts with our stroke. I had found that out since I'd been released from the hospital, but I didn't really have anyone to help me to apply, but I have finished it and sent it off - and now have to wait!

The citizenship is covered by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection with this site: http://www.citizenship.gov.au/applying/fees_forms_appeals/online_apps/. Even the first page on this website gives a whole lot of links to other pages, which you need to check. The following points might help someone like me, who is applying for citizenship.

• Determine if you are eligible. Many Kiwis, it seems, are not eligible. Australian governments have changed the CER 'rights'. Many years ago Kiwis came here from New Zealand without a required passport, but that law changed to call for passports from everyone. Sometime back in 2001 the visas and citizenship were cut off for Kiwis. Some will never be eligible.
• What documents you need. This, basically, includes identity documents, good character documents and supporting documents. There is a separate link to a document checklist which has further links to
  
  tell you just what you need, including for your children. Perhaps they do this to frustrate every applicant. There is a Form 1195 to have completed and enclosed which requires someone who has known you for at least a couple of years, who already has an Australian passport.
• Start your online citizenship application. This covers two general applications - Form 1300t for the age between 18-59 which seems fairly easy, and Form 1200 which covers 60 years of age and over, or 17 years of age and under. This also covers 18 year old people who have ongoing physical or mental incapacity. It doesn't seem to apply to older people who have ongoing physical or mental incapacity. I believe I have an ongoing mental incapacity which is why I'm on DSP. I applied on this form - I guess I will be eventually confirmed or turned down.
• Continue your saved application. It usually can't be immediately finished so you will need to make a "sign in" log with your own password. The government department will send you an email with your Saved Application ID details. Don't lose your password, or you will need to start again!
• Attach documents to your application. When you have completed your application you might then think about your documents. They have to be sent on after you have paid for and sent your application. You get about 7 days to send them on or you might have to re-do your application. The link within this link has more links to tell you what documents you should attach, how your documents should be attached and what size they should be.
• Check the progress of your application. This is to follow your own application online, but, strangely, doesn't really tell me how long my application will be worked on. I received an email from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection just saying they'd received my documents, but they do not give you a date. I rang them a few weeks later to ask how long and they told me that it might be another 8 weeks. That is not "normal". There is a link to a Client Service Charter, which doesn't really tell you anything - except, maybe, in more links.
• Technical information and accessibility. I just didn't even bother with going into the links for this one. To just open the link on the first page says: "We try to make the online information and systems user-friendly for you regardless of your ability or background, by following worldwide web standards and providing information for you in multiple formats." I think that will take me to all sort of places.  I just felt that putting my application in would give them something to look at...
• Frequent asked questions for 1300t and 1290 online forms. If you have someone who knows anything about some HUGE website, they might just be able to read this. This link takes you to this page: http://www.citizenship.gov.au/applying/fees_forms_appeals/online_apps/faq/ This page has links
  
  to a whole heap of questions, which have further links to other stuff. This, for me, is "phew!!"

If you are a Kiwi, or any other person of source, who is hoping to apply for citizenship here, just remember that using a "guide" will cost you. Lots. If you can have any feelings that you can do this, then DO IT.

I wish everyone who is applying the best of luck.

What keeps you voting?

My father was given a little wooden and golden plate  by the director at Drury Lane Theatre in Hamilton, New Zealand, many years ago.  It said "Mr Fix It. With thanks." Dad was a volunteer stage set builder, and he did so well. He was involved with Drury Lane for at least the 18 years I was. At that time the Theatre or Dad never seemed to be relying on pay from the City Council, they were just grateful to the huge group of volunteers we had and it was fun working there.

This month in Australia Campbell Newman has announced an extremely close (timing) election. Driving around yesterday I saw groups in some corners which were covered not by adults, but by children who are not voting age. These kids covering the advertising group is wrong. These kids should probably never receive any money from the party they stood for, but if they are paid it should be noted that this party, LNP, is creating silly jobs. If the kids are not paid, it should be noted that they are signed up as volunteers.

How does this work into the "usual" policy? Actually, I don't think it does. Which kids have been seen in truly volunteering organisations? Which organisation is to be paid from this Queensland government or has been cut off? Which current employees will hold their paid jobs for as long as they wish to, or who will be redundant? How does the unemployment in Queensland count into the huge unemployment in the whole federal country? Does Queensland unemployment actually equal the same number of jobs? Or will they become volunteers, no paid job available?

Who will become "Mr Fix It. With thanks."?

I feel pretty cut off because I am still a New Zealand citizen, but have lived here, in Brisbane, for nearly 10 years. I have an RRV and will, hopefully, eventually get my Australian citizenship this year, but it's still too late to vote on 31 January for the Queensland government. The organisation I joined, Oz Kiwi, has introduced some media reports on the Kiwi voting over here. These are well written, but are never considered by politicians. In the 10 years since I got here I feel that living here is not as well as it used to be, and even Australian doesn't currently measure as happy as Denmark, New Zealand or Costa Rico. It seems to have just gotten unhappy. Why?

When I was a lot younger it was interesting to see how old people lived their old lives and enjoyed it until they died. In the last 30 years I believe this has changed (see the link "How the Rich and Poor Spend Money Today - and 30 Years Ago"), and most of the people I now see are a lot younger and live in a totally different place, unable to understand me - or being interesting in me. If they work at good jobs or come from well-off families, they will probably vote for LNP. They seem to believe that LNP will give them what they want, not what the other people need.

Australia is no longer in the competition with countries which are forcing themselves ahead, taking contracts, agreeing with TPP. The top 1% of richest people have money which they will never share with the lowest 30%, 40%, 50% - or more. In our country unemployed people are scraped onto the bottom, defunct from pay and forced to continue to apply for work which will never take them on.  

Yesterday the kids waved at everyone, even though most people would have either preferred to go the other way or simply didn't wave. I don't know how long they were out there, don't know if they made anything at all to make them feel pretty good, if they actually understand that people in the government will always walk all over citizens.

And other people? Non citizens? They will never be able to vote, never have anything given to them from this country, not enjoy their life if they lose too much. "Mr Fix it." This will never, not in my future life, ever be earned by Campbell Newman.

Lovely days

When I was a kid we had a lovely christmas with our mum and dad, brother and sisters, grandmothers and neighbours. We had lovely pressies, lovely lunch, lovely dinner, and at the end of the day we vanished into our bedrooms to get a good night's sleep which would lead us into just another day. Christmas day was for children.

As we got older our christmas days were joined with our new partners, friends and new neighbours, and as we got older again some of us had 'lost' our partners and the christmas days were the same lovely days but with different people. Christmas day was for 'older' children.

I had thought of this day until my kids were grown up. My dad died in the middle of the year, 2001. Christmas day was certainly for children. When I met my second husband neither of us were really into christmas days, and we drove our own cars or rode our own motorbikes around Waikato in NZ, later Queensland in Australia, to enjoy our own christmas days, have a takeaway lunch, head home again. It was so peaceful, not dragged into christmas celebration. Mum died in the middle of the year, 2007, but christmas day was certainly for children.

My son, his wife and two kids moved to Aus, and for our first christmas with my grandchildren we actually had a lovely family event, at my home, with me cooking our lovely lunch and lovely dinner. Christmas was for children and family. That only lasted one year when my son's wife decided she didn't like me and christmas was at their own home, with only my daughter and in-law. Not me, but I didn't miss christmas - just my grandchildren.

My second husband eventually missed his NZ family and headed back to NZ for christmas, without me. He'd come back to Aus, but after two years of him doing that he decided that his family meant lots to him, and left me. Lovely present.

How many people can think this way about christmas? I watched some news and ads on TV and retailers were trying to convince everyone that christmas was okay, good. Lovely. Shops were left open a whole night before christmas day, supermarkets were so full. Everyone spending money. Very few people were alone, understanding that they would be alone on christmas day.

Me? I will have a lovely lunch with my daughter and in-law, I bought them some lovely pressies and will get something lovely back, I even bought something for my dogs! Then I will come home, retreat into my office/spare bedroom and play cards on my computer.

This particular day doesn't mean anything to me. I wish all my readers a lovely day. Just not christmas.

"Dis" - ability

Stella Young didn't know me. I sort-of knew her, at least her "public" role - comedian, on ABC TV, speaking at TEDx Sydney. Wikipedia seemed to do an article about her from 2011. She seemed to "appeared" in public back years, until this year. She died on 6 December 2015. No-one really knows how; ABC mentioned her, but not how. In SMH there is a very small mention of what killed her: "Young's family told the ABC she died peacefully on Saturday. It is understood Young died of a suspected aneurysm."

Where is there anything written about Stella's "suspected aneurysm"? Did she know of it? Did her family? Her GP? Anyone? Where was this "suspected aneurysm"? In her stomach? In her brain? In her heart?

Why is there so little known about aneurysms?

Last year when I - for the first time - received a CT identifying my own aneurysm, I did some investigation. I wrote "Aneurysm Aphorism" blogspot (which was full of info but has sort of gone to sleep now, sorry) and found some Australian information, and much more information from USA. So many websites, with info that seemed very good.  Yet how many people know anything about aneurysms - which can kill you? How many people know anything about aneurysms rather than or as well as breast cancer? Prostate cancer? Heart disease? Bone problems? Are there any fundraising places which are helpful to the understanding about aneurysms? Just what are aneurysms and when do they happen?

When can we find out anything about Stella Young's "suspected aneurysm"?

I thought I'd just repeat some info about aneurysms, so you, Reader (hopefully Sharer), will know something about them. Why? Because it is so important, with a growing problem, to actually know a little bit about them. 

• Google will separate out aneurysms into "brain", "aortic" or "abdominal". You need to know where the aneurysm is. Don't always assume it is in the brain.
• Brain aneurysms occur in approximate 2% of adults. (www.brainfoundation.org.au)
• 20% of these 2% people will have two or more aneurysms. (http://www.neurosurgicalassociates.com.au/cerebral.html)
• When an aneurysm ruptures it can cause a severe headache. (www.avmsurgeon.com/aneurysms.html)
• In Australia 1600 people are recorded as rupturing; 39% of those (624) will die. (www.avmsurgeon.com/aneurysms.html)
• Aneurysms may not have any symptoms until they rupture. (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Aneurysm)
• "Saccular" (or berry) aneurysm is the most common type of aneurysm (80-90%). "Fusiform" is different, but seldom ruptures. (www.bafound.org/brain-aneurysm-basics)
• As soon as finding out about your aneurysm, talk to your doctor and get a reception to a neurosurgeon.

Did you know any of this?  Do you act similarly to this info as to any that you get on, say, breast cancer? Do you support it? Would you put any money into a funding raiser? Would that be to support surgery or info blogging? Or a representative who will make public speeches? Did you actually read any information that I gave you?

Do you know someone with an aneurysm?

Stella Young was so "ability" (she hated the word "disability"). Yet it's probably unseen as to what caused her death. Aneurysm? She supported many funded causes, but what caused her an aneurysm? Did she actually have one? If so, where do we find that out? If not, who put that into the editor writing??

Stella Young was a wonderful person, so active, so canny, so well trained. I should have been that - I have my own ability, and I know that she hates the "other" word. Just now, just from a very brief mention, we can certainly understand why or how she managed to die. Regardless of why or how, she had a wonderful life. Just for now, just this moment, I might even just let some people turn their vibes away from most people, which, it seems, like someone just did that in a report about Stella.

You are forgiven, just now. But don't ever do that again. I found a report on the ABC that some hospital was criticised with communication failures about aneurysms, back in 2009. We know, now, that aneurysm time is possibly against everyone.

Teach everyone who needs to know about aneurysm. They can help to keep someone alive.

No longer loving "life"

At my age I have given up my love of my life. Why? Because I'm sick of having to always been "someone" who means "something" to others, when very few people choose me because I no longer mean "something" to anyone. A few years ago I got married (second time) and loved it - loved my life, loved my husband, loved moving to Australia, loved my work. Last year I got struck with the down-stuff just for my life. My husband (ex?) decided he preferred New Zealand, my brain aneurysm was found, my job was lost. This year I went to hospital for my surgery and ended up with a stroke. So here am I.

A few months after leaving hospital (locked in there for 6.5 weeks - did I tell anyone that??) I moved to Woody Point. I love the beach here, but I don't know anyone. Not socially. I was helped at CBRT for a few months - which I didn't realise, until the day I was told, that this was a short term engagement for me, thanks to the government. Taking something like that away from someone who is new here, or who has a new future (nothing repeating after your surgery and stroke) is so unfair.

Just like losing your husband/wife/partner.

Just like losing your employment.

Just losing most of your friends who don't live in this area.

I met and joined a stroke group, a STEPs group, a Heart Care group at a gym which I joined, I met so many people who seemed to be so good - but I don't know any of them. I have problems with my memory. Why is that, that no-one seems to understand it?

 I Googled for pictures for this blog. I found this, about crying - and not needing to. I do so much as this picture - I tried to hold my tears when I am out, but they can get out when I am home. My beautiful dogs know when I am crying and will come to me to support me. I live for them, because they don't do anything they don't need to ask me for. Sounds funny. But it's not.

I have told myself that I am just plainly not happy with the christmas general time, including shopping, carols, meals, friends, family dah de dah. That seems to have an ironic reek to how I felt about christmas the last 2-3 (or many more) years, because of how my own family treated me. I don't feel too loved. Sad, but true.

This time I am down. After TEDxSB last weekend I felt down. Actually, before that I felt down, because this is my 3rd year but I wasn't helping this year. Not my cuppa. I left and went home at the end of the day, felt I had done too much to take in, have felt even lower than before that. Is there any stuff to take me UP??

After christmas might be my positive place, where I'll be. I have another CT on my second aneurysm, I have a QIRC court case in February (no thanks to the lawyer who dropped me way back at the hospital), but I can't work, yet. Will I? Ever?

I'm 58. That's not just "middle age". It is past "middle age" for most people - in the world. If my life is

actually over, it sounds great. But if I live on I have to live with myself, no one who will help me, no one who might look after me if I get worse. I am not Australian, even though I have lived here for 9.5 years. This whole management of population funds is what's bringing the whole world down, and doing a damned good job in Aus.I found this picture on Google also today. It means much to me. Friendless. Destitute. Addicted to utterance of truth and common sense. I'm addicted. I just feel that I had a wonderful childhood, which I lost when I "grew up". Long before rapists grew up. I am still recovering from it, after 40 years.

So I am waiting for "after christmas", for my positive place.

Enjoy your own christmas.