Recently, the media has released a speech by Stan Grant given at a conference on racism last October. The speech was released in time for Australia Day. 
To say it is an impassioned and moving speech is to grossly understate its power. Some say it represents Australia’s “Martin Luther King” moment. 

http://m.smh.com.au/national/stan-grants-speech-on-racism-is-this-australias-martin-luther-king-moment-20160123-gmcrgt.html
In just under 9 minutes Grant unveils an indigenous perspective on Australian history. A history steeped in the blood of indigenous people. 
As a person with indigenous ancestry he tells a number of gruesome tales of real life tragedies and scandals involving his family. 
It brings tears to the eyes to hear that we could act so callously towards fellow human beings. 
Grant says that Australian history is rooted in racism. 
How are we ever going to move toward reconciliation?
The will to reconcile is certainly there but the issues are politicised. This probably explains why Australians give generously to assist Muslims devestated by a tsunami but they are not as generous towards Muslims fleeing persecution. The latter issue is politicised. 
Where is the leadership we need?

  
Picture courtesy of professorjohnston.com
Today is Ash Wednesday. 
Throughout the Christian world, people are getting ready for the Lenten season. Easter is not far away. 
In Victoria, Ash Wednesday conjures up images of bush fires destroying large tracts of land and reducing properties to …. well… ash. 
When I was young I was told that ashes signified where all of us end up. The saying being, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust” I thought this incongruous as it was only recently that the Catholic Church condoned cremations. But I digress. 
Ash Wednesday signifies the stripping away of our external trappings and a period of examining our inner self. Forget what we portray to the outside world, ask ourselves who am I? 
We look in the mirror and we see ourselves. But what do we see? We are left staring at the one staring back at me.
Lent is therefore a period of introspection. But with introspection comes testing oneself. Placing ourselves outside our comfort zone to see how we behave. See if there is room for growth. Dare I say, improvement. 

So during Lent we commit to a course of change, if only temporarily. Some of us will engage in self denial by forgoing everyday pleasures or comforts. Some will go without sweets, or coffee, or their usual trip to the movies etc. 
Today is a day of fasting. 
Others will commit to a certain course of conduct. For example, regular charitable acts, visits to parents, more frequent attendance at Mass etc. 
Others will commit to regular prayer or spiritual readings or something different for the purpose of exploring our inner selves and our faith. 
It’s only forty days. The same period that Jesus fasted in the desert before he was unsuccessfully tempted by the devil. 
I went to Mass today. 
I am always amazed at the large numbers that attend on Ash Wednesday. At a regular weekday Mass the church is probably one third full. Today it was standing room only. I suspect the mystery of Ash Wednesday still resonates with people even though Mass attendances are otherwise dropping off at an alarming rate. 
The priest spoke about Lent being a time of sifting. Sorting through our lives. Getting our hands dirty. Dipping into the manure that surrounds the roots of our lives. 
He explained that “sin” stands for “stuck in narcissism”. Nothing more, nothing less. When we block out others and God because we are only concerned about ourselves. Sin is relational. When I was young we called it selfishness. 
I learned that this year was “the Year of Mercy”. We had to enter the “Mercy Door” at the side of the church rather than the door at the front. I wondered whether the selection of this theme was in any way connected to the scandal facing the Church worldwide. Is the Church seeking mercy?
Read a fascinating article in the church newsletter about confession from a priest’s perspective. Very well written. He made it sound like a heroic act to attend confession. Christians that confessed were trying to restore good relations with God and he was in the privileged position of mediating between God and his people. 
I’ve always been sceptical about confession but this article was inspirational. Made me think of going to confession myself. I found the article on the net and a link is included below. Worth reading. 

http://lifeteen.com/blog/my-side-of-the-confessional-what-is-it-like-for-a-priest/
I can’t remember an Ash Wednesday Mass where I haven’t bumped into Mark. Mark worked at the Age newspaper with my late uncle Vince. He is one of the few remaining connections to my uncle, so I look forward to seeing him and saying “hello”. But I didn’t see Mark there this year. I even looked for him after Mass. I hope all is well. 

At the end of Mass one has to decide what to do with the ashes smudged on one’s forehead. Most people simply wipe them off. I decided to brave the stares of strangeness by not wiping them off until I got to our building. 
Strange religion …. ashes, blood and flesh, crucifixions, virgin births, resurrection etc. Sounds medieval. 
Whether you are a believer or not there are some great stories in the Judaeo – Christian tradition.

 

  
Picture courtesy of Wikipedia 

Today marked the beginning of the legal year. I attended the Red Mass at St Patrick together with a congregation from Melbourne’s legal fraternity. 

Inside the mass booklet was the following prayer composed by Thomas More. 

It resonated with me and I wish to share it with you. 
“Pray that, for the glory of God and in the pursuit of His justice, I may be trustworthy with confidences, keen in study, accurate in analysis, correct in conclusion, able in argument, loyal to clients, honest with all, courteous to adversaries, ever attentive to conscience. Sit with me at my desk and listen with me to my clients’ tales. Read with me in my library and stand always beside me so that today I shall not, to win a point, lose my soul.
Pray that my family may find in me what yours found in you: friendship and courage, cheerfulness and charity, diligence in duties, counsel in adversity, patience in pain—their good servant, and God’s first. Amen.

  
Photo courtesy of Triple M

I think the dust has settled on the Essendon Football saga. ….at least for the time being. 
The damage caused by the supplements scandal continues. 34 players suspended for a year. The AFL attempting to protect the integrity of the competition by giving the club significant recruiting latitude. Some players are considering an appeal with an injunction. If this move is successful, 34 players return to the competition. What happens to the new recruits?  
How different would things now be if back in 2013, Hird gave the following apology? Am I talking with the benefit of hindsight? Of course, but was it that difficult to accept responsibility at that time? If he had, by now he may be restoring his tarnished reputation by this one bold act of humility.

Could a different decision by Hird back in 2013-14 have made a big difference?

“Dear fans
I was as shocked as anyone when I heard others say that the Essendon Football club had been using banned supplements. It was an allegation that cut deeply across everything I believe in and uphold. My natural reaction was to reject the accusation out of hand. 
However the club has now conducted a thorough internal investigation led by capable and experienced people. The investigation has revealed significant failings in our management of the supplements program. I am concerned if not ashamed to report that standing before you today I cannot tell you precisely what substances were injected into our players at any given time throughout 2012.
This is simply not acceptable. It should not be tolerated. It is wrong and as head coach I accept responsibility for this poor management. I am sorry. 
Sorry for the scandal that has beset the club. Sorry for bringing this great game of ours into disrepute. But above all sorry to the players and their families. They trusted me and my coaching staff to guide and direct them both on and off the field. They submitted to the supplements program because they were directed to by me. Like myself, they believed there were proper controls in place. 
As the head coach, the buck stops with me and I have put my hand up to accept responsibility for this situation. Another reason for my current decision is that the players are innocent in all this. They are victims of our poor management. None of the consequences of the supplements program should be visited on them. They have already been through enough. 
I have spoken to the AFL management and the Essendon hierarchy and have accepted full responsibility for what occurred at Essendon in 2012. Accordingly I have tendered my resignation effective immendiately. I have tried to protect the players from any sanctions but this has not been possible. ASADA is offering the players a three match suspension in return for a guilty plea with no finding of intentional conduct on their part. How the players proceed is up to them. I repeat that they are innocent in all this. They are victims and their treatment should reflect that fact. 
I will now have plenty of time to reflect. At present I am filled with a mix of emotions. I am angry at what has occurred. Angry with myself and with those I entrusted with the supplements program. Supplements are commonplace in modern professional sport. Administered properly they have benefits to offer. In today’s elite competition every team is looking for an advantage, an edge. I believed that it was important that the club was not left behind in this area of the game. I only wanted what was best for the club. 
I am angry at the AFL. This issue has exposed weaknesses in the AFL and ASADA. But this is not the time to express my views on those organisations. 
I feel embarrassed and ashamed that this has happened on my watch. I am embarrassed that my time at this great club should conclude in this manner, with ignominy. 
I am sorry that so many people have been hurt. I am sorry to my family who have been to hell and back on my account. But my experience is no different to the families of the players. 
At the same time I am proud of the players. They have shone under immense pressure. They are great young men caught up in a tragic tale not of their making. I am proud of the club. It is a strong club. It will survive these events and be successful again. 
I have made this decision in the hope that the club and players and media can move on. That in my absence some equilibrium can be restored. 
Thanks for listening. “

  
After reporting on the trouble I had (caused) last week with the back deck, I am happy to report that it is now finished. 🙂
 

  
Let’s get Fred on the five dollar note. 

I’ve signed, so should you. 

http://www.hollows.org/au/campaign/2016/fred-on-a-fiver-thank-you

  
Life lesson #1

If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. 

In my office under the window I keep a used tap (spigot) (pictured). It is a souvenir from my worst DIY project ever. 
It dates back to the time we lived in Ashwood. The shower tap in the ensuite was leaking so I decided to change the washer. I was so successful and with a spare washer in hand, I decided to also change the (other) hot water washer (which did not need replacing). 
The second job proved quite challenging as the gap in the tile did not permit removal of the tap. To my horror and disgust I managed to flood the bathroom as I could not properly tighten the tap once it had become loose. This required that I remove and replace the wall behind the shower which had become sodden. 
I kept the tap as a reminder never to “fix” anything that isn’t broken. 
Life lesson #2

Things aren’t always as bad as they seem …… except in DIY projects. 
I consider myself an optimist. I believe that often times we worry about things needlessly. In the end it is never as bad as we anticipate. 
Generally speaking I keep this advice to myself. People about to embark on a nervous venture or attend an important meeting don’t appreciate being told not to worry. 
But every rule has an exception. DIY projects are fun and challenging but if you are not careful they can bring disappointment. After my leaky tap experience I have always approached them with extreme caution. Always, except for yesterday …..
Life lesson #3

Always read the instructions. 
The scene is Australia Day 2016. The weather is fine. The mission is to oil our back deck. The deck is only a year old so the plan is to coat it with a clear finish. 

I have worked on decks before and thought this job was well within my ability. In fact, I planned to clean and apply two coats before day’s end. 
I bought a cleaning solution I had seen advertised called Cabots Deck Clean. I checked the instructions to learn the correct mix and proceeded to mix it and scrub the deck with it. I allowed it almost three hours to dry while I went finishing my (successful) work of oiling the garden furniture. 
The clear finish I proposed to use was Feast & Watson’s Wet Look. I had used it to great effect on the decks at Camberwell and I was in fact excited by what I thought would be a great result on a relatively new deck. 
I started with the paint brush, cutting in the difficult corners.
Almost immediately I noticed that things were not quite right. The finish refused to adhere to the timber and began to”pill” and clog the brush. 
Remember I am an optimist. Rather than stop and investigate, I ploughed on and on and on until the entire deck was “covered”. It was hard work as the finish would not apply easily and the woollen applicator became clogged and stiff. 
At this point I began to question my “cleaning” of the deck. I had used the finish before and had no problem. It looked the same as on previous occasions but the cleaning solution was new. 
I read the instructions and to my horror and disgust (sound familiar?) I learned that I had not properly applied the solution or at least washed it off, after applying it. I have extracted the instructions below. 

  
How stupid!
It’s not easy to have a deck look worse after you had tried to improve it but I had managed to do just that. 

I spent the rest of the day hose and scrubbing brush (and scraper) in hand trying to remove my work. 
In addition I noticed the cleaning solution which I originally splashed on the deck had removed the colour from the adjoining render. More work…..
I will remember to read the instructions next time and this blog will be my souvenir of my second worst DIY project. 
Life lesson #4

What starts badly finishes badly
How many times have I advised clients against projects that begin badly. I counsel them to refer them to other colleagues or to get assistance or to drop the project altogether while there is still time. Yet here I was doing the exact opposite. I should have read the signs and called a pause early in proceedings when things did not look right. 
Instead I was determined to get two coats down before the end of the day. Pig headed more than optimistic. 
I hope my pain is your saviour. 

  

I have always approached Australia Day with mixed feelings. 
For most of my life Australia Day was simply a public holiday. It is only in recent times that the country has embraced the day with patriotic fervour. 
The beauty and strength of this nation is the diversity and difference of opinion that our institutions encourage and protect. So it is not surprising that as nationalism has increased there has been a steady rise in a counter-movement against Australia Day and concern for our indigenous population. 
Where do my sympathies lie?
I am as patriotic as the next person. This country’s strong government and economy are the envy of the world. Our achievements in the arts, science and sport are to be lauded. The Australian character is unique. Partly laconic, partly rebellious, humourous and inventive. It has seen us develop a culture where (in large part) we give everyone “a fair go”, we scorn elitism and mateship means we watch out for each other. Australian courage is legendary. Our multi-culturalism has enriched us. 
I am extremely proud of this country and its achievements (in a short period of time). We should hold our heads up high. We should celebrate this great country. 
At the same time we are a nation with a shameful history towards our indigenous people. It is an indigenous population we should also be very proud of. 
We have the longest surviving indigenous population in human history. Scientists tell us that Aboriginal occupation of Australia probably occurred 125,000 years ago and can be traced back 40,000 – 50,000 years. 
That’s a staggering achievement! 
In other words when Christ was making himself known in the Middle East the Australian Aborigines had already been here in excess of 38,000 years!
The cradle of civilisation Mesopotamia was established 12,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptian civilisation was established 5,000 – 6,000 years ago. 
When the English settled this land in 1788, they were confronted by in excess of 500,000 Aborigines (some academics have estimated as high as 1,000,000), comprising dozens of nations and speaking several hundred languages. 
The establishment of white civilisation in Australia was disastrous for the indigenous population. English arms, ruthless authoritarian policies and disease saw many thousands of Aboriginal die or be killed. 
One cannot be happy with the treatment of our indigenous population. I believe it is important not to judge the actions of our predecessors by today’s standards. But notwithstanding, one cannot help cringe and gulp at the treatment and policies that devastated the indigenous population. Our Prime Minister’s apology in 2008 was well overdue. 
So where does that leave me with Australia Day?
Australians are (now) a proud nation and such pride is justified and should be celebrated. But in my mind, it is not appropriate to celebrate our achievements on a day that fills our indigenous people with such dread, dismay and disgust. 
 Australia was not founded on 26 January 1788. On that day the English established a colonial outpost they called New South Wales. (This was an English achievement not an Australian one). Nationhood was still a long way away, it was not guaranteed and depended on a number of contingencies working out favourably. 

We are in truth celebrating what happened after 1788. We didn’t become a nation until 1 January 1901 and even that historic event depended on Queen Victoria’s blessing (perhaps her last official act). 
So called “Australia Day” is really NSW’s foundation day and should be celebrated in NSW (only). 
In my view we should rethink the celebration of this great nation and “decouple” it from the current date. 
That’s my view. 
I believe we need some leadership and vision on this issue. We need a bipartisan program moving our nation towards a republic. 
However, this next step in the progression of our country would be a hollow one if it did not occur without a parallel reconciliation program that addressed all the issues facing our indigenous people. These not only include health and education but land rights and the right of self determination and preservation. 
Independent government does not occur until the objectives of the reconciliation program are met and vice versa. 
My hope is that at some day in the future we can stand independently of Great Britain while embracing our indigenous people and securing their future. 
These are big steps but not beyond the vision, ability and resources of this country. 
We have floundered in our moves towards an independent government because our approach has been wrong. (I haven’t forgotten  that the last time we looked at the issue it occurred under the false stewardship of John Howard, an avowed monarchist). 
What makes us strong also weakens us in issues such a future republic. As a nation we shun elitism, we don’t trust politicians, we cherish our freedom and our choice. Howard was able to exploits these traits to stymy the move towards a Republic. 
Next time, let’s not get bogged down in models and mechanics. Our present and likely future leadership is probably not capable of organising a republic. Instead let’s establish a conference or conferences (appointed by the people if necessary) to canvass opinion and develop a vision. Not unlike the conferences that established our federation (and the US federal government). 
Reconciliation probably requires a different way. The issue has not been taken seriously by successive governments so a determined and genuine approach would be a start. 
Once a republic (or some form of independent government) is established we can have a new Australia Day and the Queens Birthday holiday will be replaced by Reconciliation or Indigenous Day. 
Let’s not just dream it, let’s do it.  

I read a disturbing but insightful article in last Saturday’s The Age. The article was entitled “The Big Sleep”. It told the story of Patricia and Peter Shaw who last October carried out a suicide pact in their Brighton home. They left behind three adult daughters. 
Peter Shaw was a senior meteorologist. Highly intelligent. Very articulate. 
Patricia was a biochemist who taught at one of the universities. Two of their daughters had PhDs and the third was a concert violinist. 
The Shaws were sane and rational individuals who had decided that they would choose the time, manner and location of their death. They were non-religious. Sitting around for years with rugs on their laps was not for them. 
They were members of Philip Nitschke’s group Exit International. Through the group they obtained the means to end their lives. Pat was to be poisoned and Peter was to die using equipment he kept in the shed. 
The Shaws led full lives. Peter was a mountaineer in his youth. He spent some time exploring Antartica. He met Patricia in the mountaineering club. They spent their spare time bushwalking and travelling. They had a close network of friends, were respected in their professions. 
Their views on euthanasia were succinctly expressed in Peter’s letter to the editor in 2007 which I have copied below

  
Pat and Peter decided to end their lives last October, the day after Peter’s 87th birthday. 
Age was catching up to them. Peter complained that he had trouble following the arguments he read in intellectual publications. Pat complained of aches and pains. Their children had noticed a deterioration in their condition. 
The children were informed of their parents’ intentions and the day they had selected. It would occur at midday. 
On the chosen day, the children visited them and said their goodbyes. At midday they filed out of the home and waited in a nearby park. 
Pat was afraid of being left alone so her death occurred first under her husband’s careful supervision. He then went to the shed to end his own life. 
The girls returned at 1.30 pm and called emergency services. It was important they were not present during the suicides as assisting a suicide is a crime. 
I understand euthanasia when a person is suffering with no prospect of recovery. I understand the decision made not to resuscitate a dying person. 
I believe that there is an important difference between prolonging life and delaying death. I understand steps taken and decisions made not to postpone death. 
But my “open-mindedness” on the subject cannot accept what the Shaws did to themselves. 
Intellectually I understand what the Shaws sought to achieve. But my understanding and sympathies finish there. 
For me, suicide is still taboo. The idea that people can finish their lives because they want to seems wrong to me. I say this not only because life is sacred and precious. I say it because I feel what the Shaws did was a tad selfish. 
Spare a thought for their children. Reading the article I had the sense that the daughters were still deeply grieving the loss of their mum and dad. Their parents were dynamic and intelligent people. Life of the party. Centre of each debate. And now they are gone. Gone because they wanted to go. Because they could. Because they preferred death to this world (yes sometimes it hurts and it is difficult and it’s confusing….), they preferred the big sleep to the company of their children and friends. 
Spare a thought for their friends. 
Spare a thought for those struggling against insuperable odds to cling to life. To those who dedicate their lives to helping others cling to life. What does this act say to them? 
We live in a disposable world but is life also disposable? 
Of course the Shaws will say they cannot be responsible for everyone else. They are only responsible for themselves. They can’t live their lives worrying about what others think and feel. What their daughters think and feel. 
This “me” attitude is the curse of our generation. 
I recommend the article to your reading. 
What do you think?
A link to the article is included below
http://www.theage.com.au/interactive/2016/the-big-sleep/

The other night my son and I watched a production entitled Trophy Kids. This was reality television at its best.

The premise of the program was to follow the lives of a handful of very talented children (and their parents) as they pursued their chosen sports. Two brothers were talented tennis players. Their mother thought that their talent was a gift from God and that it was her moral duty to ensure her sons could develop and foster their tennis skills.

Two children played basketball. One parent was an over-the-top ugly parent. He had quit his business to “manage” his child. He attended each match and was generally abusive towards everyone; the coach, the officiating referees, his team, the opponents, even his own son. He was ultimately banned from attending his son’s games and interestingly his son’s performance on the court improved.

One child played football and in his father’s eyes didn’t deserve his place in the team or the school or the family. After each game he would reduce his son to tears as he berated and manipulated him with caustic and non-constructive criticism.

There was a girl aged 8 or 9 years. She had serious golf talent. As a golfer myself I was impressed by her skill with a club. But her father/manager was always critical and sometimes abusive towards her, particularly when she didn’t follow his instructions.
I know that reality television is heavily edited and sometimes far removed from reality but I thought there was enough “honesty” in this program to give us a fair view of what was happening in the lives of these children. We have all experienced the glowering of ugly parents and as such the premise of this program is not difficult to accept.
The program was riveting viewing and I highly recommend it. I was disappointed when our internet feed cut out.
For me there were two takeaways from the program.

First. How should parents behave when they learn their child has a significant talent?

I assume we all want happiness for our children. Of course, happiness is an individual thing. We want our children to be accepted in society. To be confident in the company of others. To have dreams and to pursue them. To have warm and supportive relationships. To know and give love. To be well adjusted and successful.

For many this boils down to encouraging our children to be the best person they can be, because we believe that this will put them on the path to happiness. I accept that the preceding statement is filled with loaded terms such as “best” “encourage” and even “be”.

So how should we behave when we find out our child is a “Trophy Kid”?
My guess is to first park our own egos. Make sure that we are doing what makes our child happy and not seeking to make ourselves happy by living vicariously  through our child. This means speaking with our children and discussing their hopes, ambitions and dreams.

Secondly setting realistic expectations. Our circumstances may be limited by economics or geography or limited resources etc. Be careful what we promise our children and manage their expectations.

Thirdly provide encouragement and support but being sufficiently removed to be objective and provide our child constructive guidance, a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board and so on.

The rest is up to the child… As it should be.
The second takeaway was the irony/tragedy of the drama that unfolded. These children did have a gift but with this blessing came a serious curse in the form of their ugly parents. Each child at some stage would have thought that it may be preferable to walk away from their passion if only to restore peace and normality to their family situation. How sad.

Each child at some stage must have questioned if they had truly received a blessing or a curse. And the cruelest curse at that. I say “cruelest” curse because one’s parents are supposed to be a source of love and refuge. A child should feel comfortable with their parents. Yet their talent had turned their parents into monsters. The loneliness felt by these children was palpable and heart-breaking.

And yet where did this talent come from? Science tells us that such a gift is the product of genetics ie it comes from our parents and their parents. Is the circle complete?
I recommend Trophy Kids for your viewing.