The PR Blog

This last week has been a very unique time in our nation's history. So many of us have watched in disbelief as elements of the media have taken a defamation case verdict to launch waves of attack against Ben Roberts-Smith - without any criminal charges being laid, let alone conviction recorded.

I have spoken about this publicly, stemming from my first actions in the media now nearly three years ago - calling for these most serious allegations of war crimes, or any incidents on military operations, to be afforded the due process our service personnel respect. Due process that should only ever see such serious allegations tried to the criminal standards of truth beyond reasonable doubt, and in a manner that protects the identities of our service personnel and their families - given the real possibility of reprisals and dangers to them and their families for simply being identified as serving in Afghanistan at a time when it is now under Taliban control.

On June 6, 1944, the world witnessed an extraordinary event that changed the course of World War II. Known as the Normandy Landing, or D-Day, it marked the largest amphibious invasion in human history. 

The Normandy Landing was the result of months of meticulous planning and preparation by Allied forces. Under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a multinational coalition consisting of American, British, Canadian, and other Allied troops including Australian, came together to devise an audacious plan. The objective was to establish a foothold in Nazi-occupied France and initiate the liberation of Western Europe.

“I’m sick and tired of hearing Democrats whining about Joe Biden’s age. The man knows how to govern. Just shut up and vote to save Democracy.” — Rob Reiner, Hollywood savant

Perhaps you’re aware that the World Health Organization (WHO) is cooking up a plan to impose its will over all the sovereign nations on this planet in the event of future pandemics. That means, for instance, that the WHO would issue orders to the USA about lockdowns, vaccines, and vaccine passports and we US citizens supposedly would be compelled to follow them.

Meanwhile, big ears had abandoned his fun and was now neatly sitting and staring intently at me, as if waiting for a command, or food. “Looks like he was crossed with a fruit bat with those ears,” I laughed and at that he barked at me, seemingly with indignation, and then took off through the fence and disappeared in the bush. ( re read part 1 )

“Do you think they might want to get rid of that one?” I asked Al as “big ears” vanished into the scrub.

Why did I bother with that question? I certainly did not drive all that way looking for a dog. I wanted a 3/4 inch adjustable reamer, an object of beautiful steel precision. Besides, I had absolutely nothing for a dog. And, the cost of keeping a dog was...well…expensive! My dear Mother reckoned my Father spent more on his dog’s vet fees than both of them did on doctors—and they were both in their eighties.

I grew up in a small rural community in the hills of New Zealand. My early life was shrouded in mist and the ever-present wind that pummeled our hilltop community and we loved every wet windy second. So much so that even today, all these decades later, my definition of a perfect day is a misty drizzly soggy one where I can snuggle down and take life off the hook and feel perfectly justified in being a sloth.

As kids, we roamed the paddocks, built campfires and fought incredible wars.