Vietnam Veteran's Living Memorial Recognition
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As a Vietnam Veteran and unconditional supporter of this petition, I provide the following information regarding the reasons for this petition. I have authored this petition on behalf of a group of Australian Vietnam Veterans who are being grossly and unfairly ignored.
The prime mover of the action is Don Tate, and I shall now relate the details of the petition from his point of view.
My name is Don Tate and I am a T&PI (Totally and Permanently Disabled) Australian Vietnam Veteran (ex 4RAR; D&E Platoon 9RAR Army number 1201907) and was wounded in action on 19th July, 1969. I was hospitalised for more than two years at Military Hospital, Yeronga, Queensland (Australia) and remain severely disabled.
This matter is not about my disability, but I mention it because I feel that it is important to clearly establish my bona fides in order that you may support this petition with a clear understanding about who is requesting your support.
I come to you with the following matter, so that whoever reads it might pass it on to others, that someone might assist me somehow.
This matter deals with the refusal by the Shellharbour City Council situated on the Southern Coast of State of New South Wales in Australia, to acknowledge the efforts of the local Vietnam Veteran Community in the development of a natural memorial in the form of the planting of 230 trees to shade and beautify a local outdoor sporting venue.
After having submitted a total plan, including all environmental impact statements, for the development of the surrounds of the local sporting field in the Shellharbour City Council region, Council approval was obtained for the project. Indeed, the City Council donated 12 trees and the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs made a grant of $2,000 towards the project.
With the assistance of 6 other local Vietnam Veterans and their families, a total of 230 trees have now been planted around the oval. Despite my disabilities, I personally planted 160 of those trees.
These Veterans and their wives (and two grandchildren) planted the trees as a community project to honour Australias commitment in Vietnam. I was the President of the particular cricket club that occupied the oval at the time, but I had some difficulties with the club curator, Brian Dunham, Mayor Cec Glenholmes, and the General Manager of the Council, Brian Weir.
After the trees were planted, I submitted a request to Council for their permission to erect a plaque stating that The surrounds and trees around this oval was the vision of Don Tate, President of The Rail Cricket Club 1997-2000, and the trees were planted by local Vietnam Veterans as a community project in recognition of the service of community members in the Vietnam War. The names of the men and women who planted the trees were to be added to the plaque.
On the assumption of approval, Major General Peter Cosgrove (now General and Australian Chief of the Defence Forces) was invited to unveil the plaque. He graciously accepted the invitation.
BUT the Shellharbour Council denied permission for the erection of the plaque and, of course, I was compelled to tell Major General Cosgrove of the cancellation of the ceremony.
The Council accepted all the work that was done, but will not acknowledge the efforts of the local Vietnam Veterans. Ironically, just 200 metres away, 2 trees were planted by the Chilean Boy Scouts, and permission was granted for a plaque to be installed on a rock at the site.
I have taken the matter to all the Councillors, and received support from just one member, Michael Smart. The other members seem to care nothing about the project, the efforts made, or the results. It seems apparent that none of them has the courage to stand up to the Mayor or the General Manager, both of whom are decisively against recognition of the project. Of interest is that not one of the Councillors is a veteran, and neither is the General Manager.
Councils official position is that they are planning a memorial in the town centre, for all veterans and therefore the efforts of Vietnam Veterans at the cricket ground do not require recognition.
I ask you, of the International Veterans Community to join with me in signing this petition so that it may be made clear to the Mayor and Councillors of the Shellharbour City Council that no longer will we Vietnam Veterans be satisfied with the lack of acknowledgement and respect that our service deserves. After all, we did not give our lives, our health, and our youth - it was taken from us.
By the planting of these trees, we had hoped to leave a growing and living legacy for the future; a legacy that will enable Vietnam Veterans to be remembered as builders of our beloved country in the true tradition of our Anzac forebears.
We demand that the Shellharbour City Council rescind the previous decision to disallow the erection of a plaque.
We demand that the Coucil recognise the efforts of local Vietnam Veterans, led by Don Tate, in the establishment of a living memorial to honour Vietnam Veterans by the dedication of an appropriately inscribed plaque. Said plaque is to be of a design that is completely satisfactory to those Veterans who participated. Further, we strongly advocate a suitable dedication ceremony, with publicity appropriate to the undisputable worthiness of occasion, to be disseminated in a timely manner that will enable other Vietnam Veterans, the opportunity to travel to the location to support, participate and witness the said ceremony.
The prime mover of the action is Don Tate, and I shall now relate the details of the petition from his point of view.
My name is Don Tate and I am a T&PI (Totally and Permanently Disabled) Australian Vietnam Veteran (ex 4RAR; D&E Platoon 9RAR Army number 1201907) and was wounded in action on 19th July, 1969. I was hospitalised for more than two years at Military Hospital, Yeronga, Queensland (Australia) and remain severely disabled.
This matter is not about my disability, but I mention it because I feel that it is important to clearly establish my bona fides in order that you may support this petition with a clear understanding about who is requesting your support.
I come to you with the following matter, so that whoever reads it might pass it on to others, that someone might assist me somehow.
This matter deals with the refusal by the Shellharbour City Council situated on the Southern Coast of State of New South Wales in Australia, to acknowledge the efforts of the local Vietnam Veteran Community in the development of a natural memorial in the form of the planting of 230 trees to shade and beautify a local outdoor sporting venue.
After having submitted a total plan, including all environmental impact statements, for the development of the surrounds of the local sporting field in the Shellharbour City Council region, Council approval was obtained for the project. Indeed, the City Council donated 12 trees and the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs made a grant of $2,000 towards the project.
With the assistance of 6 other local Vietnam Veterans and their families, a total of 230 trees have now been planted around the oval. Despite my disabilities, I personally planted 160 of those trees.
These Veterans and their wives (and two grandchildren) planted the trees as a community project to honour Australias commitment in Vietnam. I was the President of the particular cricket club that occupied the oval at the time, but I had some difficulties with the club curator, Brian Dunham, Mayor Cec Glenholmes, and the General Manager of the Council, Brian Weir.
After the trees were planted, I submitted a request to Council for their permission to erect a plaque stating that The surrounds and trees around this oval was the vision of Don Tate, President of The Rail Cricket Club 1997-2000, and the trees were planted by local Vietnam Veterans as a community project in recognition of the service of community members in the Vietnam War. The names of the men and women who planted the trees were to be added to the plaque.
On the assumption of approval, Major General Peter Cosgrove (now General and Australian Chief of the Defence Forces) was invited to unveil the plaque. He graciously accepted the invitation.
BUT the Shellharbour Council denied permission for the erection of the plaque and, of course, I was compelled to tell Major General Cosgrove of the cancellation of the ceremony.
The Council accepted all the work that was done, but will not acknowledge the efforts of the local Vietnam Veterans. Ironically, just 200 metres away, 2 trees were planted by the Chilean Boy Scouts, and permission was granted for a plaque to be installed on a rock at the site.
I have taken the matter to all the Councillors, and received support from just one member, Michael Smart. The other members seem to care nothing about the project, the efforts made, or the results. It seems apparent that none of them has the courage to stand up to the Mayor or the General Manager, both of whom are decisively against recognition of the project. Of interest is that not one of the Councillors is a veteran, and neither is the General Manager.
Councils official position is that they are planning a memorial in the town centre, for all veterans and therefore the efforts of Vietnam Veterans at the cricket ground do not require recognition.
I ask you, of the International Veterans Community to join with me in signing this petition so that it may be made clear to the Mayor and Councillors of the Shellharbour City Council that no longer will we Vietnam Veterans be satisfied with the lack of acknowledgement and respect that our service deserves. After all, we did not give our lives, our health, and our youth - it was taken from us.
By the planting of these trees, we had hoped to leave a growing and living legacy for the future; a legacy that will enable Vietnam Veterans to be remembered as builders of our beloved country in the true tradition of our Anzac forebears.
We demand that the Shellharbour City Council rescind the previous decision to disallow the erection of a plaque.
We demand that the Coucil recognise the efforts of local Vietnam Veterans, led by Don Tate, in the establishment of a living memorial to honour Vietnam Veterans by the dedication of an appropriately inscribed plaque. Said plaque is to be of a design that is completely satisfactory to those Veterans who participated. Further, we strongly advocate a suitable dedication ceremony, with publicity appropriate to the undisputable worthiness of occasion, to be disseminated in a timely manner that will enable other Vietnam Veterans, the opportunity to travel to the location to support, participate and witness the said ceremony.
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