Now a general service medal for TPNG?
15 May 2010
FORMER SCHOOL TEACHER Ronald Patton is
nothing if not diligent and persevering.
His goal is to seek Australian
government recognition of official [Administration] service in the then
Now this is a subject we’ve heard much about over the last two years in relation to the sometimes controversial and largely-thwarted Kiap recognition project.
But, despite these rather dampening experiences, Ron has shaped a greater objective: seeking recognition for all qualified people who served in the TPNG Administration prior to independence.
He’s worked up a 180-page justification – cheerfully admitting “this is rather too long [and] I am in the process of reducing it to a more appropriate size”.
Ron says: “It’s not a submission about how wonderful we were, but rather based on the existing precedents and existing procedures that have been applied to all relevant awards that could relate to TPNG service.”
“Simply put,” argues Ron, “the Australian administration of TPNG was performed under the auspices of the United Nations.
“The Australian Government had accepted
“As a result, the general civilian service performed by the expatriate Australian public servants was of an ongoing, prolonged humanitarian service to the people of the Territory as indicated by the advancement of the Territory and its people from 1949 to 1973.”
Ron goes on to discuss the “numerous precedents and procedures" within the existing Awards system that support recognition of such service.
“The Civilian Service Medal 1939-1945 is a starting point,” he says, “but it is not the only reference point. Indeed, the deeper I dug [in my research], the more examples I discovered of not only precedents but actual procedures that relate to not only the creation of civilian but also military awards.
“This is the key to the whole operation because our claim is not based on how wonderful we were but on the basis that there exists within the existing system quite a number of precedents and procedures that equally apply to the civilian general service performed in TPNG.”
In his delvings, Ron also came across an interesting submission that he says involves Kiaps, the AFP, State Police, Customs and Fisheries officers who are seeking the creation of an Australian Border Protection Medal that would be both current and backdated to 1945.
Ron promises to keep us informed of progress with his self-anointed and Herculean task.
Hi Ron Patton - At a much later stage, 2018-20, I have also been trying to find an avenue whereby those who served in the Administration of TPNG could have their service recognised.
There are many who, posted to remote and less developed areas like the Goilala, were often in harm's way but did their best in nation-building in addition to their duty statements.
Many worked side by side with kiaps (e.g. ol liklik dokta, didiman) and often 24/7. They should be recognised for their efforts.
To date, I have had very few responses from former TPNG public servants (age related?) but quite a number from family members who have asked because their parent or grandparent often said they did amazing things but no one remembers.
Are you able to suggest an avenue through which people can apply for recognition? I have an email for those interested to contact me on this matter.
[email protected]
But I would really appreciate your advice to my private email account. With best wishes.
[email protected]
Posted by: Bill Deer | 29 January 2021 at 09:02 PM
My father served with the 6 Division during the war and received a gunshot wound to the head up past Templeton's 2 for his troubles.
He had five medals and a lifetime of pain after the event.
I served with the Army for nine years, which included service in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and PNG, and I have six medals. But I feel none has the value of my father's.
Recently I attended the dawn service in Brisbane and saw many young soldiers including women with upwards of five medals.
In my opinion we are now devalueing medals by issuing them for anything, and to issue a medal to Kiaps because they have become a pressure group would be the thin end of the wedge.
Posted by: Trevor Shelley Snr | 05 June 2010 at 06:54 PM
What a great job Ronald Patton is doing to push for a gong for many Australians who before Independence served in the TP&NG. Whether they did a good job or not is not the issue here.
These decent hard working and very dedicated and committed Australians all collectively contributed in whatever ways possible to get my country ready by 1975 to be released from Australian administrative rule. It is and was a big task and I personally believe they desrve some sort of a recognition by both Australian and PNG governments today, lest we forget.
Some ex-kiaps who write a lot for this blog do not want a gong, well that's ok too. That's their personal choice, but they can not speak for the many Australians who must be recognised today for their service in the old TP&NG.
Keep up the great job, Ronald Patton.
Posted by: Papua Tauna | 22 May 2010 at 02:26 PM
OK all: I'll be in Brisbane late in June, all of July and from end of October onwards as things stand although things seem to happen suddenly and one is never quite sure what the next few months hold.
Irish Club is familiar to me - often been there with Dave Freyne ex DASF/DAL - my son who plays in an Irish band called 'TIS will be playing there on June 26th and I'll be there for that without fail.
Tel: 07 3488 2178 or [email protected].. Bed available for interstate visitors.
Posted by: John Fowke | 20 May 2010 at 08:14 AM
Great offer John, sounds like a commitment! I am still a working type here in Melbourne but can arrange some leave and a trip to Brisbane.
I was supposed to go up that way last year but had to pull out because of FIL's illness/death. Promised to catch up with Paul as he took over from me at Aseki.
Tennis days are long gone but the big serve has got better as I have got older.
Let's organise something because I love drinking when someone else pays.
Regards all, Rossco
Posted by: Ross Wilkinson | 18 May 2010 at 09:10 PM
John: I accept this kind offer of a free beer. Hopefully others who are in Brisbane and make comments will take up your offer, eg, Paul Oates and Phil Ainsworth could attend.
Phil, now being a new committee member of the PNGAA and
also a member of the Montevideo Maru committee.
It would be very nice to meet a fellow commentator face to face rather than by this method. Maybe we have more in common than we know?
The Irish Club is easily accessible - opposite the main entrance of the Brisbane Hilton Hotel in Elizabeth Street.
The food is not too great, but the atmosphere is pretty good.
I daresay John, that it is Catholic! So none of this talk: "I have no religious faith at all and believe that silly men in funny hats should be put down like rabid dogs". The Joeys Old Boys' Union (Hunters Hill, Sydney) of the Brisbane area have their get-togethers there and I don't want to be thrown out!
What about it Rosso, if you live in this area? Pindiu Tennis could be high on the discussion list! Over to you, John.
Posted by: Colin Huggins | 18 May 2010 at 06:27 PM
Rossco: I have no religious faith at all and believe that silly men in funny hats should be put down like rabid dogs.
However, with all the weaknesses you highlight, and I had similar encounters on occasion,it is nevertheless true that the mainstream Christian churches which maintain expatriate management(the Lutherans are entirely localised and the result is sadly and widely observable) and expatriate professional/operational staff do provide the only worthwhile medical, educational and violence-moderating services in all of PNG.
By the way, employers here seek out SDA religionists nowadays as rare spots of gold among the dross. The majority of SDAs are less violent, less inclined to resulting family disturbances, company-car-windscreen-smashing by enraged wives etc and mostly entirely free of habits of alcohol and drug consumption.
And to all of you, fellow gong-related-commentariat, on the odd chance that we all or at least some of us elive in Brisbane, where I normally live, I'd like to shout you all a beer or two....maybe the Irish Club?
Posted by: John Fowke | 18 May 2010 at 03:56 PM
Well Rossco you still have a whacking tennis serve! Verbal rather than physical!
I still think that the linesmen at Pindiu, mostly kiaps, were a bit biased in judgement back in 1969! I'll put it down to the fact that Negrita was the cause. Of course had we had more education people there, the line calling would have favoured the opponent - moi!
The main thing about this all was that we were for a very short time able to get together for some form of enjoyment - I always looked forward to the annual Finschhafen Ball, Butaweng waterfall BBQ and the tennis matches at the 'club', and of course the movie night when everything went wrong with the projectionist, namely the one and only Jack Smith!
The film always went wrong at a vital stage, the lights were turned on, the bar came into action, Jack cursed, we booed, the movie was restarted and we resumed our seats. Ah yes funny days.
The main thing is regarding this issue is whether we deserve a medal for recognition. Well, I think, the outstation kiaps certainly should - mainly because on all outstations the kiaps opened the area and were there first before any education post was established, or any other department moved in.
Posted by: Colin Huggins | 18 May 2010 at 03:09 PM
Sorry John, but your mention of the mainstream christian churches leaves me cold. In my near 14 years in the country in a variety of locations, I found that for every one "decent" missionary type, there were a hundred who were narrow-minded, bigotted, exploiters of the villagers.
Many of them, the lay workers, were up there for just as good a time as we had. The ordained ones were just as bad - sanctimoniously pissed a lot of the time!
I used to quietly chuckle when the same group of villagers would turn up at the Saturday services for the Seventh Day Adventists and get their free lunch and then rock up to the Sunday services for the Catholics and get another free meal.
I would get outraged when hearing of the extortion methods used by the Lutherans when patrolling through areas collecting their annual "tithe". And so on....
And yes, John, I got pissed too and enjoyed it. And played tennis at Pindiu and was thankful for a little field break and glad that those public servants, colleagues of mine and others had built the court. A weekend of fun and frivolity amid the 21 months before we could take our leave.
But if a medal comes through I will be first in line, whether it's the kiap version or this one, I will take it.
Why? Because I think there were many times when I did so much more than what my job description said I was to do and I was put into positions that other people weren't.
Posted by: Rossco | 18 May 2010 at 08:52 AM
I cannot decide who is correct. John or Phil. I agree with Phil on the point that, way back then, prior to independence - we were on many occasions "bored shitless" on our out-station locations.
That is probably why, in 1969, a tennis court was built at Pindiu. We worked the hours, and did our duties to the best of our abilities, so why shouldn't we have some type of fun? This little piece of information caused a bit of controvesery when it was printed on this blog!
Three TPNG deparments of those days were involved in the building this Lawn Tennis Club, where we held the Pindiu version of Wimbledon Championship tournament.
People from the Finschhafen out-stations were informed of this event and they arrived by air for a great weekend. Maybe they did drink Negrita, as John has suggested, but who cared? We all had a great time - it spared boredom and loneliness on out station postings.
Hardly worthy of some type of gong. We did our job under sometimes difficult conditions. Gongs for doing what was required in those days, is just a stupid idea. What's next? A gong for the best street sweeper?
As for pulling the plug, re money from Australia, I will not step back one step, until there is a new, viable and accountable government in PNG.
It is now up to the people of PNG to do something to get things straight - pontifications from ex-Admin persons from Australia are as useless as tits of a stud bull.
Regards, Einstein [thanks for the accolade!]
Posted by: Colin Huggins | 17 May 2010 at 07:21 PM
I think I agree with John here. All that PNG means to many Australians who worked there pre-independence is a good time. A bit like the memory of losing your virginity.
Maybe it's necessary to go back there to really appreciate the country. If you ask a lot of people have they been back they look at your with incredulous eyes and say, "Are you kidding - it's too bloody dangerous".
One of my most enduring memories of the TPNG was the crushing boredom of manning isolated patrol posts.
Can you get a gong for being bored out of your brain?
Posted by: Phil Fitzpatrick | 17 May 2010 at 05:41 PM
A murrain upon all dim-witted ex-admin functionaries who so shamelessly seek a gong to commemmorate their largely mundane and repetitive role in the Terrtory of P&NG and later.
Put your miserable hands in your pockets and donate something to one or another of the mainstream Christian churches which alone maintain productive, viable health and education services to tertiary level in the sad mess which
- inevitably (note you crap-for-brains gong-seekers) - is the PNG of today, tomorrow and the next two generations.
You don't change a society like this within ten or twenty Negrita-swigging years, my little brothers. And it surely ain't going to sink just beacause the Einstein-like Colin Huggins says "pull the plug on them."
They are currently our firm friends and it behoves us to maintain this relationship through the storm-tossed, spring-roll-and-chop-suey-consuming century which lies ahead of us.
They need our help, not our reflection upon our largely-imaginary past glory as minor Admin salarymen.
Posted by: John Fowke | 17 May 2010 at 04:30 PM
Thank you, Ron. Excellent. Some acknowledgement of the [major] part of my 23 years which was on government service would be nice for my descendants to relate to.
As my promised Independence Medal was never awarded [removed from the list by a late staffer of Minister Kiki] it would be a tangible memento for them [apart from their PNG genes].
Keep up the good work and keep us posted.
Posted by: Jaymz | 15 May 2010 at 10:13 AM