Malta calling: Minister Tonio Borg has finally given us the dates of the third Maltese Abroad Convention to be held between the 15 and 18 March 2010 at the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry in Valletta but Joseph Muscat, the Leader of the Opposition has stole his thunder. It is believed that the Leader of the MLP will visit the Maltese communities in Australia during February 2010. The first two conventions, which I attended where orgainised by the Emigrants Commission and held in 1969 and 2000. The 2010 Convention will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry is offering financial assistance and has called for expressions of interest from Maltese living abroad by the 15th December 2009.

Anzac spirit: John Aquilina MP, the Leader of the House and Member for Riverstone, NSW Legislative Assembly, on the 30 October 09 spoke in the NSW Parliament about the Anzac Memorial to be built at Argotti. He said that it might sound somewhat unusual but as he understands it, outside of Turkey, and except in Australia and NZ there are no other Anzac Memorials in the world. More than 4,000 wounded solders were evacuated from Gallipoli and hospitalized in Malta. 201 members of the Australian Imperial Forces and 72 members of the NZ Expeditionary Force are buried in Malta. It is indeed disgraceful that the Governments of both NZ and Australia are not financially supporting this venture headed by Nicholas Bonello OAM JP. It would be ideal if this Monument is unveiled during the 2010 Convention.

Well done Fred: The history of Australia has been written in the Maltese language in a book launched recently in Sydney. The author, Alfred Fenech OAM, BA. the current President of the Maltese Community Council of NSW and former Hon. Commercial Consul for Malta in NSW told me that he wrote it for two reasons. For the community to be better informed about their adopted country and the second to have material available in our native language to the Maltese radio programmes and students of the language. Alfred Fenech, the first Maltese graduate from the University of Sydney is indeed a living icon in the Maltese community. An effective leader, credible advocate and much respected in the area of migrants’ rights and responsibilities in the mainstream community.

Aussies in the war: The Australian PM, Kevin Rudd shared the Remembrance Day ceremony with the diggers in Afghanistan and pledged “long haul” commitment to the War in that country. The PM marked the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month by reading out the names of the 11 Australian who have died in this terrible conflict since it began in 2002. He said that the sacrifice was so that we prevail against the enemy that would otherwise give succor to the terrorists across the world. Australia has about 1,550 troops in Afghanistan. Most of them are situated in the restive southern province of Oruzgan where they are working to train local security forces.

Melbourne is best: Those living south of the border, no. no not the Mexicans but the people of Melbourne will no doubt be excited by the result of a recent Roy Morgan poll. Premier John Brumby immediately declared that Victorians were the envy of other Australians as Melbourne was voted as the most liveable capital in Australia. He said the survey, carried out in June, showed every Victorian should get credit for their willingness to get involved in large-scale events. The Victorian Government commissioned the survey. The Premier said, “What it shows is that we have got the liveability edge, whether you are talking about arts, whether you are talking about sport, whether you are talking about... romance. If you go back to the 1990s that was very different, where Sydney was miles ahead in all of these areas.'' Last week the Victorians paid $3 million to have Tiger Woods play golf in their city. He won the Australian Masters

The Forgotten Australians: The Australian Government has formally apologise to the Forgotten Australians and former child migrants at a special remembrance event in Canberra on Monday 16 November 2009. Forgotten Australians is the term used for those who as children grew up in institutions, orphanages and children’s homes, many suffering abuse and harsh treatment. The national apology follows on from the New South Wales Government’s healing service and memorial unveiling for Forgotten Australians held on 19 September 2009 in the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. The national apology reflects recommendations from three Senate Inquiries: Lost Innocents – Righting the Record (2001), Forgotten Australians: A report on Australians who experienced institutional or out-of-home care as children (2004) and the recent Lost Innocents and Forgotten Australians Revisited (2009). Paul Calleja and his committee, the C-MOM from Western Australia fought a long battle with the Government and church in Malta for an official apology. The best we have on record is a sort of a plaque on the footbath at the Valletta Waterfront that reads in parts “we regret any unintended consequences of child migration.” 310 child-migrants from Malta were taken to Australia Catholic orphanages between 1950 and 1965.

Is Australia a xenophobic nation? Facts will proof otherwise. According to leading expert Dr Katherine Betts as told to Paul Sheehan of the SMH, that the number of refugees or humanitarian cases admitted by the Howard Government was the highest of any Government in Australian history, other than a brief spike after the World War 2. The number of Muslims admitted to permanent residence was far higher during Howard years than during any other Government. From 1996 to 2006, the Muslim intake went up by 65%. Australia has the highest number of foreign-born residents of any large, advanced Western democracy. The proportion is almost one in four. For years, Australia has maintained one of the world’s largest per capita immigration intakes. The majority of arrivals have been non-Europeans. The ethnic Tamils who have illegally occupied the Australian custom vessel Oceanic Viking are demanding rights that do not exist under international law. They were captured in Indonesian waters.

* Until we meet again be kind to each other. lawdimech@optusnet.com.au