Dear Is Mise,

I think that you're trying to simplify a complex
situation. Let us not forget that Aborigines were
excluded from the rights of Australian citizens -
between 1901 to 1967. - Including the right to vote,
the right to be counted in a census, and the right
to be counted as part of an electorate. In addition
they were not subject to Commonwealth laws and
benefits in relation to wages and social security
benefits such as old age pensions, et cetera.

Control over all these matters remained in the hands of
state governments (except for the NT which was under
the Commonwealth Government). The result was that
specific conditions and regulations varied from state
to state.

Foxy,

48 years

G'day there IS MISE...

I was with a task force at the time, I was not actually posted on strength to the Bankstown LAC. I do recall an incident, in fact there were several nasty events there during the time I worked thereat, the specifics of which I don't know ? I led a squad, which formed part of the TF at that time. Our AOC extended from Wiley Park across to Greenacre, to Yagoona, linking with Burwood Police, then back down to Bankstown proper.

Believe me there was absolutely nothing wrong with the suburb, or the adjacent suburbs nearby, other than a certain bastard ethnic group within that demographic, who thought they'd taken it over ? I was a member of the original TRG, as was most of my squad, and there was enough work for us to keep us all very busy, with an abundance of OT, as a consequence of the number of HR warrants that were being executed at that time. Apparently it was all for nought, as the place is now completely over-run ?

Speaking of your cousin's husband:- A true story IS MISE ? A good mate of mine (we went through Redfern together, and he too was a detective sergeant), he was so fed up with the job ! During the last six months or so before he was eligible for early retirement, he'd spend most of his spare time back at the Station, conscientiously calculating all his retirement benefits ?

He'd carefully calculate his all his unused rec leave, unused long service leave, maximum (allowable) 'lump sum' of his super, calculating his police fortnightly pension, paying off all his remaining debts, buying a brand new boat with new twin 75hp on the back, paying off the remainder of his mortgage on his magnificent retirement home in Batemans Bay. etc etc etc !

Sounds a bit like your cousin's (detective) husband, at the local Bankstown CIB ? As you'd correctly opined, had he been shot and injured, well he'd be very 'dark' indeed, particularly with the crook that did the deed !?

Dear Nathan,

I remember reading the autobiography of the
Aboriginal activist Margaret Tucker, "If Everyone
Cared," a few years ago. At the end of it she
gave a quote about the keys of a piano - something
to the effect that in order for beautiful music
to be made - you need both the white keys and the
black working together.

It was a good point.

o sung wu,

That sounds like him, he retired down the South Coast and just before he went I visited them and he had a very nice boat.
He was a keen swimmer, every day in the pool.

Ring any bells?

I knew that area like the back of my hand as I started my working life as a Call Boy (no we didn't do that!), on the Railway at Enfield Loco Depot.
Our job was to deliver job advice notices on day and afternoon shift and at night to wake drivers and firemen within a 2 mile radius of the depot, but this was often exceeded as required.
Very few phones in those days and enginemen didn't want one. to easy to reach!

I still have friends in Greenacre but they are slowly being convinced that somewhere else would be better.

Interestingly IS MISE, Greenacre was a pretty quiet suburb, with the only notable feature being the 'Twin Drive In' located at Chullora, where another large Railway establishment is or was operating. If I remember correctly ? Went to a job at Lloyd's piano's along Liverpool Road, fronting the back-end of the Drive-In, years ago now ? Gee, the old memory's struggling a bit, these days IS MISE ?