Thursday, August 18

I heard this morning that 'Vietnamese authorities' have cancelled the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.  Disappointing for the thousands of people who have travelled there from Australia but not surprising, I suppose.  It's a big cheeky (and insensitive) to rub their noses in what, to them, was a crushing defeat.  Anzac Day on the Gallipoli Peninsula is different; we lost that battle so our commemoration there is about the dreadful loss of life.  Crowing about a victory while the Vietnamese look on is a whole different ball-game.

Harry Smith, the OIC at Long Tan was interviewed yesterday on radio.  Here's a man who has never forgotten.  Oblivious to political correctedness, he talked about looking forward to meeting 'the enemy' on friendly terms and having lunch with 'the enemy' and so on.  Last time I looked they are now our friends, but old habits die hard.

One of the good things about the TV coverage is that we are treated to multiple playings of the Redgum song, I Was Only 19.  This is one of the great anti-war songs, right up there with The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

I've resisted talking about the Census debacle but I have to repeat one comment I heard the other day.  Somebody on radio was saying: Mr Turnbull is making the job look so hard!  The on-going incompetence of some of his ministers, the constant niggling from the Abetz gang, and the attention-seeking of the cross-bench senators would make the task of getting up in the morning really hard.  It's certainly true that when the crew is off its game, things go wrong.