Greetings to all PVA members. I hope you all had an enjoyable and relaxing holiday season. Here we are early in the New Year… 2008.

We originally started our campaign to get a health study of the sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans in October 2002. This is the year of deliverance!! 2008!!

Other things have been delivered in the meantime, amongst them our second grand-daughter.

The new Minister for Veteran’s Affairs, Mr. Alan Griffin, called his first meeting regarding the health study for 14th December. I was due to attend on the PVA’s behalf, however that day my daughter started labour. She had an emergency caesarian section on the 18th December. A healthy but very small (33 week gestation) girl was delivered.

All are doing well. But, I missed the meeting! ....As all mothers amongst us will agree one “in labour daughter” rates higher than one “Labor Minister”!!

The report I received from those who attended the meeting was very favorable. Within a short space of time since the Election, Mr. Griffin has been extremely proactive with regard to the rapid progression of the health study.

The Partners of Veterans Association of Australia would like to express our gratitude to the Minister for Veteran Affairs, Alan Griffin, for his continued support for the study of the health of sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans.

At the meeting, the Minister acknowledged much work was being achieved by the Department of Veteran Affairs towards the study’s commencement.

Discussions were held as to the makeup of the Consultative Forum and how members of the veteran community should be included. It was agreed that those members chosen, should contribute and not be token appointees. An interesting point bought up by Professor Peach was that the members of this Consultative forum be given lessons on the role of a consultative forum representative.... An excellent idea, most felt.

In late February, the Minister released a Discussion Paper.  I hope all of you with a computer will have been able to look at it. He talked about ways of progressing the health study and is keen to get input from the veterans, through their Ex-Service Organisation groups. By the time this edition of P.V.A. News comes out, he will already have received many submissions.

The next step will be deciding the formation of the Consultative forum.

There are many women in the PVA who would be excellent in this role. I personally feel if there are partners with appropriate skills and a desire to have input and a willingness to be a positive member of the Consultative Forum, then you should send expressions of interest to the National President, Narelle Bromhead.

 

I am the PVA National Children’s Health spokesperson, but that can always change if there is another partner out there with the passion I had at the start of this long journey.

These groups of studies will take about 8 years to complete and that is a long time for a single person to remain on a Consultative Forum. Again, just my view, but I would think it would be a good idea to canvas the possibility and practicality of changing members at stages.

That’s all for now folks!!
Cheers...Sue Parker