Victims Of Abuse In The Australian Defence Force

OFF THE WIRE
We've been quietly working on something for a few years and we where going to close them down and publish very soon.
Then this arrives outta the blue. Everyone, please go to this page. It fits exactly with a entire different mob we've been working on. So exactly, I pinched myself when I read the page.
These people need our support..
Trigger Warning
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Dear All,

Recently someone forwarded our email on Defence holding up claims from DVA for victims at Balcombe, Leeuwin and Nirimba.
One member forwarded it to one Allen Petersen who quite properly circulated as justification for a Royal Commission into abuse in the Australian Defence Force.
Unfortunately one person took affront and abused Allen Petersen and ourselves.
I think it is important from time to time to let you know what we have to put up with.
Also our response reflects the view of the committee.
Whilst views such as John Neenan’s exist within in and without Defence the abuse will continue!
I would like to ask you as fellow electors to raise this issue with your local Federal Members Of Parliament and ask for their help in quashing abuse by stamping out such views in Defence as displayed by Elector Neenan.
Yours Aye

Jennifer Jacomb
Ms Jennifer Jacomb
Secretary and Public Officer Victims Of Abuse In The Australian Defence Force Association Inc. A0059257W
jennifer@adfabuse.com

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Begin forwarded message:
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From: Jennifer Jacomb <jennifer@adfabuse.com>
Date: 22 November 2015 at 4:28:50 PM AEDT
To: JOHN NEENAN
Cc: Allen Petersen , Harry Cole, president@austarmyapprentice.org, secretary@austarmyapprentice.org, execdir@ada.asn.au, committee@adfabuse.com

Subject: Your Self Serving Email Re Child Abuse In The ADF
Dear Mr Neenan,
1. I did not have your email address until you sent your self serving email drivel.
2. I found your email most offensive, as Secretary and Public Officer for the Association for the Victims of Abuse In The Australian Defence Force I get to hear all of the stories including Balcombe.
3. This includes:-
a. The raping of minors with dogs
b. Gang Rape
c. Breaking of bones
d. Many other forms of abuse that if a natural parent did, they would be swooped on by Child Services, the Children removed and the “Parent" charged.
e. Abuse that Army lied to both Federal and State Parliaments saying it was “just boys being boys”!
Raping a minor with a dog is not playful boyish behaviour.
It was not the dog that was the animal in that incident but rather those who did it to the minor!
Yes they were convicted but only given 14 days in cells.
Do you really feel that this was appropriate for such a heinous crime, a crime that in civvy street would get you:-
i. 10 years,
ii. A listing on the Sex Offenders Register and
iii. An Extended Supervision Order to the Village of the Dammed at Ararat?
4. I can assure you that the victims of torture and abuse, be it at Balcombe or elsewhere do not have fond memories.
5. Nor are they few in number.
6. You say you “witnessed injustice and harsh treatment”.
What you fail to say is what you did about it.
By the lack of comment I can only assume that you did nothing!
By keeping quiet you made it easier for the abuse to continue. Your silence and conduct helped promote it. In many ways your lack of action makes you just as guilty as the abusers.
7. The legal case quoted was Geyer v Downs [1977] HCA 64; (1977) 138 CLR 91 (9 December 1977).
8. This judgement from the High Court lays down the liability and responsibility of a School Master or in this case Army for minors in their care.
If you have a problem with it, I suggest you take it up with the High Court Of Australia. I sure that will appreciate your input!
Their address is Parkes Place, Parkes ACT 2600.
9. You seem to have a disdain for lawyers and the law.
That is why the abuse in the ADF has been so bad and gone on for so long.
10. You and your self serving arrogant attitude is part of the problem – not the solution.
11. This disdain and contempt for the law, be it the Navy, Army or Airforce Acts as well as the various discipline Acts is why the abuse has got so bad and gone on for so long.
12. I remind you that as a member of the Armed forces:-
a. You were a servant of the Crown and
b. You served the Crown best by upholding the Constitutions and the Laws of the Parliaments of Australia.
c. Clearly by your attitude you have served the Crown very poorly!
13. As an Australian Taxpayer and Elector looking at your email, all I can say is “I want my money back!”
14. Finally if you want to engage in polite debate, we will always welcome that.
15. However, bombastic self serving, hallucinatory drivel as displayed in your email will not serve you or the debate well.
16. The Victims are not going away or giving up as much as you clearly desire it.
17. They cannot sue, for the most part, because of the cover up of the abuse by members of the ADF.
18. However, as a former member of the Senior Service, let me give you the response of another Sailor:-
“Surrender – I have not yet begun to fight!”
19. You should be ashamed of yourself for your contempt of the law and the plight of victims, especially those who were abused as minors.
Shame On You!
20. Also for the record, the word “subtended” refers to issues in Geometry or Botany. I suggest in future you might wish to consult the Oxford Dictionary before using a word – it will save you much embarrassment.
21. Better yet, before condemning victims and their supporters perhaps you would benefit from finding out the facts rather than shooting your mouth off.
22. To assist you in this I have attached the handbook on Abuse.
You will find in it a section on Defensive Reasoning.
You clearly have this dread social disease and you can use the handbook to rid yourself of it.
Your disgraceful email and this response will be put up on our Facebook Page for public comment and debate amongst Australian Electors.
Our Facebook Address is https://www.facebook.com/Victims-Of-Abuse-In-The-Australi…/…
Our Website is www.adfabuse.com
Have A Nice Day
Jennifer Jacomb

Secretary And Public officer

Ms Jennifer Jacomb
Secretary and Public Officer Victims Of Abuse In The Australian Defence Force Association Inc. A0059257W
jennifer@adfabuse.com

Disclaimer:
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the sender.
It is your responsibility to scan this communication and any files attached for computer viruses and other defects.
The sender does not accept liability for any loss or damage (whether direct, indirect, consequential or economic) however caused, and whether by negligence or otherwise, which may result directly or indirectly from this communication or any files attached. In any event, our liability is limited to the cost of re-supplying this communication.

On 19 Nov 2015, at 1:23 AM, JOHN NEENAN <j> wrote:
G’day,
I was a soldier and officer for 33 years, starting as an Army Apprentice at Balcombe between February 1950 and December 1952. In those three years I witnessed some injustices and harsh treatment from some individuals. Most of the staff and the Apprentice NCOs, however, were fine soldiers whose only “abuse” was directed towards making us good soldiers and proficient tradesmen. Soldiering can sometimes be a hard occupation, and the training has to be similarly hard to prepare for those hard times.
I can aver that of the over 7500 Army Apprentices turned out between 1948 and 1995, there are very few who are not proud to have been “Appies”. Almost without exception among the graduates, and even among the ones that failed to graduate, there remains an unshakeable esprit de corps.
The legalistic diatribe in the subtended email has the dead hand of a lawyer all over it. Now there’s a profession that has been guilty of abuse since time immemorial. As someone once said, there is more stolen by lawyers with brief cases than by bandits with guns.
Specify the abuses you claim, take them to court, or stop your incessant calumny and detraction of a Defence Force whose reputation is without peer in the modern world. Most of us who have served in it are very proud to have done so, and take exception to your constant attempts to denigrate that reputation.
How did my email address get into your address book? Please remove it; I don’t want any further association with you disgusting people.
John Neenan
From: Allen Petersen []
Sent: Wednesday, 18 November 2015 11:31 AM
To: Allen Petersen
Subject: PLEA FOR YOUR HELP! < DEMAND A ROYAL COMMISSION INTO ADF NOW. >
Importance: High
From:
Sent: Wednesday, 18 November 2015 7:58 AM
To: DefenceAndParliamentaryReps@aph.gov.au
Subject: PLEA FOR YOUR HELP
Importance: High
Please find below a copy of an email that has been sent to the Parliament and also to the Chiefs Of Defence, Secretary of Defence and Chiefs of Service today:
You talk about Defence and Service Values,
Is it about time you paid those values more than lip service.
These victims were children in Defence’s care.
Under the High Court Decision - Geyer v Downs [1977] HCA 64; (1977) 138 CLR 91 (9 December 1977):-
Stephen J
“5 The duty which a schoolmaster owes to his pupil arises from the relationship between them
and its temporal ambit will be determined by the circumstances of the relationship on the
particular occasion in question. Children stand in need of care and supervision and this their
parents cannot effectively provide when their children are attending school; instead it is those
then in charge of them, their teachers, who must provide it. So it was that Winneke C.J., in
Richards' Case (1969) VR, at pp 138-139 said of a schoolmaster that:
"The reason underlying the imposition of the duty would
appear to be the need of a child of immature age for
protection against the conduct of others, or indeed of himself,
which may cause him injury coupled with the fact that,
during school hours the child is beyond the control and
protection of his parent and is placed under the control of the
schoolmaster who is in a position to exercise authority over
him and afford him, in the exercise of reasonable care,
protection from injury."
6. It is for schoolmasters and for those who employ them, whether government or private
institutions, to provide facilities whereby the schoolmasterly duty can adequately be
discharged during the period for which it is assumed. A schoolmaster's ability or inability to
discharge it will determine neither the existence of the duty nor its temporal ambit but only
whether or not the duty has been adequately performed. The temporal ambit of the duty will,
Geyer v Downs [1977] HCA 64; (1977) 138 CLR 91 (9 Dec... http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/HCA/... 2 of 11 24/08/2015 5:58 pm
therefore, depend not at all upon the schoolmaster's ability, however derived, effectively to
perform the duty but, rather, upon whether the particular circumstances of the occasion in
question reveal that the relationship of schoolmaster and pupil was or was not then in
existence. If it was, the duty will apply. It will be for the schoolmaster and those standing
behind him to cut their coats according to the cloth, not assuming the relationship when unable
to perform the duty which goes with it. (at p94).”
Why do you see the need to continue the abuse?
Problems are for solving, why don’t you stop harming victims further and just fix it!.... Jennifer Jacomb
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Dear Senator,
As we all know, Defence is not sorry about the abuse it has perpetuated but rather sorry that it has been caught out.
It continues to be recalcitrant and unrepentant!
1. HMAS Leeuwin, HMAS Nirimba and Apprentice School Balcombe have been identified as centres of child abuse and other abuse against children over the years through the many inquiries and the DART.
2. Defence’s Victims have been putting claims into the DVA to get the medical help they need.
3. Their files are now permanently on hold i.e. “in abeyance” because the DVA is waiting for Defence admitting blanket liability – as it should!
4. But Defence, like any child abuser, won’t fess up!
5. Defence had the responsibility of standing in as loco parentis. It did such an appalling job and failed in its legal responsibilities, that had it been a normal parent, the children would have been taken away from it for the safety of the children.
6. Unlike other institutions, Defence doesn’t have the integrity of meeting its obligations to its child victims.
These victims need your help.
I would like to respectfully ask that you contact Minister Payne and Chief Of The Defence and ask Defence to do the right thing, especially given the abundant evidence that it did the wrong thing.
Ask them to have Defence to fess up so that these claims can proceed.
That is the best Christmas gift for these victims.
Yours Respectfully
Jennifer Jacomb
Ms Jennifer Jacomb
Secretary and Public Officer Victims Of Abuse In The Australian Defence Force Association Inc. A0059257W
jennifer@adfabuse.com

This has been mass-distributed to ALL Aust Fed Politicians, 90% of Major Media, Some State Politicians, Foreign Embassies, Overseas Media, and Veterans and others within Australia and Overseas, AND ON TWITTER and other Social Media. DEMAND A ROYAL COMMISSION INTO ADF NOW. JW