WAR WIDOWS GUILD OF AUSTRALIA
The Hon. Dr MARLENE GOLDSMITH [10.45 p.m.]: I draw to the attention of honourable members the exhibition that is currently on display in the fountain court of Parliament. It is by the New South Wales branch of the War Widows Guild of Australia. It is an exhibition of the guild’s activities, advocacy and memorabilia from 1946 to 1998. It will be open until 2 July, so it has only two more days to run. The exhibition is staffed by war widows from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. each day. The exhibition celebrates the history of the guild, which is most interesting indeed; it is something that everyone should be aware of. It reminds us how far
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we have come as a society in taking care of those who have earned assistance, particularly the widows of those who sacrificed their lives to protect Australia and enable it to keep its freedom.
In 1946 the war widow's pension was nowhere near enough for a mother and children to live on. So began the war widows craft shop in Rowe Street Sydney, where the widows were able to sell their crafts. In other words, they had to supplement their pensions by selling handcrafts in that stall to get enough to live on. Under the expert guidance of Una Boyce as secretary from 1961 until 1989, and Margaret Feeney for the past nine years, the guild has gained great respect in the community. It has grown to more than 15,000 members. Advocacy has always been a priority in its commitment to protect the interests of war widows. Advice and counselling is available to all war widows, and a friendship room at head office is staffed by members.
At a special meeting in May the guild changed from an incorporated association to a company limited by guarantee. Six war widows were elected to the board and three external directors were appointed. Housing has been built in Sydney suburbs and on the central coast. There are 206 one-bedroom units. The staff includes a welfare and aged-care worker and housing and information workers. The guild works in members’ interests and has had a close liaison with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Long gone are the days when a widow lost her pension for having a man stay overnight. Pensions were quickly restored by the government of the day following personal representation by Jessie Vasey to the Prime Minister’s office. A politician claimed that war widows were flappers who married boys going to war, as they knew they would be killed and the widows would have pensions for life. That is absolutely extraordinary. Many other such stories form part of the exhibition. The guild’s motto is:
We all belong to each other,
We all need each other.
It is in serving each other and in
sacrificing for our common good
that we are finding our true life.
This is a most comprehensive exhibition. Anyone who is interested in the history of Australia and the period since the Second World War would benefit enormously by looking at it. It is a good reminder of how poorly war widows were originally treated. That is something we must never forget. Those who gave their lives in World War II made the ultimate sacrifice. The sacrifice by those who lost the men they loved and who in many cases remained widowed and bereaved for life must not be underestimated either. The destruction caused by war can be truly terrible. We must never forget that it is through those sacrifices that Australia has been able to maintain its freedom. I commend the War Widows Guild for its important work in this State and I congratulate it on the splendid exhibition.