In response to the article in CCN452, Removal of (war) memorial divides Copacabana, I wish to clarify key facts of the case.
Central Coast Council’s improper decisions against me, as president of the Navy Veterans’ Welfare Association NSW (NVWA) need to be exposed and made transparent.
I have been a volunteer defence force veteran advocate for more than 32 years.
I have organised and conducted Anzac Day and other veterans’ communities’ services across Australia for the same period.
Last week the Deputy Commissioner (NSW), Department of Veterans’ Affairs, invited me to attend a forum to be chaired by the responsible minister.
Its aim is to improve processing of veteran entitlement applications.
In 2023, Council used up to 60 letters of complaint, allegedly from members of the Copacabana community, to make its decision that I was either an unfit or incompetent person to continue to conduct Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services at Copacabana.
Council also asserted that my delivery of the Anzac Day service in 2022 had failed a “review” of it.
This review, done in secret by an anonymous person(s), has never come to light.
Nor has the contents of the alleged 60 letters of complaint.
I was never given the right to know the nature of the complaints nor the right to defend myself.
The same holds true for the alleged “secret review” of the 2022 service.
Council also pushed aside a petition with more than 570 signatures, plus dozens of letters of support calling for the NVWA to be reinstated to conduct the Copacabana service.
(Council claims) it does not hold any records of complaints against me, including the “review”.
Several times I have requested Council provide me with the details of the secret complaints and the review; I even suggested the names of the complainants could be withheld.
I simply want to be treated fairly and have the right of reply to defend myself.
Council continues to deny me this right.
Email, Aug 29
Roque Hammal, Copacabana
This sounds bizarre. surely an hour of effort should clear this up. Why allow such a situation to fester in the community unnecessarily?
give the man a chance
Yep typical. Councillors running rough shot over the ratepayers. Nothings changed.
This whole saga needs to be settled in an amicable manner.
FOI should allow all claims made by council re. Complaints, be made public.
One person trying to bring community together against all odds. Not a fair go!
It is a basic human right in the Western World to have the right to defend oneself. This has been denied to this man whose history of involvement in veteran affairs, including the conduct of Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services stands. Who is exerting undue influence over Council’s decision-making? There are no fairies at the bottom of the garden, they all have identities and those staff involved in decision-making need to be made accountable. And worse, is Council’s improper decision making been driven by an element of racism by a small group within the Copacabana community?
Thanks Roque Hammal for your open letter…and for your long-standing and continued efforts in veteran’s affairs.
To echo other commentators’ points; transparency, accountability and due process are necessary to conclude this matter for as it stands and without transparency around accusations and complaints this has the hallmarks of anonymous character assassination and defamation…and clearly is not the Aussie way.