Tess Lawrence is a broadcaster, journalist advocate and specialist in ethical media services and crisis management and consultant in media strategy, contentious multi-cultural, interfaith, human rights and issues of injustice.
She has taught at a number of institutions, including Deakin University in Ethics and New Reporting and is a forensic researcher and analyst (communications) and implemented, underwrote and directed the campaign seeking santuary for the surviving Iraqi soldiers responsible for the rescue of Australian hostage Douglas Wood.
She has the distinction of travelling around Saudi Arabia sans a male chaperone and sought sanctuary in ‘ the empty quarter ‘ in the company of the bedu who protected her from regime spies as she spent time in the desert after the first Gulf War. She was nonetheless arrested three times by the religious police. She remains a defiant ‘ adulte terrible ‘ and is a passionate advocate of citizen journalism and believes it to be an authentic voice of the journalist as witness.
She is in awe of the young hearts and minds of the pan Arabist children of the revolution.
She is about to launch a campaign for journalist Julian Assange to be the next Dr Who.
She is addicted to English Mars bars and loves her Aunty Audrey to bits.
Although a lapsed Catholic, she still lights candles in memory of her beloved Boxer dogs Bunyip and Gumnut. She is besotted with Australian marsupials and unashamedly incorporates words such as ‘ cobber ‘ and ‘ drongo ‘ in her political reports and analyses.










5 Comments
You reminded me of my young days when I was around 13 years old. I spent many days riding my push bike into the desert outside Heliopolis, Egypt. I too befriended the beduins and visited them regularly. I was fascinated with their culture. I never told my parents about these encounters. They would have been horified.
Dear George3018. Please tell me more about yourself. I am intrigued by
what you say. Maybe we should start a club !
Tess Lawrence
Hello Tess,
The following is taken from The Electoral Backgrounder.
Relevant provisions of the Commonwealth
Electoral Act 1918.
(Dated April 2010)
Electoral bribery
6. S ection 326 of the Act provides that a person cannot
ask for, receive or obtain, or give or confer, any
property or benefit with the intention of influencing
the vote or candidature of a person at a federal
election. The electoral bribery offence does not
apply to declarations of public policy or promises
of public action.
7. T he maximum penalty for a contravention of s. 326
is $5000 or imprisonment for two years, or both.
Now think of what happened during the 17 days leading up to the Gillard Govt taking power.
I think they are all guilty.
Good grief they have managed to WASTE millions on HEALTH by avoiding that nasty little subject called BIOLOGY, and they did it without the use of TERMS of REFERENCE they just ignored it completely, but that was the problem with the DUNT report right from the beginning, they just were not interested in the biological aspects that effected veterans mental health. Lets face it we don’t want to mess up a great racket by bringing real science into it do we?
I know I tried and I know others did also, and how do they get away with this CONTRIVED DECEPTION, well they say the study is about the psychological result and treatment of the condition ONLY! “NOT THE REAL CAUSE.” How quaint just like a Royal Commission to ensure no blame can be laid at the government or departments door. So the stage is now set to WASTE billions more on what has been known and admitted as a WASTED APPROACH and FAILED TREATMENT PROTOCOLS for decades.
Mean while the real problem of Allostatic Overload, while now getting some LIP service remains largely ignored and unpublished.
Mac
PS Please check where you are or aren’t on the address list before responding.
Syd McLeod
87 Edison Street
Wulguru Q 4811
Australia
Ph: 61 07 47781976
Mob: 0400193552
Skype: sydmcleod
Email: sydneymcleod@bigpond.com
Web: http://www.allostaticoverload.com/
—– Original Message —–
From: DVA Mailing List
To: minister-media@dva.aaa.net.au
Sent: Friday, November 25, 2011 10:21 AM
Subject: Snowdon Media Release: VETERAN MENTAL HEALTH REPORT RELEASED [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Mailing List
Friday, 25 November 2011
VA103
VETERAN MENTAL HEALTH REPORT RELEASED
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon, today released an independent report which reviewed an element of mental health programs and services available to the veteran community.
“The mental health and wellbeing of our returned servicemen and women is a priority, and this review is one way we can ensure that current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) members, and their families, are receiving the best support available now and into the future.
“The Australian Government is investing $93 million over four years in a Mental Health Reform Program across both Defence and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), to ensure appropriate support is available to those who need it most.
“Current and former members of the ADF have access to a broad range of mental health support and services through public and private hospitals, consultant psychiatrists, counselling through the VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service, community psychology services and PTSD group programs,” he said.
The key findings of the Review of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Mental Health Group Treatment Programs, identified the effectiveness of PTSD group treatment programs.
Mr Snowdon said that PTSD programs had been successful and achieved strong outcomes that are comparable with, if not exceed, outcomes achieved internationally.
The report looked at satisfaction data from 2008–09 on surveys from veterans who had participated in the programs which showed that more than 97 per cent were satisfied or very satisfied with the programs.
The report also highlighted the success of the PTSD Group treatment programs funded by DVA.
Across all measures from entry to nine months follow-up, the group treatment programs resulted in statistically significant changes for participants on the overall reduction of PTSD symptoms, improvement in perceived quality of life, improvement in family relationships, reductions in anger and reductions in symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The report delivers on a 2009 recommendation made by Professor David Dunt as part of the Independent Study into Suicide in the Ex-Service Community.
“This review, along with other recent studies such as the Australian Defence Force Mental Health Prevalence and Wellbeing Study released last month, adds to the wider mental health picture,” Mr Snowdon said.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing study has provided foundations for the development of the 2011 Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which is an integral part of the Mental Health Reform program initiated by the Dunt review.
The strategy is specifically aimed at providing a solid foundation for good health and wellbeing within the ADF, and to ensure services targeting mental health care are promoted and available.
The strategy addresses seven immediate priority areas and will provide a blueprint for the 2012–2015 Mental Health Action Plan to be developed in consultation with the single services and key stakeholders.
Mr Snowdon said the independent review was conducted by the Centre for Military and Veterans Health with the support of DVA.
“The review made recommendations which are currently being considered.
“The Australian Government is committed to ensuring appropriate, accessible, efficient, accountable and evidence-based mental health care for the veteran and ex-service community,” he said.
A copy of the report is available on the DVA website – http://www.dva.gov.au/health_and_wellbeing/research/Pages/PTSDGroupTreatmentReport.aspx
Media inquiries: Minister Snowdon: Alice Plate 0400 045 999 or 02 6277 7820
Department of Veterans’ Affairs Media: 02 6289 6203
——————————————————————————–
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please contact the sender and delete all copies of this email.
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Dear MACSAM, thank you for posting this important comment and it’s good to open up this area for discussion.
It would be fab if you could also post the same comment on the Diggers versus the Gillard
Government story, as well.
Thanks for the contact details too and the links as well. We need to openly discuss all aspects and opinions.