Senate Inquiry, Hearing Program 4th Nov 2011

[Kharon]

Why is this Senate Inquiry important?

The journey across the Styx has been made by many, I hear many tales and to this day I can feel for those who were, on fate's whim torn from their life early. There is little that can be done, it has been a part of life since the dawn of time. I think that human kind has developed over the millennia a grudging acceptance and self preservation system for dealing with sudden, unexpected death. It's not a perfect system, and nowhere near any sort of fun; but, as there is in reality nothing which can be done; those left behind must struggle through as best they may. I can deal with that, as I can deal with the philosophy that will not allow an animal to suffer, it is and will remain one of the very unpleasant, harsh realities associated with our very existence.

I have noted over a number of adult years that those left behind, wondering; more easily (for wont of better) accept a sudden death when the reason can be 'understood'. Many years ago I lost a good friend during a 'difficult' climb; his parents and all who knew and valued that life were gutted but it was 'clearly defined'; fate had taken a hand and although the road ahead was, for a while rocky, there was at the end of it a reluctant acceptance, made easier because a tangible 'reason' had been defined. Since the first, I have now attended many funerals, pilots in the majority of cases; and, provided the 'crutch' of a defined reason was available, acceptance of sudden death was eventually achieved. None of this is a stroll in the park, it's tough stuff this harsh reality. There are many learned tomes written by clever folk explaining the very human process of "getting over it", which do not reduce the pain, erase the anguish or lessen the guilt, but do seem to provide a form of logic which can be of some assistance, should Grandpapa not be available.

I have noted, there is very little to aid those who cannot find an 'acceptable' reason for a sudden death and are obliged to seek one, as best they may. Take Shane's road, his beloved daughter Sally killed in an accident, as an intelligent parent to assuage grief a reason was sought and had the accident been caused by 'an act of the gods' or any tangible, comprehensible reason, then Shane would bury his dead, do his grieving and move on, with a part of him always missing a beloved child. In trying to discover the reason why and arrive at an acceptable understanding, the intelligent part of SU discovered that the death could have been prevented, that the investigation was compromised, the regulator was quite happy shuffle off their part of the blame and that the insurers would happily use any or all excuses to save a few bob. Fury generated out of natural grief and anger, fed by pain created the iron will and determination to expose, what has now been proven to be a system populated by some who are devoid of any form morality and live, happily disconnected from reality. The rest is, as they say, history. History does repeat and now Samantha Hare joins the ranks of those who had enough to deal with before discovering what lay in the murky depths.

It is not possible to gauge what the response will be from the Wilson family, after the Coroner has struggled through the Canley Vale hearing and attempted to winnow truth from the dross. A good bet would be they end up following the Urquhart trail; the road to perdition. Why ?? oh, that's easy the ATSB report is, I believe flawed, bereft of truth, technically imperfect and has been severely influenced by the same vested interests which have caused so much additional heartache for others left behind. I'll leave this small twiddle here, with two question which do require and will have answers: were CASA made fully aware by 12 months (almost to the day) that an accident of this type was imminent, the reasons why it was imminent and how to prevent that accident??. What did CASA do with that knowledge??.

My apologies for the morbid post: but listening to Rod Lovell and knowing his story; watching and listening to Samantha Hare and knowing the story, listening the Shane Urquhart and knowing the story, knowing Ziggy Chick (get well soon) and her story; anticipating Canley Vale; then following the Senate Inquiry hoping all the while that some assistance for those damaged by the system like Quadrio and Barrier will result: has dampened my SOH somewhat. But there: no doubt I'll get over it and more easily than I should.

Selah.