Miracles Australia Inc

Don Dale, behaviour and quality assurance

2016-07-30T14:56:00.002+10:00

July 2016 Update

Don Dale
Some Australians may not be aware of the failure of our juvenile justice system but after the 4 Corners program, the rest of the world sure is. As pictures and videos circulate in social media, news feeds and international press of the young offenders being subjected to the most horrific of traumatic events, we try to convince ourselves that the atrocities playing out on the screen are isolated cases restricted to Don Dale correctional facility and not a problem facing other facilities, this is not the case.

Although we have not included case studies that involve the level of depravity and abuse captured at Don Dale, the type of demoralizing and degrading treatment of the young offenders, according to the evidence base, is common in some juvenile justice settings. The inappropriate treatment of young offenders and some adults by law enforcement, custodial and corrective services, health workers and allied agencies is well documented.. In 1998 Miracles Happen released the first Miracles Report which highlighted the unacceptable treatment of youths and adults in holding cells and correctional settings and recommended that a team of appropriately trained advocates carry out visits as part of mechanisms to monitor quality assurance and ensure detainee well being. Over the years many custodial and holding settings have adopted monitoring systems that involve regular (non Government) Visitor inspections to monitor ongoing safety of detainees and that policies and procedures are adhered to. If the Federal Government is serious about getting to the bottom of the issue and changing the unacceptable treatment of young people, there needs to a broadening of the scope of the inquiry to include other detention and custodial settings, not just Don Dale.

Nova Peris
Recently Nova Peris provided an interview with a journalist which she cited Miracles Australia Inc., Paul Batman and Jacqueline Reid as being responsible for her demise as an Australian Senator. The article contained very few facts and it was what the article omitted to say that provided a platform for Nova Peris to once again mislead the Australian Public. In the spirit of moving on from unpleasant experiences, Miracles Australia Inc will not be commenting on the content of the Nova Peris article other than to say that the evidence does not support her version of events and shows that it was as a result of the way Ms Peris behaved and the choices she made whislt serving as an Austalian Senator that caused her demise and not as a result of the actions of others. Perhaps if Nova Peris had spent more of her time when a Senator for the Northern Territory in raising awareness and support for detainees in Don Dale, who were being terrorized and abused, instead of spending her time abusing, bullying and attempting to discredit 5 families, a community service organisation and two volunteer advocates; her time as an indigenous leader would have been better spent.

Moving on from past events
After so many hold ups, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel and although we were unable to complete the 2010-2015 Mental Health Awareness Initiative as planned, Miracles Australia Inc. will be rolling out some of the projects attached to the initiative, such as, releasing the Miracles Report 2016 and the e-Advocate service. It has been a long road and although there have been many bumps along the way that we are still recovering from, it has not dampened our determination to continue exposing gaps in systems and processes that cause unnecessary human suffering as a result of inferior quality assurance mechanisms.

Miracles Report 2016
This 2016 report includes several new case studies that are related to family law matters and domestic violence and also revisits several of the original case studies included in the 2012 Report by following the progress of the organisations involved in the case studies to see what changes have taken place, if any, since that time. Being able to measure the changes against the original case study containment and process map has provided an evidence base of material which supports the overwhelming advantage of implementing some type of critical containment methodology to reduce risk for organisations and individuals.

e-Advocacy
In 2015 Miracles Australia Inc. ceased our advocacy service with the intention of moving to an Internet based service. Part of the on line services include a reference base of short documentaries about the problems facing individuals using the legal system, providing tips, tricks and traps for others to reference who are facing the same type of issues. The documentaries were scheduled for production in 2014 but unfortunately we allowed a bully to interfere with our work. We have now moved past this and hope to have the material available in the near future.

High price paid for games played

2016-05-27T22:03:00.003+10:00

Senator Nova Peris announced she would be leaving federal politics this week. Her statement was accompanied by a procession of accolades from colleagues and supporters wishing her well and congratulating her on being a trail blazer and wonderful role model.

The reality surrounding Senator Peris' time in parliament however, is far from trail blazing, and her behaviour in no way meets the criteria for role model status. In fact, the evidence clearly indicates that Senator Nova Peris fails to meet even the basic of requirements for the position, particularly when it comes to contributing relevant and constructive information to senate committees or policy advice.

Prior to seeking the sympathy vote by crying on Bill Shorten's shoulder during National Sorry Day events, Peris showered herself with praise on her Face book page, on twitter and in the press; reminding Australians that she was a proud Aboriginal woman who had achieved a great deal whilst serving the people of the Northern Territory and... no one had the right to judge her. Senator Peris signed off her flatulent Face Book post with

'THANKS FOR THE CHEESE' .

Underneath Senator Peris' face book post was one from her husband Scott Appleton who also signed off his deluded perception of the senator's achievements with the same tag line 'THANKS FOR THE CHEESE' which translates as slang to mean

'THANKS FOR THE MONEY!

Ah ha! now there was the Nova Peris that we were all familiar with and the only statement ringing with truth from her words. Serving as a politician had nothing to do with Nova Peris wanting to contribute to improving the lives of indigenous Australians. It seems from Nova's own admission that it was always about the money for her... finding ways to feather her own nest and rort as many perks as possible whilst tapped into the Australian Taxpayer purse strings. Nova Peris' track record reveals a list of costly projects, government and privately funded, that Peris did not manage well or ceased contributing too when a more lucrative proposition was in her sights. Loyalty, dedication and integrity are not attributes that Nova Peris has presented whilst representing the Northern Territory in Parliament.

Both the Scott Appleton and Nova Peris posts, containing the sign off line
'thanks for the cheese', disappeared from Senator Peris' Face Book page today. Not sure what to say about that... maybe do a Pauline Hansen 'Please explain!' There are still many questions which relate to the Senator's time in Parliament that remain unanswered... and the events that led up to her leaving politics, although not forthcoming at present, may yet be revealed as more of the truth, exposing the Senator's true colours, seeps to the surface over time.

Inappropriate behaviour is inappropriate behaviour and has nothing to do with the colour of ones skin. The demise of Nova Peris is as a result of her unscrupulous behaviour being exposed and not because she is being discriminated against for being black. The public reaction to Peris' resignation, it seems, shows that many Australians are over Nova Peris drawing the race card every time the myth behind the person is exposed.

We can only hope that Nova Peris will take some time to reflect the past and implement some positive change to rebuild the many bridges that have been burnt along the way with friends, family members, colleagues and indigenous Australians.

July 2016 will mark the release date for the de-identified summary of the Miracles Report Volume 4 which is one year behind release due to crossing paths with Senator Nova Peris. The report includes the evidence and learnings from many advocacy cases mapped out over several years and provides evidence based strategies to facilitate a way forward in dealing with many of the issues that perpetuate human suffering and lead to violence, mental illness, suicide and drug and alcohol abuse.

When crying wolf is a dangerous game

2016-02-28T17:00:00.000+11:00

Having sat through the evidence of the hearing days for the A-Grade NRL football player Shaun Kenny-Dowall's domestic violence trial, we are amazed that ignorance abounds with members of the public as a result of a lack of integrity attached to the information that some media outlets provided to their readers... and continue to do so. The evidence attached to the case does not lie and when viewed in its entirety indicates that no domestic violence on the part of Shaun Kenny-Dowall, against Jessica Peris, daughter of Northern Territory Senator Nova Peris, ever took place. There was evidence produced however that Jessica Peris had been violent with Mr Kenny-Dowall and this was also the case in a matter with the alleged victim's last partner, who she also accused of domestic violence... Yet the court found at the time that it was Ms Peris who had been violent toward him. Peris and Kenny Dowall matter 1. There were no physical injuries on the victim and no prior claims of psychological trauma experienced by the victim 2. There was no medical evidence indicating the victim had sustained any injuries 3. There were no witnesses 4. The victim, when tabling her recollection of events made unfounded allegations under oath which the evidence clearly showed to be false 5. The claims of violence by the victim were retrospective and after the alleged attacks the victim asked the defendant to marry her in text messages, having first sent the defendant pictures of the flowers she required at her wedding, followed by a picture of the engagement ring she wanted, followed by a marriage proposal ... Kenny-Dowall rejected the proposal in his reply. It is noted that the victim asked the defendant to marry her only a few weeks after she alleged that he was a jealous control freak who was physically violent with her. 6. The thousands of text messages between Peris and Kenny-Dowall showed an array of colourful language between the two, but mostly from Peris to Dowall, with Dowall on occasions responding to the victims abusive texts. The evidence shows that Ms Peris sent similar abusive texts to her previous partner Jah Coe and made similar domestic violence claims against him in an attempt to stop him from seeing the child he has with Peris. The domestic violence allegations made by Peris' against her previous partner were practically identical to those Kenny-Dowall faced. Peris who was found to have defrauded centrelink whilst living with Kenny-Dowall also claimed Centrelink benefits she was not entitled to during her time with Jah Coe. Here are two sections of information recorded about the matter.

Outcome of court hearing for Jah Coe - Domestic Violence charges

Sections from Other side of the Fence available as free download

Jah Coe and Shaun Kenny-Dowall are victims of an extortion attempt by the same ex-partner and when they refused to pay up, both became targets of bogus domestic violence claims as a result of Peris' self serving agenda, which was to administer her personal vendettas.

Summary of Miracles Australia Inc. 2016 Report

Our latest report is soon to be released and was compiled from case studies over several years related to domestic violence matters and family law access applications. The Miracles Australia Inc. Report 2016 is currently undergoing the DE-identification process prior to release. This report, although summarised due to the sensitive nature of the material (Family and Criminal Law), highlights gaps in many of the systems that are available to assist with resolving issues and improving outcomes, but as a result of the absence of quality assurance mechanisms, fail to deliver the anticipated results and the collateral damage is catastrophic. Individuals who are wrongfully accused of a crime, and regardless of the legal processes available to them or the existence of an evidence base that proves innocence, sustain long term injury simply because if you throw enough mud - some will stick - and collateral damage will ensue.

Due process and trusting in the law provides little comfort once an individual becomes the target of a smear campaign, the irreversible damage is inflicted the minute the false allegations come into existence... and although some solace can be gained from clearing your name, there is then a lack of transparency when it comes to holding those who made the false allegations publicly accountable for their actions. Common law suits can provide some satisfaction for those individuals who have been wronged but it is an extremely costly and traumatic affair and does not provide a suitable public deterrent or hold the person accountable for the crime they have committed. Under current law it is a crime to make a false accusation to the Police in an attempt to have the other person investigated for an offence and there are deterrents in place to hold those who do this accountable for their actions.There is little movement however in relation to enforcing legal recourse for deliberately misleading and unnecessarily using the resources of law enforcement, the courts and other related agencies to service personal vendettas or attempt to pervert the course of justice.

Having said that, in the Australian Capital Territory recently, a woman did face convictions for making false allegations against her ex-boyfriend who was a prison guard at the time and spent four months in Goulburn Gaol before all charges were dropped against him. The woman fronted the ACT Magistrates Court, where Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker found her guilty on two counts of making false accusations and three of causing public mischief. The Chief Magistrate found that the woman seemed to have been motivated by greed, revenge and attention-seeking behaviour.

There are individuals among us who think nothing of claiming to be victims of domestic violence to get back at a partner or family member without any regard for the many people who are genuine victims of violence and whose lives depend on the level of assistance and awareness that can be provided to keep them safe. Individuals who make false claims are utilising already scarce or underfunded resources that are designed to protect the vulnerable. When Personal Protection Orders and Domestic Violence Orders are exercised using false and misleading information, the collateral damage that ensues is extremely high and this is why we can't adopt mandatory detention or sentencing when DVO's and Personal Protection Orders are in play.

Miracles Australia Inc. will be calling on all Australians to support mandatory prosecution for individuals who are found to have lodged false Personal Protection Orders/Domestic Violence Orders or make false and misleading statements resulting in the unnecessary use of public resources or injury to others. The overwhelming evidence base clearly shows that solutions related to addressing domestic violence, depression, suicide and mental health conditions have been available for 20 years but the governments of the day have not been listening. Hopefully the release of the Miracles Report 2016 and the many years of research and data analysis that was included will change that and we can all start focusing on paddling the canoe the same way when it comes to how we treat each other and the consequences of that behaviour upon others.

Some time to spare to make a difference

2015-05-18T20:04:00.001+10:00

It is only a matter of time before the overwhelming body of evidence that provides a transparent view of what can be done to alleviate the burden of suffering and disease that is associated with domestic violence, sexual assault, self-medication (Alcohol and substance abuse), depression and suicide and the financial cost placed on society.

Our final year's activities are way behind and did not meet the July deadline for the 2010 2015 Mental Health Awareness Initiative so we are on the look out for assistance. Miracles could do with your help so if you have some time to spare or some expertise to impart and wish to contribute to the National Think Tank, contact details for the project are listed below.

We need a few hours of your time and expertise to complete:

Website update and function
Legal representation
Legal representative registration for e-Advocacy service (one consultation per year if required)
Promotions and Marketing expertise for the release of Life's Good! How about you? awareness campaign and national register.
Services data base - data entry for e-Knowledge - input of resources and services for e-knowledge data base.
Public relations champions and ambassadors
Recruitment of Individuals and organisations wishing to be represented on the National Think Tank.

If you have a few hours to spare over the next six months and you would like to volunteer your expertise in one or more of the above mentioned areas please contact Miracles via email miraclesaustralia@gmail.com with your contact information and the area you would like to get involved in. You will be provided with a brief of the national mental health initiative final year's objectives and invited to participate in the steps that are required to bring the project to fruition.

The gift of some time and your expertise will make a major difference in the lives of all Australians.

Miracles Australia Inc. is a registered health promoting not for profit organisation with Deductible Gift Status. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Time to stop being treated like mushrooms

2015-02-28T12:54:00.003+11:00

Although bullying has recently become the major focus of Parliamentary Inquiries, numerous workplace initiatives and various government strategies costing billions of dollars, the problem continues to permeate our society with high casualties in human suffering, soaring financial costs and unacceptable levels of collateral damage in aid of relieving the burden.

It’s time we all stopped being treated like mushrooms and started paying attention to implementing effective infrastructure to deal with the ever increasing social issues that continue to traumatise our society.

Substance and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, depression and suicide have many triggers and it is by identifying and developing strategies to address those triggers that will reduce the incidence of these problems in our society, not the current ones that are in place. We have become a nation reliant on band aid solutions to address the ever increasing damage that ignoring primary prevention creates.

For many decades there has been an abundance of research about damage to the sense of self and complex trauma. Through the work of great scientists such as emeritus professor Russell Meares, whose ground-breaking research and programs set the bench mark for the treatment of the many personality disorders and complex traumas. Professor Richard Bryant who is world renowned for his research and treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and work with the military around the world... In the area of Neuroscience - individuals such as Professor Leanne Williams, though the advancements of imaging devices is producing evidence based research that as a result of imaging can confirm or reject the effectiveness of treatments for many of the conditions that are not showing any positive result in the treatment of the disorders.

The bringing together and sharing of knowledge between the disciplines of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Psychology, has in recent years resulted in the development of a growing body of research, evidence and programs that are not only effective in treating some disorders, but also in identifying the source. With many complex traumas showing resilience to treatment, it is through research and primary prevention that the best results will be achieved.

The same principle applies when dealing with conditions such as depression, alcohol and substance abuse, mental illness and suicide. Bringing together the expertise of these groups and also individuals and organisations working in the area of domestic violence, antisocial behaviour, sexual assault and bullying will provide an evidence based platform on which to develop effective strategies to address the problems at the source.

For the past 7 years, groups such as Miracles Australia Inc. have been working toward the establishment of an international research institute for the study of complex trauma. It has been a long process and although initiatives have been developed and in place for several years to promote effective strategies and fund the institute, every time there have been attempts to launch the establishment of the institute, an abundance of road blocks have been placed in the way, hampering all efforts to promote the way forward in in developing effective frameworks to reduce the risks associated with domestic violence, alcohol and substance abuse, depression, suicide and crime.

Although disheartening for all of the volunteers who have worked on developing Miracles initiatives that the institute was not opened several years ago, work will continue on the project because the evidence shows that combining research and medical expertise will greatly reduce risk through the development of primary prevention frameworks and provision of effective treatment for those in the community who are presently in need of assistance.

As a result of not having enough volunteers to service the ever increasing pool of traumatised individuals that require assistance… and the unacceptable level of bullying that our advocates have been exposed to over the years, Miracles Australia Inc. have an E-Advocacy Service and E-knowledge base under construction that will provide learning tools, advice, reference material and services that individuals and organisations can use when being traumatised at the hands of bullies, whether it be in the workplace or private environment. The services will assist people to better manage their situation and take the necessary steps to reduce the amount of psychological trauma that threatening and intimidating behaviour toward others can cause.

Using the learnings from Advocacy case studies, external cases and the overwhelming body of evidence from decades of research by other individuals and organisations, the E knowledge and E advocacy services will continue to be developed through the forming of a National Forum (think tank) comprising of like-minded individuals and organisations - contributing their expertise to identify and address further risks that are associated with psychological trauma.

It is now only a matter of time before those in decision making positions become aware of the overwhelming body of evidence that provides a transparent view of why current strategies are not working… and what can be done to alleviate the burden of suffering and disease that is associated with domestic violence, sexual assault, self-medication (Alcohol and substance abuse), depression and suicide and the financial cost placed on society.

Miracles could do with your help so if you have some time to spare or some expertise to impart and wish to contribute to the National Think Tank, contact details for the project below.

We need a few hours of your time and expertise between now and June

Website update and function
Legal Representation
Legal advice for Publication of Advocacy Case Chronicles
Promotions and Marketing expertise for the release of Life's Good! How about you? awareness campaign and national anti-bullying register.
Services data base - data entry for e-Knowledge - input of resources and services for E-knowledge data base.
Public relations champions and ambassadors
Individuals and organisations wishing to be represented on the steering committee for National Think Tank.

If you have a few hours to spare over the next six months and you would like to volunteer your expertise in one or more of the above mentioned areas please contact us via email miraclesaustralia@gmail.com with your contact information and the area you would like to get involved in. You will be provided with a brief of the national mental health initiative and invited to participate in the steps that are required to bring the project to fruition.

The gift of some time and your expertise will make a major difference in the lives of many Australians.

Miracles Australia Inc. is a registered health promoting not for profit organisation with Deductible Gift Status.
All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

e-knowledge 2015

2015-01-30T11:58:00.000+11:00

Clearing out the Closet

Over the last 6 months, as a result of experiencing what we considered to be bullying, threatening and intimidating behaviour toward members of our group, we took the position of postponing the activities in the second half of last year that are required to launch the E-Advocate Service and E-Knowledge base scheduled for June 2015. Although not our preferred option, it was necessary to halt activities in an effort to ensure that the people we assist... and the volunteer advocates who provided the assistance... and members of Miracles were not subjected to further unwarranted criticism and threats from misinformed individuals, supporting the false claims of others, until all of the evidence confirming the facts are available.

Eighteen years of dedicated work; including research and the collection and publication of evidence in relation to addressing identified risks that lead to psychological injury, substance and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, suicide and crime... was deliberately wrongly interpreted and then used to mislead others to cover up questionable behaviour. Although there is a lot to be said about this matter, it is not appropriate to do so at this time except to confirm that:

None of our activities or aspects of delivering the last leg of the Mental Health Awareness Initiative have been or are targeted at any one individual and have been implemented to collect research, raise awareness and deliver effective strategies to reduce the risk of psychological injury for every Australian - we are getting on with delivering the final and most important part of the 5 year initiative; the evidence base... and facilitation of expertise from government and non government Agencies and Individuals to ensure the development and implementation of effective solutions that are based on a sound evidence base.

It's time to get on with reducing the burden of disease and cost that poor behaviour toward others places on individuals, the community, the health system, judicial services and assistance based agencies.

What we have planned for this year
The main priority in the fight against reducing bullying and intimidating behaviour is to raise the integrity of information that is used during the dispute resolution process so that all matters related to the workplace, family disputes or the public arena can be dealt with in a fair and just manner rather than by manipulating systems and processes and discrediting others to gain an advantage.

Delivering the last component of the Mental Health Awareness Initiative is going to commence in June. By then we hope to release of all of the learnings from many years of research from Scientists globally and publish evidence collected from Advocacy case studies to reduce the type of behaviour that causes psychological injury to others.

Most importantly; this year will see new advocacy assistance which will reach more people in need by putting the service on line. Instead of trying help one person at a time, which is what Advocates have been doing for many years, the E-Advocate will provide individuals and organisations with a knowledge base of tools and resources that can be used to advocate on their own behalf in aid of seeking a fair outcome and reducing the risk of psychological injury.

National Think Tank
Armed with an overwhelming body of evidence from consumers, health professionals, the legal profession and the scientific community; the emergence of a national think tank will bring together the organisations and individuals that will ensure that effective strategies are implemented to address the many social issues facing our society that lead to long term psychological issues often serviced by the need to self medicate which only adds to the substance and alcohol abuse queue and the ever increasing depression and self harm cycle.

Primary prevention is always the best option when dealing with psychological injury. The journey back can be long and thwart with many road blocks to recovery and overcoming trauma becomes impossible for a great deal of individuals. Many of the interventions available to address illicit drugs, alcohol abuse, domestic violence depressive and mental illness and suicide are currently reliant on band aid solutions

Over the next six months we are in need of the following assistance, so if you can spare some time to help out in aid of ensuring we launch the last part of the initiative on time in June, please lend a hand:

We need a few hours of your time and expertise between now and June

Website update and function
Legal Representation
Legal advice for Publication of Advocacy Case Chronicles
Promotions and Marketing expertise for the release of Life's Good! How about you? awareness campaign and national anti-bullying register.
Services data base - data entry for e-Knowledge - input of resources and services for E-knowledge data base.
Public relations champions and ambassadors
Individuals and organisations wishing to be represented on the steering committee for National Think Tank.

Miracles Australia Inc. is a registered health promoting not for profit organisation with Deductible Gift Status.
All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Our Final Year

2014-06-28T16:53:00.000+10:00

At the end of the 2010-2015 National Mental Heath Initiative, Miracles Australia Inc. will be closing. The time has come to change our focus to reflect the future issues facing Australians in relation to the risks associated with psychological injury.

For over 18 years Miracles Happen, and then Miracles Australia Inc. have been providing support to people suffering from complex trauma and collating an evidence base of the risks that lead to psychological injury and the solutions that are available to alleviate the burden of disease and cost placed on individuals, the health system and the community... it is now time to change direction.

In October 2015 a new organisation will carry forward a generation of awareness, research and training that will be required to meet the future challenges that poor behaviour toward others will bring.

On the 1st of July 2014 the activities for the final year of the National Mental Health Initiative will commence, and this means that our advocacy service has come to an end. Advocacy representation was never intended to go beyond the initiative because of the number of demands we anticipated would be placed on the service Australia wide, and we knew that it would be impossible to meet the high volumes of requests for assistance.
We were correct.

There are too many individuals who are being traumatized as a result of being bullied and intimidated on a daily basis in comparison to the number of advocates that are available to assist people to wade through the emotional turmoil in an effort to seek fair and just outcomes.

We will be delivering assistance in a different way in 2015.

As stated in the report 'The Era of Psychological Injury, Liability and litigation'; reducing risks and disputes in the workplace, the answer is not to provide advocates to oversee the dispute process and monitor the integrity surrounding data and legalities and processes.

The answer lies with reducing the risks that lead to the dispute developing in the beginning. The same applies in the personal advocacy environment. If you address the issues that lead to the unfair situation many individuals find themselves in, regardless of what the dispute may be related to, it reduces risk and provides a more level playing field for all stakeholders.

The best way to apply this in the family setting (other than to engage the services of thousands of advocates around Australia) is to develop an e-advocate that anyone can access to seek assistance with their particular dispute; and provide a knowledge base of resources that can be used to avoid, or at least minimise the risk of. This is the best way we can provide assistance to the many people who are caught up in a system that generates so much unnecessary suffering.

Tribute to Daniel Batman

2014-06-26T09:15:00.000+10:00

Miracles Australia would like to invite all Australians to join us in paying tribute to Australian Olympic Sprinter Daniel Batman (20 March 1981 – 26 June 2012) who lost his life as a result of a car accident in the Northern Territory on the 26th July 2012. Our thoughts are with Daniel’s family - wife Natalie, parents - Dr Paul and Mrs Christine Batman, and Daniel’s children - Liberty, Destiny and Jack. A direct descendant of John Batman, Founder of Melbourne, Daniel was born in Victoria and attended Scots College. In December 2011 an article that appeared in the Canberra times reported on a determined Daniel Batman who was back in training and aiming for the 2012 Olympics, having been unable to complete in the Beijing. With the support of his children from a previous marriage and a new partner and baby daughter, Daniel was determined to keep focused on athletics and put behind him the pressures and emotional turmoil of his costly and lengthy divorce. Unfortunately, as is the case with most family breakdowns, just because they are finalised... does not mean that it stops causing trauma for people, especially when children are involved. Daniel lost his life before he had the opportunity to achieve the goals he had set for himself at a time when his life was beginning again. Daniel competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics and was placed 6th at the 2003 World Indoor Championships. He was the Australian national men's 200 metre champion in 2005 and 2008 and extremely competitive over 100, 200 and 400 metre sprint distances. In late July, Miracles Australia Inc. will commence shooting a documentary about the ‘New Stolen Generation’ which will present many family stories where contact for children with a parent or parent's family is denied unjustly. These are stories that need to be told in an effort to reduce the overwhelming trauma that is attached to separation and loss for all involved, especially the children. No amount of well wishes or compassionate tributes will take away the pain that families are left with when they lose a loved one... and yes, life does go on, but it is never the same. Our thoughts go to the Batman family today and all other families who are living with the loss of a loved one. If you would like to be involved with the production of the documentary or feel you have a story to contribute, please contact Miracles before 17th July 2014. No late inclusions will be considered due to the documentary filming schedule.

Tim Mathieson, Tony Abbott, David Kosh and Integrity

2014-06-23T15:19:00.001+10:00

It doesn't matter which side of the political fence you sit, raising the level of integrity surrounding the actions of our public servants would provide hundreds of millions of dollars in savings across many sectors of government and non government services. Also, by encouraging all Australians to be more aware of the lack integrity associated with data and processes used during the decision making process, will go a long way to addressing the unacceptable level of bullying, intimidating and inappropriate behaviour that places a heavy burden of disease on individuals, the health system and the community.

A phone call made by Tim Mathieson recently has highlighted the levels of trauma that can be associated with being in the public eye. It wasn't too long ago that the Australian population had no idea who Tim Mathieson was, yet as a result of who his partner is and the position they held; his life became open slather for anyone who felt the need to use him to gain mileage with what ever was being peddled at the time in the political arena.

Tony Abbott also experienced this with his family recently when Margaret Abbott was accused of not doing enough charity work in her unelected, unpaid and unappreciated position as the wife of a political figure; and when his young daughter, just starting to stretch her wings in the adult world, was targeted by the media for no other reason than she was the daughter of a prime minister, it is good to see Mr Abbott displaying a high level of integrity by not commenting about Mr Mathieson's situation.

To relate this to the research surrounding bullying it should be considered that in many cases of bullying and intimidation, it is often the person who is being treated poorly that comes out looking bad in the situation. Totally traumatised by the events that are taking place and probably present for a long time, too often a person can become so distressed and overwhelmed that, in the emotional turmoil of the moment, they do something out of character, probably just like Tim Mathieson did.

Today however the general consensus of the media is that Mr Mathieson should apologise. It is obvious from the tone of the message that Mr Mathieson was overwhelmed and seemed to be experiencing a great deal of emotional turmoil. The long term psychological damage that can result from the types of repeated life events that Mr Mathieson has been exposed to whilst his partner was prime minister, and now as a result of the union hearings, is avoidable; and given the high cost in human suffering when so unnecessary, is unacceptable.

Under those circumstances, perhaps we should all give Tim Matheson a get out of gaol free card for this indiscretion. The word integrity conjurers up a kaleidoscope of interpretations and as such is one of the most misused words in the world. Whether it is integrity of data, integrity of a committee, or the integrity of an individual, many of us keep getting it wrong and this is extremely costly for individuals, the health system, industry and the community. It's time that all Australians looked at the valued definitions of integrity... and why it is integral to ensuring we live happy, safe and well informed lives; because although we would all like to think we operate with a high level of integrity... the present climate dictates otherwise... Bullying, violence and hatred under the auspices of integrity... mmm! It really is time to raise the bar - All of us!

Our final year of the initiative is fast approaching

2014-06-06T21:30:00.001+10:00

DAVID EASTMAN
Last week saw the release of the Eastman report and having spent the week digesting the content, it was certainly interesting reading. Whether or not Eastman is guilty, our judicial system has deemed that there was indeed sufficient evidence to show that he did not get a fair trial. Was there a miscarriage of Justice? the answer to that, according to Justice Martin is Absolutely YES!

So where to from here? the question that is on the lips of many from around our nation who believe that the miscarriage of justice is not just confined to this case. Last year we predicted that the Eastman Case would be the 'Case that Canberra had to have but it would not be the last'. There are many questions surrounding the level of integrity associated with the data and the conduct of those involved with investigating Eastman; and once again it is not a matter of guilt of innocence, it is a matter of ensuring that sound principles and a high level of integrity accompany those in our community who we look up to as leaders.

2010 - 2015 INITIATIVE MOVES INTO LAST YEAR
Next month will see the final and most important phase of the National Mental Health Initiative 2010-2015, IMPLEMENTING THE LEARNINGS.

As we launch into our final year it has been necessary to take down our website so it can undergo the updates and changes that are required to accommodate the last leg of the initiative.

It has taken many years to put the initiative together and over the past four years we have tested the evidence base and now have what is required to move forward and reduce psychological trauma in our community.

Over the next twelve months we will be calling on organisations, individuals and politicians to work together to address the issues identified as risks for psychological trauma and implement sound strategies that will reduce alcohol and substance abuse, violence, depression and suicide.

THE WAY WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER
The major focus of our advocacy service has been to reduce the collateral damage associated with disputes by taking the emotions out of the equation and showing both parties what they have to gain and what they have to lose by the particular way they are responding to the dispute. In most of the cases, they usually get off to a bad start and the advocate gets bullied by the other party in the first instance, then when the advocate makes it clear that they are Switzerland; most parties stop treating the advocate as the enemy and work quite well to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome for all stakeholders; without the the financial and traumatic costs.

Over the next twelve months, Miracles will be publishing the learnings from some of our past and present advocacy cases and lobbying Members of Parliament in each State and Territory to support the evidence base, which includes changes the way family law matters are handled.

AWARENESS AND PROMOTION

At the end of this year the national awareness program will commence on commercial television, radio and print media, aimed at encouraging people to treat one another better - Life's Good! How about you?(developed 2011) and Order in the House (developed 2012) - a public competition to encourage our MP's to lead by example.

A forum will be set up in July which will comprise of government and non-government representation from each state and territory to facilitate the development and sharing of resources, information and programs to address problems that are shared in common.

Our final year will see the joining of the many dots by working with like minded partners to ensure that the type of behaviour which leads to psychological injury is reduced in our society.

LEGAL REGISTER
In November we will launch the Legal Register and although Miracles prefer that disputes are managed outside of the court hearing process, we are certainly not opposed to the use of legal professionals during mediation and would not be able to assist our clients without the help of our legal friends.

For the last three years we have called upon the Workplace relations Lawyers to assist our clients. This year we are in need of Legal Professionals working in the area of Family Law, to assist with one case per year (if required).

Although the workplace has been our focus in the past, we will not be returning our attention to workplace advocacy because we believe that the 2013 Report - 'The Era of Psychological Trauma, Liability and Litigation' contains the strategies required to address employee resilience and implement employer containment methodology.

We will also be commencing a public appeal for individuals and businesses to support the Legal Register and Advocacy program through sponsorship and donations. This will cover lodgement fees, document access fees and pay for searches to be carried out when assisting families. (all contributions over $2 will be tax deductible)

Miracles will be contacting many organisations and individuals in the next few months to facilitate the aims that are outlined here. With social media driving information streams, it is easier for everyone to access assistance and share knowledge.

Domestic Violence and kidnapping - the question is why?

2014-06-03T18:14:00.001+10:00

This post has been removed to facilitate the last phase of the National Mental Health Initiative. If you would like a copy of the article, please contact archives@miracles.net.au and state which blog post you would like to access by quoting the post title.

The new stolen Generation - MP's need to pay attention

2014-05-23T15:15:00.000+10:00

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It all starts - such a long time ago

2014-03-14T09:09:00.000+11:00

'Don't be a Dickhead' campaign ticks all the right boxes

2014-03-11T16:43:00.001+11:00

This article has been archived please contact archives@miracles.net.au to obtain a copy.

Rotten Fruit in the basket

2013-12-03T16:31:00.001+11:00

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Dear ACT Attorney General, Is your moral compass experiencing a technical difficulty?

2013-11-25T11:34:00.005+11:00

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The future inquiry that Canberra had to have!

2013-11-11T08:56:00.001+11:00

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Toxic Culture, Investigations and human rights breaches... Liability and Litigation

2013-10-31T00:24:00.002+11:00

Leaders and Senior Executives are invited to attend the The National Executive Luncheon Seminar, exclusively for Boards of Management, Leaders of Government and associated Departments, Corporations and Private Agencies because the level of liability facing leaders is extremely serious and the 36 billion dollar price tag in 2012 associated with addressing the issues has only resulted in increasing the burden of cost, employer liability and illness associated with bullying in the workplace. Employers need solutions and the overwhelming body of evidence available states quite clearly that the issue is not costly to fix and it is leaders who hold the key to reducing employer liability and litigation.

The solutions to address the risks and reduce liability are quite simple and can be easily implemented without the need for more reviews, external investigations and legal action. The problems have been identified for years and a myriad of reviews and investigations outlining the problems, toxic cultures and systemic issues associated with workplace behaviour are already available... but again as recent as today in the Canberra Times 30th October 2013 we are back on the merry-go-round that continues to identify the problems, place further burden on the ACT Budget, and remind employers that they are facing serious issues, when it is solutions that are required.

*Ambos mired in 'toxic culture' - Canberra Times 30/10/13

government ordered review into the culture of the ACT Ambulance Service, as a

string of bullying and harassment complaints are investigated by at least three external agencies.

growing pressure on the government to deal with systemic issues

union warning in November that a ''dysfunctional and toxic'' management culture

''serious breaches'' of the organisation's legal obligations to its staff, according to the Transport Workers Union.

Mr Corbell to detail how the government has addressed 20 separate problems across ACT Fire and Rescue, the Ambulance Service, State Emergency Service, and the Rural Fire Service.

Corbell aware of complaints about the Ambulance Service made to WorkSafe ACT, and submissions had also to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

'' why has it taken Simon Corbell and the government so long to address these issues,'' Mr Smyth said.

complaints before WorkSafe, Comcare and the Human Rights Commission, ''if proven, constitute serious breaches of legislation and supporting policy designed to foster a safe working environment,'' Mr Sweaney said.

TWU will work with the government on designing the new review

Yet more reviews... more investigations..designing new reviews! and still not a solution in sight.

*Read more: Ambos mired in 'toxic culture' October 30, 2013

The Canberra Times.: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/ambos-mired-in-toxic-culture-20131029-2wefp.html

“It’s not rocket science so why is it costing a reported 36 billion per year?”

2013-10-28T13:34:00.000+11:00

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Executive Luncheon Seminar exclusion not intended to offend

2013-10-04T22:55:00.000+10:00

The reason the invitation is exclusively extended to Boards of Management, CEO's and Senior Executives is due to the content of the presentation, which is Executive level specific.

Presenting the restricted evidence from the Miracles Report 'The Era of Psychological Injury, Liability and Litigation' the Presenter takes Employers on a candid journey of the serious issues facing organisations as a result of inappropriate management practices below that of Senior Executive level. Using current high profile cases to highlight systemic issues, which are prevalent in most organisations, guests at the luncheon will have the opportunity to explore solutions to address employer risk and reduce the burden of cost, which was estimated at 36 billion dollars in 2012.

Using the restricted data from case studies such as but not limited to:

King Edward Hospital - Exposure and liability -
Sporting Organisations - The art of listening - Relationship between staff and management
AFP ACT - Do the means actually justify the ends?
ACT Government - Present and future risks - Looking down the barrel of a gun
Boards of Management - When incompetence borders on negligence

Email Name and number of Guests you require seats for. info@miracles.net.au

When Dreams come true...

2013-09-22T10:42:00.000+10:00

Miracles Australia would like to send out a huge congratulations message to Australian Singer Song writer Mr Vince Gelonese on his recent success with Every Dream, which is topping the US billboards charts and invite all Australians, especially those living in Vince's home town of Canberra to support this wonderful artist, who has always had time to support those around him.

Follow Vince on Twitter @VinceGelonese

Youtube clip of song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxKyfl8ZxSc

Article about Vince Gelonese http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/dream-come-true-with-plumbers-chart-hit-20130917-2txlp.html

AND A HUGE THANK YOU

Thank you Vince, you have given so much of your time to the community over the years and many not for profit organisations such as ourselves, cancer support groups and heart patient networks, are amongst the many organisations who have benefited from the numerous donated hours of entertainment that you have proved at our functions.

May your dreams continue to unfold and your gift of giving continue to make a difference in the lives of those you encounter along the way.

The Era of Psychological Trauma, Liability and Litigation

2013-09-03T18:57:00.004+10:00

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All good on releasing the report!

2013-04-02T09:22:00.003+11:00

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Threats of legal action from bullies doesn't cut it with Miracles Australia!

2013-03-26T09:01:00.000+11:00

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Reality check! maybe it's all in my head?

2013-03-22T17:17:00.000+11:00

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