I talk about "Obstructionists" and so I must explain that precisely, if I may, with one example....
I do sincerely apologise for its necessary great length !
........
Two WW1 soldiers who were involved with bush ballads had low resolution photo-scans available on the Australian War Memorial website. Sadly these proved to be inadequate for my large poster presentation. The website said that high res scans were available but not on-line like the low-res ones. It stands to reason that these were likely completed at the same time as the low res ones... or not.
Oh yes I could have them, they said, but they wanted to charge me $100 each scan and I had to fill in a detailed form too. A total of $200!!!
How long does it take to scan a photo?
I explained in detail what I was doing, entirely at my own massive expense, and how by telling the detailed story of these particular WW1 soldier-poets, along with some sample quality ballads, they would be publicly immortalised and also reflect the literary ability of Australia's soldier-balladists. A very, very important thing for Australia.. and it related to war history.
"Oh No, we want your $200 first," they said.
I said "Oh no, you are government and you will email me these two scans and you will not charge me a cent". I appealed this all the way to the useless Veterans' Affairs Minister himself, out of principle.
Heaven knows the internal correpondence that must have flowed and meetings held about it. After all, if they acted properly and did not charge me, there was the danger of a dreadful Precedent! Something that could cost them who knows how much money.. and money is what they are really all about.. not the soldiers or the public.
The end result?
The Federal Minister magnanimously offered me a 25% discount to settle the matter. He would only charge me $150! Oh Joy!!!!
You can imagine what I suggested they might do with their scans and insulting "offer" ... in a polite way.
Examining correspondence and phone calls I concluded that the great Australian War Memorial was largely about utilising the material often gifted to them by noble donors to extort cash from ordinary people, like me. It was really all about money. We have it, you want it.. you pay, and no exceptions. Great government for the people.
The AWM actually have a commercial department and when I spoke to them, the bloke told me how noble they were in not charging the peasant-public for car-parking, when so many people these days did. I was supposed to admire that (grudging) generosity, but I could feel that he had done his sums and lamented the huge pot of cash they were foregoing. Poor bloke; he must have been so frustrated at not being able to get his hands on all that parking-money and had many sleepless nights about it. Why on earth he told me (of all people!) I do not know, but it reflected their narrow, bureaucratic stupidity.
The Outcome : I was able to digitally manipulate the low res scans to make them work adequately. So the federal government missed my $200, er $150 .. just for scanning two pics.
So you have a Noble Cause... who would dare even think of challenging The War Memorial! "You are not against our wonderful Anzacs are you? How dare you question us!" ... Those poor soldiers. The shameful Minister and his miserable minions had better be glad those great Australians are dead, otherwise they might come calling on them in a less than friendly manner ....
Also : it was glibly explained to me that the AWM was a not-for-profit organisation (a word that cunningly carries noble connotations) and it ".. had to cover costs", hoping that this argument would fool me.
I said quote, "No. You are Government and I already pay my taxes for you to work. You are entrusted by the people with the proper stewardship of these important items. As for the not-for-profit/covering-costs argument; how you do your accounting is your business. You are Federal government, Veterans' Affairs. No disguising that by accounting fiddles trying to put government safely at arms-length from your bad behaviour."
Pretending to be an arms-length not-for-profit cash-raising organisation with someone demanding you "cover costs" is a cunning blind, straight out of Yes, Minister.
So... they are the sort of unpleasant people I have to deal with sometimes. Minister included. The way it really is... not the propaganda and flag-waving ceremonies. The engine-room. Money, before decency and patriotism.
Perversely, my case will doubtless now be used as a defense against similar requests. "The Minister refused Mr. Harding's request, and his cause was very noble. So he could hardly make an exception of you, now could he?" Rotten stinkers. But in the end, the project has not suffered.
I actually have a house full of military books. I love the men of the armed forces and the brave stories they tell. If anyone comes to visit here and wants to see them... well I will have to charge I am afraid. Like The War Memorial. After all I am not really Gary Harding... I am a not-for-profit organisation and you would no doubt realise that I have to cover my costs.
