Fighting fund

By Melissa Meehan
A DANDENONG businessman and former commando is one of the driving forces behind a new trust fund established to support the families of army commandos killed or seriously injured on duty.
Bruce Parker, of HM Engines, said the Commando Welfare Trust was started from a meeting with the Commando Association.
“We came together and recognised the need for support, something to bridge the gap between government assistance and Legacy for war widows and their families,” Mr Parker said.
He said 12 out of the 21 soldiers killed in Afghanistan were part of the Commando or Incident Response Regiments and more than 60 per cent of casualties had been from the Special Operations Task Group.
“That’s because they are operating at the pointy end,” he said.
“We saw that there was a trust set up for the SASR (Special Air Service Regiment), but our guys weren’t covered in that.”
Mr Parker said the aim of the trust was to also provide a first-class education for dependants of injured or killed soldiers.
“That is our main focus,” he said.
“But we also alleviate any immediate hardship for the family.”
He said while the Departments of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs were well established to assist families, the Welfare Trust could go that extra bit further, and support the long-term financial requirements of families in times of hardship, where grants or entitlements could not be accessed.
Mr Parker was a commando more than 40 years ago and worked as an assault swimmer. He said his strong relationship with the Commando Association made setting up the fund a no-brainer.
A number of Dandenong businesses have also got on board the national project, with both Macpherson and Kelly Lawyers and Grant Thornton Accountants lending their support.
He said both firms had offered their services in kind, and had trustees on the board.
Macpherson and Kelly’s Victorian Managing Director, Jamie Sturgess said the firm had no problem getting on board when approached by Mr Parker.
“He came to us and asked us whether we’d help set up the fund and we agreed,” he said.
“It’s a bloody important proportional part of the defence force.”
Trustees include former Commanding Officer Graham Ferguson, Major-General Tim McOwan, Peter Harvie (Austereo Group Limited), Lachlan Murdoch (Ilyria Pty Ltd), Bruce Parker (HM Engines), Pater Laverick (Macpherson and Kelly Lawyers) and John D’Arcy-Evans (Grant Thornton Accountants).
Those wanting to donate to the fund can do so at any Commonwealth Bank branch in Australia – Commando Welfare Trust, BSB: 062 000 Account Number: 138 98 012.