How Bloody Un-Australian Can You Get?

[Dagabond]

Southbank calls halt to 86-year-old Joan Johnstone's Remembrance Day fundraising

WORLD War II veteran Joan Johnstone has been selling Remembrance Day poppies for more than 20 years - until yesterday that is.

At 1.45pm a female security guard approached Joan on the podium level at Southbank and told her she had to stop selling the poppies and move on.

I witnessed the incident and asked the guard why this was happening?

The guard said she had checked with management - and Joan, 86, did not have permission to sell the poppies.

Joan had been standing quietly by a rail - as she has every year - from 10.45am, holding her tray of poppies, and sipping occasionally from a water bottle in her shopping trolley.

"It's not as though I was rattling a tin in anyone's face, or shouting out," said Joan, who was proudly wearing her medals.

From 1942 to 1946 she served with the Australian Women's Army Service, including a spell at headquarters. "I've always taken up this possie at Southbank and never been in trouble before."

But RSL state president Major-General David McLachlan said: "We're sorry but on this occasion Joan should not have been there - we asked permission from

the management to sell poppies, but on this occasion, for their own reasons, they turned us down.

"They left a message on an answering machine at headquarters - but Joan had left to take up her position at Southbank before it could be relayed to her."

Contacted by phone, the retail manager for Southgate, Jodie Pearce, could not give the reasons for the refusal, but said a public relations spokesman would be asked to respond. We are still waiting.

The Poppy Appeal is a significant contributor to the work of the RSL in Victoria. The money raised is used to help those in need, including serving and former members of the defence forces and their dependents.

Southbank calls halt to 86-year-old Joan Johnstone's Remembrance Day fundraising | Herald Sun

I dont give a stuff what excuse they give that just stinks.

[Banned1]

wonder what nationality the security guard was ?

I would have told her to f*ck off and caused a sh*t load of grief ! silly cow !

[tab]

Sign of the times. Probably a public liability issue or something I'd say...farkin stinks but that's how it's all heading.

[Dagabond]

In that case they should ask all the customers and punters to leave the premise as it may be a liability.

[Banned1]

jobsworth ! people justifying their own existance by making work for themselves... ie, govt bureaucracy....

[harryh]

I hope people in Melbourne vote with their feet and dont go into southbank. If enough people did not go in, even just once, centre management might realise what the public think and change their policy. These tossers only learn when people vote with their wallets.