TASTE

 The Portland Observer Monday 27/2/2012
 
POLICE are investigating a series of serious crimes, including a serious assault resulting in a Portland man being flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, committed in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Portland police and the Portland and Hamilton Criminal Investigation Units are investigating the crimes committed between 3 and 5am Saturday, which they believe involved the same four Portland males.
A 54-year-old Portland man sustained serious head, face and arm injuries after he was allegedly assaulted by the four males in Francis St.
The man was flown by a fixed wing air ambulance to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and was in a serious but stable condition when he arrived at the hospital. However, no further condition update was available at the time of going to print.
Another Portland man was also allegedly assaulted in George St, sustaining serious injuries, and was taken to Portland District Health.


 
…..The 54-year-old Portland man was me – Robert J Johnstone
 
                                                     
 
 
The first time I knew anything about this was when I woke up in Royal Melbourne hospital in pain with a heap of very spunky nurses working diligently around me commenting how the plastic surgeons had done a great job, I thought to myself “on what?” and “why?”.
 
It became fairly clear later but the only thing I did wrong was walk down the street as I have done many times to get some milk for a coffee, the last thing I remember is 2 young and dark men approaching me out the grass from 2 directions one saying “hey bros, have you got a cigarette?” and the other saying “hey he has a weapon!” referring to what I was using as a walking stick at the time, a 19mm steel bar with a handle which I use if my 54 year old hip starts to go when I walk for a while. I learned later that after I was knocked out I was cruelly set upon with it and only for a resident responding to the noise who told them to fuck off which they did, if it was not for that I would not be alive today .
 
Once I was given more information from the police it became clear to me that these boys were off their faces and on a rampage however they still don’t know who I was and what they did actually means.
 
I must explain----- 
                              I returned to Portland around 6 years ago after 20 years of working around the music industry finishing as a guitar builder with Cole Clarke guitars in Bayswater Melbourne.
Not long after being back I met with an old friend by the name of Elisabeth King (a Koori elder) who sadly told me she was dying from cancer. She asked me to watch over her son Mark when she passed which I took as a great honour to be afforded such a trust considering the fact that I am a whitefella and I have done so ever since. This apparently means I am “family” according to aunty Betty’s sister Sandra did not hesitate when asked what it meant.
 
The plot gets thicker, I discovered that one of the boys that attacked me goes by the name of Andrew King, yes one of Betty’s grandsons and Mark’s nephew which means that this has to be dealt with tribally as well as legally according to Koori tradition.
 
So what is my response to this? Mmmmmm!  I have thought long and hard about it.
 
Well initially within the first 2 days of pain it was understandably anger but my spiritual training (which I prefer not to disclose to avoid any judgement from those who may be bankrupt in that area) eventually kicked in and I began to formulate a positive answer for this which will benefit everybody as a life lesson.
 
I had (according to the ambulance attendance) 2 minutes to live when found gurgling and choking on my own teeth, 2 police had to seek counselling after attending, an experienced trauma nurse who does not know me burst into tears when I arrived at Portland district hospital so by now you are getting how bad it must have been, I being out cold had no idea of course. 
 
The resident who I owe my life to was also traumatised to the point of seeking council, the last thing any resident anywhere needs is to find a dying person in their driveway so I believe that my home town where I was born in 1957 is not well and is in need of some healing.
 
When I returned to Portland I was told by certain people that if this event was not dealt with appropriately by the authorities that they would take action themselves and given the heritage of those involved were inferring that action would be taken at the tent embassy which has sprung up in market square Portland due to Tony Abbott’s unthinking comment about the one in Canberra. As far as I am concerned he owes everyone in Australia a personal apology for that, starting with me!! but don’t hold your breath, I have been recently told that Liberal politicians don’t apologise for anything.
 
Now first of all I have to say this, the event is not a racial issue! It has to do with righteous souls who I from now on will refer to as “R souls” OK!!!  R souls come in all shapes, sizes and colours and are not affiliated with any group except those who created them in the first place and in this case I put it down to poor parenting skills or a complete lack of it.
 
I must also make this clear, you can draw a line anywhere in Portland and call any side whatever you want, I have people on both sides that I love and care about so any inappropriate action is just not on.
 
I may not have much money to speak of but I consider myself to be one of the richest persons in Portland due to the amount of friends that I am lucky enough to have, it’s about love and respect that is what matters to me.
 
TO BE CONTINUED/----------- PH 0417 451 758

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