Tribute to larrikin with lust for life

March 21, 2007 - 12:12PM

Journalist Morgan Mellish died doing what he loved, a memorial service for the Garuda plane crash victim has been told.

Friends, family and colleagues in the media today remembered The Australian Financial Review journalist, who was one of five Australians killed when a Garuda Airlines plane caught fire on landing at Yogyakarta airport in Indonesia on March 7.

The Reverend Dominic Steele, from Christians in the Media, spoke of the grief many were suffering when he spoke at the service at St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral in Sydney.

"He died doing what he loved," Mr Steele said of the journalist, who was covering an Australian ministerial visit to Indonesia when he was killed.

He recalled a comment Mr Mellish had made to his mother when he was growing up.

"He said, 'Mum, I want to live as close to the edge as I can without falling off.' ''

Earlier, in a eulogy, childhood friend Ben Hunter remembered "a loving son, caring brother, fantastic uncle".

"The life of a foreign correspondent was full of excitement and adventure, and it was for Morgan," he said of the friend he called "Morgs".

"We will miss him as a mate, his smile and his determination to make the most of everything."

A series of photographs of Mr Mellish with family and friends was displayed on large screens as mourners entered the cathedral.

Mr Mellish's girlfriend, Nila Tanzil, sat with Mr Mellish's parents and sisters throughout the service.

Federal Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey, Deputy Opposition Leader Julia Gillard, Federal MP Bruce Baird, Rod Smith from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trading and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty also attended the service.

Several other friends were due to speak at a morning tea after the service.

Mr Mellish was also remembered in Federal Parliament yesterday as a larrikin Aussie who revelled in his work.

In a series of tributes to victims of the crash, Parliament was told Mr Mellish was living his dream of being a foreign correspondent as The Australian Financial Review's Jakarta bureau chief, and in 2006 won a Walkley Award - another of his goals.

Funerals have already been held for Australian Federal Police agents Brice Steele and Mark Scott, diplomat Liz O'Neill and AusAID's Allison Sudradjat.

AAP

Edge of Pleasure

Morgan and I have been friends for 33 years with many happy memories. Perhaps some of the strongest memories were when we went climbing together.

One of Morg's favorite climbs was called the ‘Edge of Pleasure’.
In Victoria there is a mountain called Mt Buffalo. On top of Mt Buffalo is a windy road that goes past an outcrop of rocks called The Cathedral. On the back of the Cathedral is a 60m climb called the ‘Edge of Pleasure’. The second half of the climb is a knife edge arête where you can fall off either side. Morgan lead that half. At the top we breathed in life, soaked in the view and talked of future plans. I tell this story because in some way Morgan lived on the edge of pleasure.

It’s been two weeks since Morgan died and I have been so sad. I’ve written four speeches, but they were all just words. I took out what was not important, and it all came down to “Morgs, I’m going to miss you”.

I’m going to miss the way you start running to the beach when you get close. I’m going to miss waking in the morning, camping with you. I’m going to miss your smile always daring me to do something.

Next week I’m going to get on with my life, but I’m never going to forget you.
Morgan you will always live in my heart.

Simon Dale

Wednesday 21st March 2007
St Andrew's Cathedral

Media delivers ultimatum on air travel

AUSTRALIAN media organisations Fairfax Media and News Ltd will no longer allow their journalists and photographers to cover official overseas trips by the Prime Minister or his ministers unless they can travel on the same aircraft.

Following the Garuda air disaster in Indonesia two weeks ago, Fairfax and News Ltd have sent a joint letter to John Howard, Peter Costello and Alexander Downer requesting the Government either buy bigger VIP aircraft or make other arrangements.

The letter is co-signed by David Kirk, the chief executive officer of Fairfax Media, Ron Walker, Fairfax's chairman, and John Hartigan, the chairman and chief executive officer of News Ltd.

Fairfax publishes the Herald.

"Australian journalists, and the editors to whom they report, take unacceptable risks when correspondents are forced to fly commercial aircraft to cover official trips overseas because there is insufficient space on government aircraft to accommodate them," the letter says.

"While this is of special concern in countries with inadequate air safety, there are other issues. Even in the most developed countries, reliance on commercial aircraft to follow official aircraft on tight travel schedules can make it difficult, at times impossible, to cover official events."

The letter asks the Government to approve the purchase of new aircraft in the May federal budget.

"Unfortunately, in the interim, our editors and bureau chiefs cannot send correspondents on commercial aircraft to cover official government business if insufficient seats are available on the official aircraft."

Mr Howard's office said it received the letter yesterday.

The Australians killed and injured in the Garuda crash were following Mr Downer and the Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, to Yogyakarta for a terrorism summit.

Morgan Mellish, an Australian Financial Review journalist, died, and Cynthia Banham, the Herald's Defence and Foreign Affairs correspondent, was severely injured.

Also killed were the Federal Police officers Brice Steele and Mark Scott, diplomat Liz O'Neill and AusAID's Allison Sudradjat.

In 2002 the ageing VIP fleet was replaced with smaller planes, three Challenger planes, and two Boeing 737s which Mr Howard mostly uses.

The 737 is ill-suited to international travel and once it was fitted out for VIP use, there were only enough seats for Mr Howard and the staff and security detail that travel with him.

Journalists are forced to find their own way and sometimes staffers are pushed onto commercial flights as well.

Ministers tend to use the smaller Challenger aircraft, which Mr Downer and Mr Ruddock used in Indonesia.

The 12-year leases on the fleet do not expire until August 2014.

"As the highest ranking officer here ..."

We are here today in disbelief of the loss in our lives from Morgan's passing.
Given the opportunity to say some words today its impossible not to think of the gain we will always carry with us from being part of Morgan's life.

I've known Morgan for almost 30 years and we have done so many great things together.
We have travelled around the world and enjoyed our own back yard of Sydney.

I'll always hold all my memories of Morgan dearly but I wanted to recount one of my favourites which encapsulates his personality and some early days of adventure.

In the early years of high school Morgan thought it would be a good idea for us to obtain officer ranking in the Shore cadets.
This was not to be taken lightly as it involved giving up the most precious time of school holidays .. and in winter. Ready to show the school our lust for adventure and our obvious proficiency in bushcraft we ventured off.
It was at the end of day one that it all went horribly wrong.... by the end of the week long horror trip, I had been ranked last and Morgan second last.
The irony in all of this is the fact that since high school the two of us have done countless adventures across the world and its unlikely we would in the real world be ranked so poorly.
Despite the failings of the course Morgan was given the lofty rank of Lance Corporal.
I remained Private Balnaves...
20 years later we were all at a bucks weekend in the company of a young man who had just joined the real Australian army.
Morgan took great delight in reminding us all that he was the highest ranking officer present.
"As the highest ranking officer here...I ORDER you to bring me a beer".
Morgs loved this kind of humour and like a terrier he would never let go, to Morgs the joke only got funnier the more you said it...he'd only stop once his life was in danger and even then sometime during the night he yelled it out running through the room....this is how Morgan lived his whole life.
He had a brilliant sense of humour and loved a good joke, his wit was razor sharp.
He got an incredible amount out of life.

Morgan was a very complex person. His personal life and professional life always sought the best.
He was never satisfied with the mundane and was extremely driven.
He was a great listener and very often put a perspective on things easily overlooked.

I am so proud to know Morgan.
He is nothing short of a wonderful friend.
I loved his spirit, passion and mateship .

You will never be forgotten Morgs...We love you dearly.

Justin Balnaves

Tuesday 20/3/07
Nothern Suburbs Crematorium

Wikipedia

There is a Wikipedia article on Morgan!!!

Fraggle Rock

Dance your cares away,

Worries for another day.
Let the music play,
Down at Fraggle Rock.

Work you cares away,
Dancing's for another day.
Let the Fraggles play,
We're Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, Red.

Woweeee!

"Ooooh a Fwaggle! Look Ma! I caught a Fwaggle"

Ma: "Ahhhhhhh!"

"Wahhhhhhhhhhh! Woopee!"

Dance your cares away,
Worry's for another day.
Let the music play,
Down at Fraggle Rock.
Down at Fraggle Rock.
Down at Fraggle Rock.

H.R. Pufnstuff

H.R. Pufnstuff,
Who's your friend when things get rough?
H.R. Pufnstuff
Can't do a little cause he can't do enough.

Once upon a summertime
Just a dream from yesterday
A boy and his magic golden flute
Heard a boat from off the bay
"Come and play with me, Jimmy
Come and play with me.
And I will take you on a trip
Far across the sea."

But the boat belonged to a kooky old witch
Who had in mind the flute to snitch
From her broom broom in the sky
She watched her plans materialize
She waved her wand
The beautiful boat was gone
The skies grew dark
The sea grew rough
And the boat sailed on and on and on and on and on and on.

But Pufnstuff was watching too
And knew exactly what to do
He saw the witch's boat attack
And as the boy was fighting back
He called his rescue racer crew
As often they'd rehearsed
And off to save the boy they flew
But who would get there first?

But now the boy had washed ashore
Puf arrived to save the day
Which made the witch so mad and sore
She shook her first and screamed away.

H.R. Pufnstuff,
Who's your friend when things get rough?
H.R. Pufnstuff
Can't do a little cause he can't do enough.

H.R. Pufnstuff,
Who's your friend when things get rough?
H.R. Pufnstuff
Can't do a little cause he can't do enough.