Ron Witton
At Sydney University I got interested in the Indonesian language and did a BA and MA in Indonesian and Malayan Studies before going to Cornell University to do a Ph.D. in Sociology (on Indonesia). I then lectured in sociology/American Studies/ Indonesian language/South East Asian studies at a variety of universities (including Flinders University in Adelaide, University of the South Pacific in Suva, Wollongong University, and Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta) before settling down here in Austinmer on the south coast.
I now have a pleasant life with a variety of part-time positions. I am a member of three tribunals (Refugee Review Tribunal, Social Security Appeals Tribunal and the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal). I am an accredited Indonesian/Malaysian interpreter/translator and chair the examination panel for Indonesian and Malaysian for the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters. I do occasional lecturing at the University of Malaysia in Sarawak, and once a year lecture in Communication Skills at the University of Wollongong's Faculty of Law. I am also an accredited mediator for the Community Justice Centre and the Migration Agents' Registration Authority.
I had two children from my marriage to Bet Witton (ex-NSGH), one of whom (Dan, age 32) is a musician/composer/performer (and who is finally about to make me a grandfather), and the other (Patrick, age 29) is a writer/editor for Lonely Planet. I am now re-partnered and have a son (Celli, aged 12) and a daughter (Tosca, aged 9) and enjoy doing canteen duty at Austinmer Public School.
While my memories of NSBH are still in many ways quite vivid and lasting, I still cringe at my acceptance of the authoritarianism of the place and my contribution to that culture through having been a prefect and a C.U.O. On the other hand, the recent and enjoyable memories of others have certainly reminded me of many aspects of those five years that I had forgotten but now can clearly recall.
2020 Update
Life in 2020 is very pleasant. I live in Austinmer about 500 meters from Austinmer Beach and at the other end of the street is Austinmer Station from where I can be in Sydney CBD in less than 90 minutes.
I no longer lecture at any universities but have kept up my Indonesian and Malay translating and interpreting which I really enjoy. Interpreting can be at court, police stations, hospitals or now often by phone or video. It also means that I am free to travel as I just make myself unavailable for interpreting and translating. Travel, at least before COVID, involved travelling the breadth of Australia in our van from north Queensland to Western Australia. Overseas travel included New Zealand, Oman, Tunisia, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, the UK, Spain, Morocco, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Western China, India, Sri Lanka, Russia, St Petersburg and then the trans-Siberian railway to Vladivostok, Korea, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia... you get the idea. We have also travelled in smallish boats in the Torres Strait and also along the Norwegian coast above the Arctic Circle.
My health is good. I walk our two dogs every morning at 6am while my partner swims at Austinmer pool. She swims all year round but I only do the morning swim in summer and autumn when the water isn’t freezing. Apart from the walk, I do Pilates once a week and we both do exercises every morning. We have found a good 4-minute workout, the link for which I am happy to send to you if you want to try it.
I have two children from my marriage to Bet: Daniel, a musician in Melbourne; and Patrick, an editor at The Monthly also in Melbourne. They partnered two sisters and so their two daughters, my only grandchildren, are genetically somewhere between cousins and sisters as they have common grandparents. Cookie, my current partner, and I have two children: our son Celli, a former teacher, who is now in Cambridge UK working for a company converting university courses to on-line learning, and our daughter Tosca who works in Sydney for GetUp. They are both partnered but have not yet begun breeding.
My voluntary activities include looking after 1st Austinmer Scout Hall next door. I organise its hiring, and also organise a weekly parent roster to clean it. I am on the Board of the Illawarra Legal Centre and tutor refugees studying at the University of Wollongong. Other activities include occasionally lecturing for the local University of the Third Age.
I really enjoy working with Tony Friend on keeping our NSBHS61 mob in touch. I have occasional contact with Chris Tennant and Greg James (both of whom were also members of the Mental Health Review Tribunal), Bruce Donald, Raewyn (formerly Bob) Connell, and Leo Radom (with whom I spar over Israel/Palestine). I have really enjoyed our Oaks and Annual Dinner gatherings where I can re-connect with many of you whom I would not otherwise see, including such larger-than-life characters as Arthur Streeter.