Death on our doorstep

Six people were murdered, and a dozen more seriously injured, in a manic stabbing frenzy at Bondi Junction Westfield on 13 April. The attack has sent shockwaves around Australia. Not since the 2017 Bourke Street attack - when a radicalized young man killed six people by driving a car through a busy Melbourne shopping strip - has Australia seen carnage like this.

Bondi Junction Westfield is a massive complex. It contains 445 retailers and services including a gym, two supermarkets, two department stores, a major discount department store and outlets for many of the world’s prestige brands including Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

It’s one of Australia’s largest shopping malls, filling several city blocks, some linked by a multi-level aerial glass-walled walkway. It’s also our closest retail centre. As a result, like so many in the area, Garry and I regularly visit this sprawling mall to shop or use its multi-level parking garage when attending medical and dental appointments.

This particular Saturday began like any other. While thousands went shopping, Garry and I drove north to spend the afternoon enjoying lunch with his parents. As we dined, a 40-year-old man, Joel Cauchi, walked into Bondi Junction Westfield carrying what onlookers described as a 30-centimetre-long hunting knife and began a deadly rampage.

As the attack unfolded panicked shoppers and staff barricaded themselves in storerooms and others hid in change rooms, while shops locked their doors and pulled down shutters. Alerted to the carnage by fleeing shoppers, a lone female police officer Inspector Amy Scott, entered the complex. Terrified bystanders directed her to the attacker on level five. She sprinted up the building until she encountered Cauchi. She ordered him to drop the weapon. He lunged towards her. She shot him dead.

Garry and I didn’t hear of the day’s tragic events until we headed home. Rhonda called to share the news as we drove away. The rest of our journey was spent listening to live radio broadcasts outside the mall. The victims, a classic cross-section of cosmopolitan Sydney, included migrants, a tourist, the daughter of a wealthy well-known Sydney figure, a grandmother and a young, first-time mother.

Investigators have learned that the killer suffers from schizophrenia. His father told the police he’d recently stopped taking his medication. It appears Cauchi may have been experiencing some sort of manic psychotic episode. Tragically, in the weeks since two more mentally ill men have made headlines in separate stabbing incidents. However, unlike the Bondi Junction killer, these two men appear to have been radicalized by online content. 

The first frenzied attack took place as evangelical Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was live-streaming a weekly sermon. The attack put the bishop and another priest at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in hospital. Fifty-one police officers were subsequently hurt in an ensuing riot outside the church while the rampaging teen attacker sustained a severed finger during the stabbing.

Then, last week, a teenager was shot dead by police after he’d stabbed a shopper in the car park of a Perth Bunnings store. These incidents are tragic and incredibly traumatic for those impacted. Like many Australians, I struggle to understand why individuals with serious mental health problems are falling through cracks in our nation’s health system?

Five days in Taipei

Working for a global company has its merits. As my various executive roles over the years became increasingly offshore-focused, I was privileged to visit an ever-growing list of countries and territories. My time in Taiwan was one such experience.

I spent four nights in Taipei on business in 2004. I was visiting our new Taiwanese licensed partner for the first time. I timed my arrival to include a weekend in Taiwan’s principal city, giving me a day to explore a few of its sights.

I flew in from Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific on the afternoon of Saturday 29 May. Our licensed partner had pulled out all the stops to impress me. A town car picked me up from the airport and sped me into town where I checked into the Grand Hyatt Taipei shortly before 4:00pm.

The hotel was totally over the top. It was considered Taipei’s first truly international luxury hotel when it opened in 1990. Over the years I’ve learned that Asian business partners always err on the side of caution when managing your itinerary. As a result, I’ve stayed in some lavish hotels and been entertained at some incredibly opulent venues. On this occasion, my room was a spacious suite on a high floor with uninterrupted views of the central city.

I rose early on Sunday and spent the day on a self-guided walking tour of the central city. My first stop was Longshan Temple in Wanhau. It was easy to reach via the city’s underground metro, requiring one simple transfer. The temple was founded in 1738 by Han immigrants from Fujian. Over the years it’s served as a municipal, guild and self-defence centre, in addition to being a house of worship.

Longshan is dedicated to the bodhisattva of mercy, Guanyin. However, in true Taiwanese style, more than 100 other gods and goddesses are worshipped in the rear and side halls. To quote the Lonely Planet Guide, "Matsu, the goddess of the sea, is enshrined in the back centre; Wenchang Dijun, the god of literature, to the far right (he’s particularly popular during student exam time); red-faced Guan Gong, the god of war and patron of police and gangsters is enshrined to the far left; and in front of that is the Old Man Under the Moon, known as the Matchmaker or the Chinese Cupid."

The temple itself is wonderfully colourful and ornate. Its gilded cross beams are colourfully decorated, and its roof is festooned with swirling oriental dragons and other mythical figures. There's even a spectacular waterfall that greets visitors inside the first gate. With so much to see I spent almost an hour exploring this surprisingly compact complex. Incredibly much of what’s on display is actually a reconstruction. In time the temple has been battered by earthquakes, typhoons and a bombing in the final days of WWII.

A short ten-minute walk brought me to my next stop, Liberty Square. This expansive plaza is home to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, a dramatic white edifice framed on either side by two identical ochre and vermilion buildings, the National Concert Hall and National Theatre Hall. Understandably, this dramatic complex is considered Taiwan’s national showpiece.

As I reached the square the heavens briefly opened. It was one of several passing showers that kept me on my toes all day. However, the sodden weather delivered an unexpected bonus. A dark and moody sky created the perfect backdrop for the square’s iridescent white memorial hall and ceremonial gateway.

The hall is a grandiose monument to authoritarian leader Chiang Kai-shek. Visitors reach via a series of 89 steps (Chiang's age when he died). Inside the cavernous hall is an artefact museum paying tribute to Chiang. This includes his two Cadillacs, various documents, and articles from daily life. 

The main hall is dominated by an imposing statue of a seated Chiang. An honour guard, in white uniform, stands watch at its base. Without a doubt, the statue is modelled on the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Once every hour, the honour guard changes. I stopped long enough to witness this slick ceremony unfold.

Nearby Jieshou Park and the oddly named, 228 Peace Memorial Park, were next on my itinerary. Jieshou Park is a simple lawn dominated by two memorials. The first is a prominent stature of former president Lin Sen, erected atop an elevated white plinth. At first, I thought the figure depicted was a famous Buddhist monk. However, Lin led the Republic of China for 12 years until he died in 1943.

A more modest memorial, a white marble wall, commemorates the Victims of the White Terror, a draconian response to uprisings that took place when martial law was imposed in 1949. The events of this era are immortalized and remembered in more detail in the neighbouring 228 Peace Memorial Park.

The park’s name refers to the date of a major uprising on February 28, 1947. On this day, a protest over the high-handed and frequently corrupt conduct of Kuomintang (KMT) officials turned violent. As the uprising spread, the local KMT-installed governor called for military reinforcements, and the uprising was violently put down by the National Revolutionary Army. An estimated 18,000 and 28,000 were killed during this incident and in the years that followed.

The park is a peaceful place of elaborate gardens, ponds, bridges, and stunning multi-tiered oriental vermillion pavilions. Opposite one end of the park stands the impressive pink and white colonial facade of the Presidential Office Building. At the opposing end is the Taiwan National Museum. A second museum inside the park recounts the 228 uprising and its aftermath.

The weather lifted a little while I was in the park. As a result, I made a last-minute detour and headed to the Shin Kong Life Tower. At the time it was the second tallest building in Taipei and home to a popular observatory on its 48th floor. The photo above, from the observatory, shows 228 Peace Memorial Park in all its glory.  It also neatly encapsulates my Sunday walking tour. Liberty Park appears on the top left, while the Presidential Office Building is on the far right. Longshan Temple is just out of frame in the upper right.

I hadn't planned to venture up the Shin Kong Life Tower. Instead, the day before I'd walked to Taipei 101, in anticipation of experiencing its new observatory. This 508-metre-high teal-green skyscraper had been officially opened just five months earlier. At the time, it was the world’s tallest building, a title it held until the Burj Khalifa topped out in 2009. Its name reflects the number of occupied floors in the building.

However, I was disappointed to discover that Taipei 101's uppermost levels were still under construction. As a result, the observation deck on its 101st floor wasn't open. Instead, I was greeted by hoardings that promised a stunning view at some future point. The observatory was finally unveiled in January of the following year. Unsurprisingly, it instantly became Taiwan’s number one tourist destination. 

My Sunday walking tour finished with a visit to the nearby Shandao Temple. This is an understated, contemporary Buddhist temple building housing three large golden Buddha statues in a slick and shiny shrine. You gain entry to the complex via a bold mustard gateway. However, the main building itself is rather austere. In fact, at first glance, it looks more like a modestly trimmed high-rise building. It’s not until you walk inside that its religious trappings become evident.

With a healthy 5km walk under my belt, I returned to my hotel.  However, I had one final stop to make. On the way back, I made a short side trip to capture Taipei 101 in all its glory. This magnificent tower was just a block from my hotel making for a quick and easy photoshoot.

The next three days in Taiwan were filled with business meetings. I also conducted several training sessions with our licensed partner’s staff. I recall an interesting cross-cultural moment during one of these sessions. We discussed difficult clients who revise their brief, or change the KPI goalposts, mid-campaign. When asked how I’d handle this dilemma I said I’d politely call them out on their unfair conduct.

The sharp, audible gasp from the room immediately alerted me to my cultural faux pas. My audience was stunned that I’d let a client “lose face” in a business negotiation. I cannot recall a more visceral reaction to my counsel in the years I've worked in Asia. It was undoubtedly a teaching moment for me rather than my audience!

On my final afternoon in Taipei, I visited Computex, a major trade show underway in the central city. By chance, my trip had coincided with this event. At the time, it was the world’s second-largest technology industry trade show. It filled four massive exhibition halls located conveniently located next to my hotel. The image above was published by one of its 1240 exhibitors.

Wandering the Computex halls was an eye-opening, behind-the-scenes look at the computer industry’s plumbing. Entire zones within the halls were dedicated to motherboards, semiconductor foundries, and all manner of computer components. I recall being astounded by stand after stand offering an OEM version of almost every digital camera on the market.

On Wednesday 2 June, I returned to the airport, flew to Hong Kong, and transferred onto an overnight flight back to Sydney. If I ever return to Taiwan, I plan to see the scenic Taroko Gorge Road that crosses the island south of Taipei.  

I'll leave you with the following conundrum. While visiting Liberty Square I saw silkworms in one of its buildings. Despite plenty of Google research, I've yet to work out why they were there and what purpose they served.  I vaguely recollect being told something about them replenishing silk thread for an artwork in the foyer or memorial artefact but the details escape me.

An Indonesian passport stamp or two

Time for another retrospective post. I’ve visited Indonesia three times over the years. Twice on business and once for pleasure. Both business trips were made to the island of Bintan, while my leisure trip took me to Bali in October 2017.

Bintan was a classic tourist destination. The island is located less than 130km north of the equator. As a result, dozens of tropical retreats and resorts are scattered along its coastline. Thanks to a 45-minute transfer by high-speed ferry from Singapore, it's also easy to reach.

My first visit occurred in May 2000. At the time, I was the Managing Director of Text 100’s Australian office. Every year country managers from across Asia Pacific (APAC) came together for an annual offsite. Bintan was selected for our first gathering of the new millennium.

On 24 May we caught an afternoon ferry from Tanah Merah wharf in Singapore. I vividly recall its location as it's less than 500 metres from the southern threshold of Changi Airport’s eastern runway. To reach it, you take a road that skirts around the airport’s perimeter fence. It’s one of those "behind the scenes" routes only the locals use, rather than the arterial roads visitors take from the airport into town.

My passport reveals that we docked at Bandar Bentan Telani on the northern coast of Bintan. A random travel document confirmed that I’d flown in from Sydney on Singapore Airlines the night before. We spent four days on the island before returning to Singapore on 27 May. I then flew home the following day.

I honestly recall very little of my first time in Indonesia beyond a round of golf we played on the final day. We stayed at Angsana Bintan, on the island’s north coast. It features an 18-hole golf course, designed by Greg Norman, that’s popular with day-tripping golfers from Singapore, as well as those seeking a semi-luxurious golf break. 

I returned to Bintan in 2004 for another APAC Country Manager’s offsite. However, this time I was returning as Regional Director for the region. My new HR director, Steven, decided an offsite in Bintan was an ideal way to curry favour with the troops following my promotion.

This time we stayed at Club Med, located on northeast coast of Bintan. The resort is located next to another of the island’s renowned golf courses, this time designed by Jack Nicholas. Once again, we caught a ferry from Singapore and stayed three nights from 21-24 March 2004. I recall several memorable moments during this second trip to Indonesia. 

For example, I’d recently returned from overseas and found myself battling some kind of bug soon after arriving. Or at least I thought it was a bug. Years later I discovered that I was chronically lactose intolerant. As a result, in hindsight, it was highly likely I was simply suffering from a lactose overload.

On our first day, we gave everyone the afternoon off to rest and recover before we kicked off the event with an evening welcome. I spent much of the afternoon in and out of the resort’s pool. Foolishly I neglected the sunscreen and managed to give myself an appalling dose of sunburn. I spent the next three days sore to touch, looking as red as a beetroot.

I also recall wandering down to the beach several times. On my first visit, I was shocked to find the sand stained by tar-like blobs of heavy oil. These sticky blobs were everywhere and quickly made a mess of anything that came into contact with them. I later discovered that resort staff came down before dawn each day to rake them off the beach before the guests awoke. Of course, the surf soon dumped a fresh load along the shore.

Swimming in the sea inevitably resulted in you exiting the water covered in black streaks. Sadly, the resort was prepared for this. It had chemical wipes in little mini-packs sitting in buckets along the beach ready for guests to de-grease themselves. Needless to say, I only swam in the sea once. 

I never discovered the oil’s origin. However, I suspect that ships purging their ballast tanks before entering Singapore harbour were the likely culprit. Alternatively, the area may have experienced a minor oil spill shortly before our arrival.

My final memory of this trip to Bintan was the team-building activity we enjoyed one afternoon. Club Med offers guests an in-house circus experience. This included an outdoor flying trapeze where you can practice swinging from one trapeze rung to another. Your safety was always assured thanks to training staff, a body harness and an enormous net strung several metres above the ground.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos during either offsite. As a result, I’ve illustrated my Bintan adventures using images ripped from the web.