The Royal Humane Society medal
UPDATE: Paul McCuskey, the man who was given a bravery award for his work in the black Saturday bushfires, has been stripped of his award after it was revealed he was in jail for beating his wife.
The Royal Humane Society voted unanimously to strip the Country Fire Authority volunteer Mr McCuskey of his medal on the back of a petition signed by 18,000 people and a call for action from Governor General Quentin Bryce.
Mamamia previously reported:
He hit his wife in the head, dragged her from a car and kicked her pregnant stomach while she screamed: “Stop it Paul, the baby!” She later miscarried. He kicked her in the head and mopped blood from the floor but not from her face. He kicked so hard she was left permanently blinded in the left eye.
But he also saved the life of a 73-year-old woman and her pets during the Black Saturday fires.
So should he keep the bravery award he received for his efforts?
The Governor General doesn’t think so.
Quentin Bryce has written to the Royal Humane Society asking them to review their decision to give Paul Francis McCuskey an award for bravery. Mr McCuskey was among a group of firefighters who braved treacherous, life threatening conditions and used handsaws to clear burning trees in an effort to save the woman during the 2009 fires.
He was in jail serving a minimum three years when he received the honour this year.
The Governor General’s letter to the society has prompted a second review. She wrote:
Quentin Bryce
“It would be remiss of me not to communicate to you my longstanding and fervent belief that violence against women should not be tolerated or condoned whenever it occurs, not least in a situation that is an affront to the very principle for which the Humane Society stands,” she wrote.
“If society is to banish violence against women, I suggest zero tolerance is the only way forward.”
When McCuskey’s award was first questioned, the Royal Humane Society president said the organisation was not aware of his criminal history. In March, a review committee decided the award should stand.
A society spokesperson says: “The main criterion of the society is to bestow bravery awards on those who risk their lives to save the lives of others. It has never been the role of the Society to judge award nominees on their probity either prior to or after their act of bravery.”
When Mr McCuskey’s former wife found out about the award she said it was a “slap in the face”.
“When I found out, my heart was in my toes and my world fell apart,” she said.
“He beat me senseless, left me on the ground in my blood, took my mobile phone and house phone so I couldn’t call for help and dragged me around the home – yeah, that’s real brave.
“I’ve been left with one eye and he gets a bravery award.”
If anyone wants to show their support, here’s how you can do it. Brisbane woman Melinda Liszewski has started a petition at change.org calling for the Royal Humane Society to ‘Stop defending a man convicted of vicious domestic violence and strip him of the Bravery Award’. You can sign that petition here.
Do you think a man can be considered brave if he beats his wife? Should an award for bravery ever be given to a person who is guilty of acts of violent crime?
Comments
65 Comments so far
This is not a brave man, this is a cowardly man and he should be stripped of the Bravery Award, so he saved a life, he also took a life,his baby and his wife will bare the scars of this brutal attack for the rest of her life.
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i have bee the victim of (minor) domestic violence and more major verbal abuse. The debate going on is healthy in that it enables us to look at ourselves in the same light – and I can see both sides. I would ‘like’ to be able to sit on the side that says a man (anyone) can do ‘both’ brave acts and cowardice ones. I suspect we have all seen this in ourselves many times. I’m not sure I would strip him of his award, it is not saying ‘he’ is a brave man (no one is or isn’t anything completely and forever) it is an award specifically for ‘an’ act. He is also getting his ‘award; for the act of cowardice – but no-one is arguing for his prison sentence to be reduced because of the bravery (although the judge did mention it). We all have multi-faceted aspects that often are either built-in (genes) or forced upon us in childhood by others. As I said the debate is healthy – if it leads use to debate seeing the humanity in victims but also in perpetrators. I am only human and if this was done to me I ‘may’ have a strong view on this man. But I know I would be wanting to be able to come to some resolution and ultimate forgivness. Hope this post does not upset anyone who is feeling pain – it is not intended to do so….
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I agree with QB – no tolerance. This man should absolutely be stripped of his award.
I see the point of the Royal Humane Society: that their job is to give out awards for specific acts of bravery only and that the award is not for general ‘good character’. However, I think it is practically implicit that a recipient should not be a convicted criminal who has perpetrated a particularly violent and ‘un-brave’ crime, such as targeting a particularly vulnerable member of society like a pregnant wife.
Even though the criteria for receipt of this award are narrow, I think we need to be realistic about what the award stands for in a broader sense. The award makes a public statement: that Australia should be proud of this man, that we should applaud him, celebrate him, cherish him. In light of his heinous criminal offence, I cannot.
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only 58 comments on this and some other stupid topics that mean bugger all have over 160 in a day!
That man should not only be stripped of that medal, but should be stripped the right to be called a man. I hope he gets the help he needs to become a better person.
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Perhaps, since he is such a bad man, that he should have left the elderly lady to burn to death in the fire.
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How many times must a man be punished? His actions in beating his wife are being recognised through a 3 year gaol term. Equally his actions for rescuing an elderly woman should also be recognised.
All too often our society wants to punish people endlessly. IT’s not going to help anyone if we continue to do so. The Royal Humane Society isn’t rewarding him for beating his wife, he is being rewarded for a brave action. Should we really pretend either action didn’t happen?
I don’t think so.
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1 act of bravery does not and will not ever make up for 1 act of cowerdess. For a man to beat his pregnant wife, kill his unborn child and leave a mark that will never heal and then be rewarded for an act of bravery which people commit daily and dont get recognised for is simply unjust.
Being punished for his actions is not the same as being rehabilitated, his 1 act of bravery, which was his job as a CFA volunteer mind you does not count as rehabilitation.
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I agree that his actions and those of the other cfa members are rewarding. However how does a person who admitted guilt in the county court of violence and who is serving a prison sentance have an award for bravery accepted?. The other question that needs to be asked is how was his application to be a voulenteer accepted with a prior record for assault? Not just against his partner. A police offer. A man of uniform, And yet he can wear another uniform.And is heriotic. This man is not a hero. Not in my eye. And i only have one regrettably by his choice.No ofrm of violence should be rewarded.
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Leaving this man with a bravery award would be punishing his WIFE endlessly. Seriously, Anon, have you stopped and thought about how she must feel about him getting a bravery award when he blinded her and killed her baby?
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I’m with you GG. ZERO TOLERANCE.
This case is an opportunity to stand up against this behaviour. So many women are suffering in silence because it happens behind closed doors is embarrassing and humiliating. His actions are not mutually exclusive.
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When it comes to athletes, role models of society, they can’t put a foot wrong before their professional ‘rights’ are stripped from them. Why should it be any different for a firefighter who in my mind has committed a much mor horrific crime than having his photo taken with a gun or taking drugs.
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What an amazing woman is our GG.
I wish more of our politicians were like her.
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Absolutely strip the award from the monster. What a pitty The human society have acted so poorly, and undermined their organization in doing so. Also why has this man only been sentenced for 3 years for such a hideous crime?
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She has done a lot for the role of Govenor General. Like the Queen she is not really a politician. She is appointed by the government of the day to be a representative of the monarchy. I suspect that is why we love her so much. She doesn’t have to toe the party line. She can unify us as a nation around values we hold dear. I think it is an important role. She has done a lot for our nation and our nations women.
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If you want to get completely pedantic, then the comments below which talk about an award for bravery having nothing to do with a criminal past a correct. However, given that these awards are handed out by an organisation calling themselves the “Humane Society”….I think we’ve got some basis to question the decision. I mean really, if you’re going to put yourself right out there and advertise your humanity….well perhaps it’s a good idea to show some.
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In one word.
NO!
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Strip him of his award – loudly, publicly, make an example of him. While you’re at it take footballers who have ever assaulted a woman off the team, off the TV, off radio shows. Zero tolerance, absolutely!
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Jash, are you being sarcastic or sincere?
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Jash I agree, some football teams have agreed to a zero tolerance policy and this has had consequences for 1 or 2 footballers.
Zero tolerance is just that – None (including you Mr Strauss Kahn – previous Head of IMF)
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This man should never have received the award. Not only because of his actions but because it makes a mockery of other people who have also received the award. The man caused the miscarriage of his child and not only physically assaulted his wife, left her with permanent damage.
We need to send a loud and clear message that violence toward women is NOT acceptable. Sadly we still have a very long way to go. On this issue, he killed his unborn child and saved a 76 year old woman. That does not make a hero.
We also have to acknowledge the fact that he performed this act while working. This was the mans job to perform such an act. In his personal life, the man is a coward, murderer and abusive husband.
So many abusive husbands and fathers always put on a “show” to the outside world. Everyone often thinks they are the best husband and father, when they’re abusing their family. It happens constantly and this feels very reminiscent of that.
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I second your What???? and raise you a Huh????
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Just want to throw another point to consider into this debate. And to respectfully ask that I not be flamed for asking this question. I raise the point because sometimes these issues are not as black and white as they may first appear.
Without being acquainted with this man, or knowing anything of his previous history, I do however have to ask whether there has been any investigation into whether his violent actions towards his wife could be a result of PTSD?
I ask this, because I have nursed my partner through PTSD which flared up following his work in the 2009 VIC bushfires. I can never adequately describe the full impact that PTSD has had on my partner, on myself, & on our family life. The recovery process has been a long, difficult journey.
I just want to clarify that in no way am I defending this man’s actions, nor do I condone violence against women. Ever.
But in making the decision to strip him of his award, has anyone asked the question as to WHY he behaved this way after the bushfires. Maybe we, as a society sometimes need to stop and look at the impact that events like this do have on our emergency services personnel (as well as defence, SES, volunteers, medical staff etc etc).They are there to help us when we call, but are we there to help them in the aftermath?
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To the best of my knowledge, the attack on his wife occurred prior to the bush fires, not afterwards. Also this wasn’t the first time he had physically assaulted his wife either.
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I thought his horrendous acts of DV were committed before the bushfire- but I stand corrected. Very interested to hear a follow up from a previous report from MM- was very intrguied by the first one. Still think he should be stripped of award on principle.
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You put forth some very valid points. Like you, I also do not condone violence against women at all, but it is worth looking into what brings a person to act in such a manner. PTSD in emergency service workers/defence personnel is a big issue and deserves a lot more attention and intervention.
I hope things are going well for your family now.
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My position on this is quite clear. Positive and negative actions remain independant of each other. Following this, he should not be stripped of his award.
If I’ve just been sentenced to life in jail for the gruesome murder of 3 little girls, but I push another child out of the way of a bus, should I then be exonerrated of my past acts of inhumane violence?
Good and Bad do not cancel each other out. The Royal Humane Society’s first judgment was the correct one.
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No, I don’t think logic should decide an argument about ethics.
This is not a maths equation. Good and bad are never so simple.
While the acts of good and bad may be separate when you look at them – the man is not. He is not separate from beating his wife. He would not be separated as “someone who has done a single brave act”, but would be regarded as “a brave person” when he receives this award – which he clearly is not because he beats someone who relied on him for protection.
While he should get a thanks from the old lady who’s life he rescued, sure, that’s appropriate. That he should get a bravery award, that indicates to society that this man should be recognised as a brave man – then no.
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That’s a nice way to reconcile the positions, Nelly.
As an aside, I love reading the comments on Mamamia articles – there have been so many times I start off with an opinion after finishing an article, and my mind changes a couple of times in response to beautifully considered comments like this. I love learning from so many of you women and men
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Wow. What a horrible, horrible situation. I agree with most of the below comments but also think there’s a slightly different slant to consider …
We don’t stop praising children for doing the right thing just because they were naughty once. Good deeds should be rewarded, bad deeds should be punished. *Failing* to reward a good deed because of a previous bad one will only reduce motivation to perform further good deeds … it’s basic psychological conditioning.
Also I do not blame the Humane Society for giving the award in the first place considering they didn’t know about his history. I do find it strange that they reviewed the decision and let it stand, however.
Sigh. Let the violent flaming begin.
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I’m undecided on this topic, but I do think you make an excellent point regarding positive reinforcement of good behaviour.
Difficult issue…
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Yes, BUT, this is not a child we are talking about – it is an adult male. His actions at work are as a result of training and expectations, his actions at home have no such restraints and perhaps speak more about the true character of the man. A slap might be forgiven as PTSD symptom but killing his own unborn child and beating his partner are not a snap decision. It would have taken some time.
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The award is given by the Royale Humane Society, yet what he did to his wife was not humane. My heart goes out to his ex-wife, and thank you Governor General for trying to put this right.
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What was his sentence? Is he in jail?
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It details that in the article above
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Should be locked up for life. Pathetic excuse for a human being
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I love this lady for stepping up and flighting for women. This man is a coward I agree with you Fiona, he should be in jail for what he did to his wife! Lock him up!
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His wife deserves a bravery award. The man does not – he is a coward who happened to do a brave thing.
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Big whoop re him saving the old lady – he was on the job when he did it, getting paid. As someone said below it is the character of the person which should also be considered for these medals. Otherwise they might as well give a medal to any old Joe. This man is disgusting and makes me sick. To think that he can put that he received this medal on his resume and for people to be mistaken that he is a kind, nice person is just wrong. He killed his baby for f’s sake.
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I suppose our war heros were just ‘on the job’ too? There is doing your job and there is ‘above and beyond the call of duty’
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So if Hitler was a fire fighter and saved a 78yo woman from a fire WHILE ON THE JOB, he should get a bravery award, right? The logic is not right.
Name one other award that would not consider the person’s violent/criminal/murderous background before awarding that person?
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This man is no hero he violently beat his wife and killed his unborn child where is the justice, three years is all he gets. The Royale Humane Society should be looking at it from the ex wife’s perspective. She is the one suffering after losing her unborn child in a terrible act of violence. Bravery acts don’t just come from the good clearly we can see this in this case.
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He received the award in prison but the humane society wasn’t aware of his criminal history?? have I got that right?
I wonder why a quick look at how someone has behaved in general in their life isn’t part of issuing a bravery award for one act? It just seems sensible to me in order to maintain the integrity of that award by weeding out any obviously appauling human beings who, in a moment of rare selflessness actually helped a woman instead of beating her to (near) death…
People have said that its an award for an isolated act so the DV should not come into it but its not a maths award, it speaks to a person’s positive contribution to society and, at least in my mind, can’t be separated.
And, by the way, only 3 years for what appears to be attempted murder?
Jeez….so much wrong here I can’t cope!
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Well you can only hope this story makes its way to someone on the ‘inside’ sharing his abode. I am not too sure his current flatmates would appreciate his behaviour, hopefully they might teach him some ‘Big House’ manners.
An eye-for-an-eye…. never a truer statement.
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Well said! I’m sure he won’t be as strong against another angry male in the big house as he was against a defenseless pregnant woman. He should be made beg for his life as I’m sure she did for hers and her unborn child. What an absolute joke that such a gutless man should recieve a bravery medal, he’s just a bully.
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Wow, I’m glad you guys aren’t making any policies for Australia.
The difference between a civilised society and the law of the jungle is the capacity to turn the other cheek and not stoop to somebody else’s level.
Haven’t you ever told your children that two wrongs don’t make a right?
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Well if we all turned our cheek to these matters, what kind of a world would we live in? If I did make policies/laws in Australia he would definitely be in jail for alot longer for 3 years. He needs to sit there and reflect on the harm he has caused. Not just his ex wife who but the people around her suffer too because of his actions. As a child of domestic violence I can assure you the person who is at work is hardly ever the person you get at home. That is when the real person comes out. So he should not be awarded for his so called bravery at work when I’m pretty certain that’s not the real person he is anyway.
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I’m not commenting on whether he deserved the award here, Hmmmm – I’m commenting on the fact that there are people wishing him an ‘eye for an eye’ … and as Cx said, that only makes everyone blind.
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yeah, but loop, it is only violence against women that is an issue. The government, and now GG says as much.
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I find this man’s actions abhorrent and do not condone them in any way (I actually signed the petition a few days ago when I first heard about it) but I also do not agree with the “eye for an eye” philosophy…as Ghandi said “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”
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I am very glad Quentin has stood up for all of us, the ones who have written to this organization, imploring them to reconsider. I received an email in reply to mine asking they strip the award.
They sent back some babble about the incident having nothing to do with what he did in his private life, that the isolated moment was considered bravery and basically that his disgusting treatment of his wife was not their concern.
Thank you, Miss Bryce for using your status to stand up for those who’s voices are ignored.
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God that makes me sick. The award isn’t just about the act, it’s about commending the character of the person recieving it. As Bec said below, to honour that man as courageous completely degrades the award…and makes a very disturbing statement about how serious or relevant DV is.
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Allowing this man to keep the bravery award diminishes the value of the award for all the other, hopefully worthy, recipients.
No-one should have to live forever being reminded of what they are like at their worst, but people who behave in such a way do not deserve any public awards.
Those who win awards such as this should be people of integrity in the whole of their life. Not just people who step up in the heat of the moment.
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This is what I wrote the last time this subject was raised on MM:
Brave does not equal good.
Hitler was a “Runner” in WW1 – running from trench to trench to deliver messages – and was decorated for bravery for doing this difficult job, receiving the Iron Cross…he was a brave man, but he turned out to be evil.
So, let’s not be naive when it comes to the nature of bravery…bravery is not reserved just for the good and just.
I can understand the point of view of the Royal Humane Society – they award individual acts of bravery…they are not awarding the person’s social history. Whether you agree with that is a separate issue.
So, here’s a hypothetical for you. If your child was drowning, and Ivan Millat happened to be on the same beach, swam out in the surf and saved your child…despite knowing he was an evil person, would you thank him for saving your child? Could you acknowledge the act separately from the person?
I don’t know the answer to that…I suspect I would say to him… “I think you’re a bad man – this changes nothing – but I thank you for saving my child.”
So, where should the Royal Humane Society draw the line between acknowledgement and judgement? I don’t think it’s an easy question to answer either.
I’ve also blogged about Role Models.
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I believe that was very eloquently put.
I do believe he is a horrible human being and that he does not deserve to get positive recognition.
However I do not envy the Royal Humane Society who would have specific criteria for his award which he has obviously met.
There is no easy answer and one life will never replace another in any circumstances nor will on act of bravery replace an act of senseless violence.
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Acknowledge and thank, yes. Award publicly and rubbishing what the award stands for? NO.
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Give the medal to his ex-wife. She’s the one that deserves a bravery award for standing up to this as*hole and getting him thrown in prison for the violence he put her and her unborn babe through.
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Hear hear!!
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He should be in jail for a very long time.
But this is totally unrelated to the brave act he did do. He can be in jail and have the award.
“The main criterion of the society is to bestow bravery awards on those who risk their lives to save the lives of others. It has never been the role of the Society to judge award nominees on their probity either prior to or after their act of bravery.”
In reality everyone knows who he is and what he has done in both circumstances.
And he will be remembered as the wife beater.
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Full marks for Quentin Bryce for wanting to stop this award being given to this violent, murderous man.
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Wife beaters are scum and whatever else he has done because of this I see him as fundamentally a worthless human being.
But his award was for a specific act not being a decent human being – it does not and should not say anything other than that he has courage. Either he did something brave and should be commended or he did not and should not. Cancelling a bravery award for something unrelated makes about as much sense as taking away a university degree because somone commit a crime. I’d have a different view if the award was for contributing to society or suchlike as with the Order of Australia.
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Agreed.
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Why is this even up for discussion? No way in hell should he get an award. He saved a life but in return he also destroyed a woman’s life and killed her unborn child. The b****** should be locked up for good.
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What a weak, gutless dog this man is. Giving him that award is just wrong..
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This man is a f***ing coward.
If he holds a bravery medal, I’m afraid he tarnishes the integrity of that ‘honour’ in my eyes.
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In the circumstances here it seems unimaginable that this award could stand. This man is no hero.
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