HOW CHRIS ENDED UP HERE GIVING BACK
CHRIS Squelch said he shared many political beliefs with yesterday’s 100 Readers subject Peter J. Smith.
“We’re both middle- of- theroad conservative, old, ugly and white males,” said the regular Townsville Bulletin letter writer.
“We found each other because we were both at The Strand Coffee Club one day and we got to talking and it went from there. We’ve known each other a couple of years now.”
Chris was born in Brisbane but has lived all over Australia.
He grew up in a Central Queensland farming community and served in the military for a few years before farming, blasting, studying nautical science and working as a shipping manager.
“Then I decided to give something back,” he said.
Chris became a clinical counsellor working with men in indigenous communities who had untreated brain injuries, mental health problems, or drug or alcohol addictions.
“Basically, I helped men who had hit the bottom end,” he said.
“I’d go out and find them doing what they were doing and try to help them do something more productive.
“I was quite good at it but I left that job a couple of years back now.”
Chris said he liked Townsville and moved here when he came to work for Anglicare managing a public intoxication program.
“I had about 80 or 90 clients active at one time and nearly all of them were convicted of multiple offences so the issue is they can’t go home – their communities don’t want them.
“So they’re stuck far from home, out of country and it’s like being sent to the far side of the moon.”
Chris said since leaving his job, he had “made a nuisance” of himself politically and enjoyed writing to the paper and denouncing people.
“But I’m fairly middle of the road,” he said.
“As long as it’s good policy on the things people care about.”