New Zealand is wondering at the worth of backpackers. This is what I would like their authorities to do.

Banish the backpackers to Australia to pick our fruit and to support our agricultural, horticultural and marine industries; also to staff our outback businesses, drive our taxis, do our cleaning and carrying out a myriad of mundane tasks that Australians abhor.

Without backpackers we are cactus and the country is spinning giddily down the gurgler.

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Policing in the NT is a parlous occupation. Frontline police are under constant pressures both with and outside the force. They are scrutinised by performance management procedures from within and face constant community pressure lest they put a foot wrong on the operational front.

Policing is a thankless job. The hands of police are increasingly tied by red tape and nit picking procedural changes aimed at satisfying public criticism.

It is small wonder that so many of our police are quitting the force, recruitment cannot keep up with the numbers exiting. That fact cannot be camouflaged.

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