There were 347 full page ads in the NT News* in March. That did not count:

. Government announcements.

. Covid information.

. Racing information.

. Any folded lift out.

. Any magazine inclusions.

The least number of pages (2) appeared on March 30.

The greatest number of advertising pages happened on March 20 (26).

Those year (January/February) there have been 1119 full page advertisements in the paper.

* Includes both the ‘NT News’ and ‘Sunday Territorian’.

POINTS TO PONDER

Your story “Flawed Price” (NT News 25/3) confirms how ineffective cost increases are when it comes to drinking motivation. Hardened drinkers will, (as hospital admission statistics and data on domestic violence confirm) obtain alcohol no matter what price is charged. The notion of drinking in moderation is not understood by those for whom alcohol is an absolute necessity.

Figuratively, our community is soaking in grog.

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Entering Casuarina Shopping Square via the travellator at the Woolworths end of the centre, poses a clear and distinct danger for the unwary. Close to the Casuarina bus terminal, this area is continually overwhelmed by people whose intent and actions toward each other is intensely antisocial. No matter when you go into Casuarina, expect to see security staff and indeed police, trying to quell the conduct of gathered masses. The reputation that behaviour in and around the centre is gaining, will result in customers turning away – permanently.

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The devastating behaviour of what seems to be a significant number of young people wreaking havoc at Maningrida,shows how far young people have departed from having respect for their elders. The issue of uncontrollable youth is a blight in an increasing number of communities and indeed across our Territory as a whole.

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The last five weeks of Federal Parliament lead me to make the following

RULE CHANGES ARE NEEDED

* All Federal politicans should be women.

* All Federal parliamentary staffers should be women.

* No politican or staffer should be under 35 years of age.

* All male politicans in the lower house should be disallowed from continuing beyond this present parliamentary term.

* Preselection for all lower house seats should be available to women only.

* All male senators should be required to stand down prior to the next election. This shoulod include male senators on half senate and six year stints.

* In addition:

PROCEDURAL CHANGES ARE NEEDED

* All social functions for politicans and staffers should be single sex affairs with men and women debarred from social interaction.

* NO ALCOHOL should be permitted at any social function.

* No social function should continue past 11.45 pm.

* All social functions under these terms should be away from the precinct of Parliament House

Went into a major shoe store in Casuarina. Shoes I wanted had to be ordered. The assistant told me to order them from the store online to expedite delivery. We (the store) could order but delivery would take weeks I was told. So much for sales enthusiasm.

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Several years ago I was told by a policeman that I would be surprised and concerned if I knew how many sex offenders were living within the Darwin community. That news worried me at the time and still does. Such revelations are discomforting and alarming.

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Tasmania on March 23, passed euthanasia laws into existence, becoming the third state to approve right to die legislation. Other states are moving in this direction. Now is not the time for the NT to turn its back on the issue, recently revitalised by the NT News. We have to keep pushing on this issue until the Federal Government relinquishes its unnatural control on the rights of our territory to make its own laws on key issues.

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The issue of youth justice and punishment for crime is one that should be treated as a bipartisan issue by Government and the opposition in the NT Assembly this week.

Both major parties are united in their belief that SOMETHING has to be done to address the issue. Harmony rather than discord on the subject would confirm the commitment of our politicans to dealing with this escalating problem. We need a fix and we need it now, for our Territory is at the mercy of youthful offenders.

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It seems as if too many (young ?)male staffers in Federal Parliament are prioritising lewd and vile behavioural displays as a part of their function.

They should all be booted! Maybe employment of staffers supporting federal politicans should not be available to anyone under 30 or 35 years. This might mean that staff employed have grown up!!

Beware!! If you live at towns, locations and places off the Stuart Highway in the NT, southern suppliers of goods may require the goods to go to a Darwin or major town address, because they do not believe you live where you live.

Goods then have to be readdressed and forwarded by a relation or friend at a doubling of freight costs. This is happening far too often.

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The PM should sack all those parliamentary staffers who prove to be disloyal through promoting scandal and gossip. Breaches should be punished by instant dismissal and the cancellation of accrued work benefits.

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The youth who are now taking the NT apart and running out of control in cities, towns and communities, are the children of parents who were running loose and destroying the place one or two decades ago.

What hope have today’s wild youngsters got at redemption, when all they are doing is modelling the way their parents behaved during their formative years.

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I am an urban farmer facing several challenges. The major challenge has two parts.

The first problem is there are no longer bees, green ants, and other insects that fertilise flowers, present in our neighbourhood.

When we first came here in 1987 there were an abundance of green ants, plenty of bees and other insects that assisted when it came to fertilisation. Now, for whatever reason they are all gone.

I saw a bee the other day, on a passionfruit vine in our backyard. It was a rarity. I haven’t seen another one since. I have asked why it is that these insects have vanished but nobody seems to have an answer to my question.

The second problem is the confusion of weeds, coffee bush seed (carried by birds and conveyed by wind) that quickly germinates, and creepers that come over our fence, courtesy of neighbouring properties.

Controlling this unwanted invasion (which is constant year around) takes time and also costs money. Weedkillers do not come cheaply.

(As I fully funded two of our three division fences, I feel some ownership of what happens when it comes to the use.)

These and other inconveniences have to be dealt with, if urban farming is to be a success.

So much for a grizzle, but it’s important that others realise what I confront when it comes to the challenges of nature confronting urban farmers.