So David Tollner reckons a treaty with Indigenous Territorians will benefit the NT like an elixir. Well, it might. But there was no elixir about the performance of the CLP Government, of which he was a key member, when they last held office. It is easier said than done.

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Plaudits for the new security system at the Darwin Airport. For years replaced joints have meant zapping and public treatment with the wand and tap downs every time I have ventured there. Now the joints show up on the screen and I am not subjected to this individualised and highly public treatment. The new way is much more humane.

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Hundreds and hundreds of people in Alice Springs have signed and are signing a petition asking for a youth curfew. Similar curfews have been periodically advocated for the past 30 years. This one won’t get up either as it will be seen as an infringement on the nocturnal rights of young.

The impeachment in the trial of Donald Trump is nothing more or less than a load of crap. It’s a load of codswallop because it’s a process that isn’t going to go anywhere. Attempts to impeach Donald Trump are going to backfire against the Democrats as surely as eggs are eggs.

This motivation by the Democrats to impeach Trump Against alleged interference in the internal affairs of the Ukraine may or may not have substance. Trump may or may not have withheld money that have been voted to your brain by the Congress until an agenda item being negotiated between here and the Ukrainian president had been carried through. Doubtless, the motivation of the Democrats toward impeachment has been filled by countless other incidents that have taken place under the presidency of Trump.

But at the end of the day the impeachment, carried out by the Senate with its Republican Majority will find Trump not guilty and probably on all counts.

This whole process which is occupied democratic minds for months and even the last two or three years is going to be something causing that party grevious outcomes associated with self immolation. The party is long winded focus on bringing this president and done is doing nothing but cruelling presidential election chances for a member of the party.

When the impeachment is voted down in the Senate, Democrats are going to have precious little time to regroup and get on with a decent presidential challenge. Furthermore, to many Americans members of this party is just going to turn into a laughing stock, the collective butt of ribaldry, joking smirking and negative social media.

There will be nowhere for this party to go but out the door at the next Presidential election. In short, democratic stupidity is going to guarantee Trump another four years as a Republican President of the United States.

Regardless of intent, the actions by the Democrats are the highest order of crass stupidity.

◦ 85% of business, industry and commerce managers cannot be wrong in portraying the government as “poor” or “very poor” financial and economic managers. Truly, the Northern Territory is in the very parlous economic position. It is time for affirmative action not more spin doctoring.

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◦ I feel sorry for Dr Palmer at RDH being told by the Chief Minister to manage beds that he does not have to manage. The hospital is under resourced. There need to be more beds available for the doctor to do the job with which he is charged. Trite political responses do not fix the problem.

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◦ So David Tollner reckons a treaty with Indigenous Territorians will benefit the NT like an elixir. Well, it might. But there was no elixir about the performance of the CLP Government, of which he was a key member, when they last held office. It is easier said than done!

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◦ It is a good thing that the role played by arsonists in starting bushfires is starting to be recognised and given public airing. It might be wise for authorities to establish an arsonist register. At the start of every fire year they should be detained in custody until the season is over. They should also be fitted with ankle bracelets for 24/7 monitoring.—

Along with the rest of Australia, I feel both empathy and sympathy for those whose homes, properties, crops, livestock, and livelihoods have been severely impacted or destroyed by the current bushfires ravaging Australia. Truly, this bushfire season to date ( including late winter and spring leading into summer) has been little short of an Armageddon.

It is a great thing that the government is supporting those whose losses have been significant. Australia and indeed the world are doing an outstanding job when I comes to fundraising for money that will be spent helping to alleviate some of the misery that has been afflicted upon people.

Nothing can replace those whose lives have been lost. The loss of life is the most significant and impacting of all parts of these weeks and months of fire holocaust.

Through all of what has happened, I cannot but wonder about what has happened to insurance.

Statistically, it has been disclosed that many Australians, probably around about 30%, do not carry insurance on their homes and their positions within their homes. It has also been revealed that a large percentage of those who are insured under insured and have not increased their Insurance levels with the passing of the years.

But it seems that anywhere up to 50% of Australians do not carry any form of property insurance at all. That may be based on particular regions and locations and also upon the characteristics of people within specific regional district boundaries.

Then there’s the issue of livestock and crops. There was a time (And maybe it has passed) when farmers used to insure their crops against coming harvests. Valuable livestock were also insured. It seems to me a great pity that insurance has taken a back seat.

Maybe it’s the premiums! They may be too high.

At one stage of my life I was connected with farming and was aware of the fact that many of those on the land carried insurance against the sorts of losses that have occurred during this fire season. For whatever reason, it’s a great pity that the issue of insurance has now been downplayed.

Insurance cannot be anything other than compensation for what has been lost. But at least, it is something and if appropriate levels are carried it can help people to re-establish.

Arson is a major and terrible crime. It is wicked and evil in any circumstances. However, the temerity of this evil affliction is no more so than when arsonists contribute to the propagation of bushfires that burn homes, kill livestock, destroyed property, and take human lives. And no more so than when looters go into areas that have been so destroyed, foraging around and taking what they can before devastated homeowners can return to sift through the wreckage of their houses.

I believe that arson and looting are the most grievous of sins. And the evils being absolutely highlighted during this Armageddon like fire season.

Authorities have established a register of paedophiles and those who sin against children. In a similar what vain I believe that an arsonists register should be established. At the start of every fire season arsonists should be entered and remain so until the end of the fire season. I would be looking to them being placed in a remote location like the Curtain Airbase in Western Australia. They do not deserve any better than this for the harm and the grief that they wreak against society.

Looters should be recognised in a similar sort of way. As looting is a crime that can happen in all sorts of circumstances that go beyond bushfires, registering them and then fitting them with ankle bracelets to be worn 24 seven 365 days a year would be a fitting penalty.

These people do not deserve any consideration other than a visitation upon them of appropriate and realistic penalties for the crimes they have committed.

For Darwin to be appealing to tourists, the place needs to be a city of substance. Tinsel and glitter including ‘tropical lights’ do not appeal to those who want a real and natural rather than artificial and created experience.

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Congratulations to residents of Santa Teresa on being acclaimed the tidiest town in Australia for 2019. It would be wonderful if Nhulunbuy, the tidiest town In the Territory for the next round of recognition, could also take the top Australian gong. This would give the town a real boost and promote it as a place attracting tourists.

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It is a good thing that the role played by arsonists in starting bushfires is starting to be recognised and given public airing. It might be wise for authorities to establish an arsonist register. At the start of every fire year they should be detained in custody until the season is over. They should also be fitted with ankle bracelets for 24/7 monitoring.

Election Year

Yay! It is 2020. Football wise we are in the last quarter of the four year political game leading to the Territory election. Watch as ‘Team Government’ goes all out with promises and exhortations, all the while hoping that the Territory memory of the first three quarters (years) will be expunged.

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Power issues in Gove

Power outages for lengthy periods of time in Nhulunbuy, although often notified, are far too regular and ongoing. When the town loses power, it is often for hours on end. This makes for both domestic discomfort and substantial losses in trade (and sometimes perishable stock) for businesses.

This problem is years old.

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The scourge of arson

Swinburne Uni professor James Ogloff said about 50% of bushfires were lit by firebugs (arsonists) because blazes excited them. 183 arsonists have been arrested and charged during this bushfire season (Australian 7/1). Cautions and minimal sentencing seem to be the general judicial response. A far heavier hand, including murder charges, is warranted for this deliberately criminal conduct.

They have been several good articles published in newspapers in recent days that look at the issue of fuel loads in forested and woodland areas and how the increase of this debris and undergrowth is impacting upon the ferocity of bushfires devastating our country.

One in particular which appeared in the Sunday Territorian last Sunday is worthy of a read. It is one of the best pieces on the subject that has appeared in print in a long time. I will post it if possible.

Without doubt, climate has changed and the changes have an impact on conditions under which we live. They also play a part in shaping short-term weather and the long-term climatic outlook. However, the fact that we have well and truly departed from protecting our environment through what used to be has a burning reduction programs is absolutely crass and totally stupid.

It is high time that the government (At Federal and state/territory level) stopped its silly nonsense of acceding to the views and the attitudes of greenies and environmental protectionists. Their positions are proving to be the undoing of this country.

The first thing that needs to happen, immediately,Is the convening of a COAG meeting to put a firm Australian government stamp onto new management policy and sensible direction.

It’s absolutely fantastic that Australia and indeed the world are rallying around the need to support those devastated by the continuing and ongoing bushfire holocaust of 2019 and 2020. While the present conflagration is around about a month old, in fact the bushfire season started As far back as September 2019.

It is the Armageddon of the last fortnight that has galvanised giving. This has been particularly the case in the last four or five days. It’s probably not going beyond anticipation to suggest that dollars pledged in support of those devastated by bushfires now runs to the billions.

Generosity and support is coming from everybody, in all walks of life and from people connecting from around the world. Awareness and response are outstanding.

The problem I see rests not so much in the giving but rather in the way those generous donations are going to be collated and distributed. I would also worry that people who are not entitled to support or some help wriggle their way into receiving money and other help.

In 1998 when the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory was devastated by floods, the Red Cross and other support institutions received and distributed donations. I am aware of the fact, based upon observation that when the Red Cross came to distributing funds, many who are not entitled and hearing about the distribution, engaged in what might simply be called “theft”.

People not affected by those floods lined up and were given generous financial handouts. And there were many who came through a second and third time in order to receive more and more “support”.

We are constantly regaled by stories about misappropriation of funds from trusts set up to support those in need. It’s also true that many people within the top and middle level management of distributing organisations are on substantial retainers and salaries. When one considers associations with these key groups, it’s not by any means all about volunteers.

The distribution of funds needs to be managed in a way that allows the money to go in its entirety to those who need the support. Achieving this end can be easier said than done.

May all those who I have suffered devastating loss of family and property be uplifted and given the strength and fortitude to rebound. And may policies be put in place that will in future enable this country to better manage what has become an annual bushfire hell.

The behaviour of Messrs Bromley and Morgan who went swimming and relaxing in crocodile infested waters is alarming and for the example set to others, reprehensible. Should they have been taken by crocs, I guess there would have been eulogies aplentiy about the sad demise of these wonderful men.

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Will Zwar (NT News 3/1) reminds us that the ratepayers wish for the CoD in 2019 was for concentration on rates (usage) roads and rubbish. It seems that the City Council went for dreams and visions rather than practical focus. And we are stuck with this Mayor and council until August 2021.

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The NT Government is stone motherless broke and sinking rapidly into a deepening mire of debt. Debt is at an unsustainable level and the Territory is being led by its government ever deeper into the stickiness of insolvency. We are bankrupt.