May the new year bring blessing and happiness to all Territorians. May we be a community that masters challenges, transforming them into celebrations. May we be a polite community, noted for the empathy and care we have for each other. May we put others before ourselves.

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It is a great pity that the Perron Government’s take on climate change 30 years ago (NT News 1/1) was never acknowledged by Federal action at the time. The present fire holocaust is in part an outcome of our country ignoring the ‘stitch in time saves nine’ principle. Change on policy including vegetation management MUST follow this season’s Australia-wide torching.

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As a Northern Territorian, I don’t agree with the thought about race being connected with arrest for language offences. Come to Darwin and spend some time in our city mall, in our shopping centres, on buses, at transit centres and just around our streets and you will see what I mean.

BUSHFIRE HOLOCAUST – WHERE TO FROM HERE

The bushfires ravaging Australia at the moment have become part of an annual scorch and burn event. For years, Australia has had a bushfire season and in many cases huge damage and major loss of life have been a part of the outcome.

This particular bushfire season has been called by some as “a once in 100 years event“. I doubt that holds true any longer. These disasters are starting earlier, finishing later and creating massive misery outcomes like never before.

In the Northern Territory, cabinet papers released under the 30 year embargo rule demonstrate that the Perron Government in 1989 urged upon its federal counterpart the need for a nationwide policy to be developed in order to counter natural disasters. This recommendation was of course never actioned – not then and not up until this day.

I believe that there needs to be a three-pronged action in response to this fire season that needs to begin immediately.

• Scott Morrison our Prime Minister and is in the cabinet need to meet urgently with fire chiefs have been seeking a meeting for months And to this point in time have been rejected.

•I believe our prime minister should heed the urging of opposition politicians and a growing number of others to call an urgent Council Of Australian Government (premiers and Chief Ministers) to discuss one item only and that is our present fire situation. Part of that meeting might be to hear from those connected with fighting and managing these fires.

• The third necessary policy development platform should be to put in place a program for future fire control management that takes account of caretaking needs in densely bush areas and our national parks. That policy should include all areas that are accessible.

Without the shadow of a doubt one of the issues adding to this season of fire disaster has been that of huge fuel loads in forested areas. In many places there is an accumulation that is decades old. Management policies and procedures have to be put in place to clear these fuel loads in some systemic manner at regular intervals. As it happens, our “friends” the trees and vast swaths of their naturalness have turned into major enemies.

something needs to happen and soon. Our country cannot carry on like this because desperation that is reactive just doesn’t do the job. Our country needs to be proactive in putting into place a policy that is nationwide and confronting of bushfire insidiousness.

It was sad that three people died in a road traffic accident in Alice Springs. But to treat the tragedy as a ‘death in custody’ incident when there was no pursuit after the driver chose to ignore a pull over request instead speeding off then crashing, is totally ridiculous.

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Watching Australia bat against NZ on the first day and into the early part of the second was a form of spectator torture.

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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 people.

I believe it essential for court proceedings in the Zachary Rolfe matter to the relocated from Alice Springs to Darwin. If matters remain in the Alice, we can expect social and emotional reaction that will threaten public order in that city. The situation has not been helped in the aftermath of the sad Yuendumu incident by the injudicious comments of some notary public’s.

The Anindilyakwa Land Council is using mining royalties money to secure 24/7 solar generated battery supported power for Angurugu on Groote Eylandt. The council deserves plaudits for using royalties payments for community benefit. Too much money derived from royalties is frittered away, with communities then putting it on government to rectify their problems. Plaudits to the ALC for the council’s initiative.

The government (Territory taxpayer) is shelling out $400 million for the shiplift, with $300 million repayable with interest to the NAIF. Paspaleys will operate the facility and reap all profits. When questioned on this as a business practice Treasurer Manison said the shiplift for Territorians was “less about generating revenue and more about growing the economy.” I do not understand the logic of government shouldering the debt and giving away profits that could be used for offsetting the debt.

Today begins the NT New’s unveiling of our 120 most powerful Territorians. The suspense has been overwhelming and I feel more excited about who will be revealed in the days ahead, than a child waiting for Father Christmas. (On launch day)

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The progressive abrogation of traditional celebrations that have long been part of the Australian life is both sad and alarming. Forsaking Christmas, Easter and Australia Day for the real or imagined discomfort they may cause to Indigenous Australians and overseas arrivals is disingenuous. This is about capitulation and will add to discord rather than building relationships within society.

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Council worries that suburban brothels would lower property values. Integrated housing policies, street wastescapes and environmental neglect have already sent house prices tumbling into freefall territory.

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The assault of paramedics answering emergency calls has become a skyrocketing trend. They should absolutely refuse to attend callouts likely to expose them to danger without an accompanying police escort.

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‘Disgusted Passenger’ (letters, NT News, 16/12) is spot on in calling out drunken and antisocial behaviour which is a Darwin hallmark. It’s apparent not only on buses but in our streets, the mall and shopping centres. Sadly, it is a major remembrance of our city and suburbs for far too many visitors. It also constantly besets the sensitivities of local residents.

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The Territory’s number one focus seems to embody alcohol and drinking. Dan Murphy is the tip of the iceberg. A major consideration needs to be costs of everything from rehabilitation to salaries for the army of alcohol police. Consider hospital costs, paramedic engagement and the blight on community of drunken behaviour including damage to property and injuries to people.

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$73.90 for two packs of 30 cigarettes per pack.

That is what I saw a man pay at the cigarette counter in a Woolworths store in Darwin.’s northern suburbs the other day. He purchased two packets of cigarettes with 30 cigarettes in each packet. That works out at $1.23 a cigarette.

Then I got to thinking about the other “social pleasures” for which people pay big heaps of money without thinking. This led me to the following conclusion.

I believe that if Territorians didn’t smoke, drank in moderation, gave up gambling and refrained from non prescription drug usage, personal poverty and penury would reduce by at least 80%. Health would improve, there would be fewer accidents and far less pressure on hospitals.

They would also be a lot less need for Saint Vincent DePaul’s, the Smith Family, cat food bank, and various other organisations that are working so hard to alleviate pressure is hard up up families and destitute people.

There would be no need for breakfast programs in schools (which are mushrooming and multiplying almost exponentially).

The work done by the Salvation Army, the Australian Red Cross and other major other charities would be hugely reduced.

So much money is wasted. Wasted by single people wasted by families and wasted every day, week, month and year.

Penury and destitution are everywhere. And that poverty is the outcome that results from choices and establishment of expenditure priorities. Unfortunately, when people are helped and supported by charities or by institutions taking responsibility for what should be offered by families, that can leave more money to be wasted on things that have caused the destitution problem in the first place.

Thus the situation becomes one that is “Catch-22”. The support that is offered can exacerbate the problem, compounding the issue and requiring even more support to be given to overcome shortfalls occasioned by the priorities that these families have established.

So this unfortunate spiral downwards continues and there seems to be no end point.



CASUARINA SHOPPING CENTRE IS AN UNSAFE PLACE

Casuarina Shopping Centre, especially the carpark up the Woolworths end, is a dangerous place to leave vulnerable vehicles. A hose reel unfurled and scooters tipped over and with mirrors ripped off, was but one youthful escapade yesterday afternoon. Helmets were torn from the scooters and pitched out into the open.

The activities were undertaken by indigenous teenage girls who were skylarking and having fun fights.

In the aftermath I was aware of powerless security guards, a police presence which arrived but was a waste of time and an an abusive parent who seemed to be the mother of one of the girls. Vile language from the girl to the mother was part of the family exchange with part of the verbal being the parent defending the actions of the child to security.

One scooter owner talked to me. He was distressed as his funds are limited and he now has a repair bill to fix his damaged scooter and is not sure how he will manage. I gathered his scooter has suffered previous damage at the shopping centre.

Aberrant behaviour at Casuarina is going from bad to worse. This was just one incident mid afternoon. This was in the main downstairs car park, near to the bus exchange and not far from travellators into the centres shops.

AND WHAT A SELF SERVING OUTFIT!

I normally only listen to the Federal Parliament during question time. Today however, I was driving along and decided to listen into what was going on in the House of Representatives on the ABC channel 105.4.

For the best part of an hour I listen to a debate alternating speakers between the government and opposition on the topic of infrastructure, expenditure, and enhancing the economy generally. Not a great deal of meaningful information as forthcoming.

Firstly we had government speakers bragging, boasting, and self congratulating about how wonderful the government was and how much was being done to enhance the lives of ordinary Australians. The Venera self-congratulation was was being laid on so thickly that it was quite sickening. I meant the self-congratulation government speakers took every opportunity to lambast, ridicule and deride members of the opposition.

When it came to a position speakers, revisiting “dreamtime“ was the order of speech delivery in order to remind everybody of how good the opposition was when they were in government. Along with that came plenty of tearing down of the government for perceived and actual inaction and limp wristedness in managing challenges being confronted.

So, meaningless debate and wasted time.

Scott Morrison talks about our our country as being happily pluralistic and blessedly multicultural. He describes us as being peaceful, prosperous and an example of living harmony. We are unified and together, not divided and pulling apart from each other. Our unification transcends our division.

Really!

That might be a stranger and a beautiful theoretical concept of analysis. It might even be the way Australia is by comparison to some countries of the world with violence based on ethnicity and religion is more obviously to the fore.

Beneath the surface and out and around in the community, things are not a salubrious as Mr Morrison might suggest.

Our prime minister needs to spend time in the community in the same way as did the prince in the “The Prince and the Pauper”.

The way is always prepared for the arrival of Prime Minister‘s and people of importance and they don’t see these things they really are. With respect, I think that the camouflaged appearance is one that’s presented to our Prime Minister.

Educators are quite constantly involved with processes relating to testing, measurement and evaluation. This is done in different ways by people directly and indirectly connected with schools. While most factors of measurement relate to academics, there are other things to be considered when evaluating schools.

Over time priorities and processes have changed. These days within the NT a detailed visit by senior colleagues including a group of the principal’s peers and senior management staff is the way appraisals are undertaken. The process lasts several days. Examination includes conversations with some school staff members.

The Northern Territory Education Department has been concerned about the performance of its schools since taking over responsibility for education in 1978. Various models have been followed.

One of the very best was called the “Internal/external School Appraisal Model”. This involved members of the school staff and members of community working in groups to analyse the various aspects of school function. Teaching performance, staff relationships, student welfare, school appearance, communications and all other factors were examined. Each panel included staff and community members. A facilitator was appointed for each group.

Groups had the ability to glean information from a number of options. Included what questionnaires, interviews, and of course the self-awareness of that particular aspect of school function built within the group. Toward the end of the process each group presented in turn to the whole school staff and also members of community who cared to attend those sessions. From the report grew recommendations for future consideration. Each group also indicated things that were being done well and should be continued.

After presenting, each group report and recommendations to the forum of staff and community. Some revisions were then made and a priority put on the recommendations.

When all groups had presented and the final report from the “internal process” developed, this then went to an external panel which considered the report. This panel had the opportunity to order the recommendations as a whole.

This was a very elongated process. However he enabled all staff and those with a keen steak and interest in the school to have input. Importantly the report was owned by school staff and community members.

I applied this model at Nhulunbuy Primary School when first becoming principal. Again, it was used it Karama Primary School in 1987. Of all the methodologies used over time to help centre school action in the right directions this approach was by far and away the most effective.

When people within an organisation own what they do including developing the context of futures direction the whole process is validated by ownership.

Although it may never happen I would certainly recommend a return to the past when it comes to appraising a school and its place within the community.