The fact that government and the relevant department insist on an 80 kph speed limit on Vanderlin Drive, outbound from almost adjacent to Hibiscus shopping centre, could well lead to a fatal road accident. The limit SHOULD be reduced to 60 kph until motorists are past Patterson Street and the Leanyer waterpark. Far too many near misses are happening because of speed in this section of road.

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Now more than ever, with Covid so embedded within the territory, I try and take extreme care when venturing out in public. I leave home for only the most urgent of reasons, timing my departure from adnd return to the safety and security of our abode. Covid impresses upon me the fact that nothing can be taken for granted and that extreme care and caution must be exercised every day.

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Rents are skyhigh, setting renters back many hundreds of dollars each week. Might it not be better for rent payments to be expressed as costing X number of dollars per hour. That might sound more palatable and be easier to swallow.

What I wrote on January 21 2020

POINTS TO PONDER

Jacinta Price’s recent column in the NT News (18/1) paints a picture of Australia Day as an opportunity for Indigenous Australians to reflect upon the wonderful contributions they make to our multicultural and multilingual country. 71% of Australians want January 26 to be a day of positive and shared remembrance. That’s the way it should remain.

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Relief and joy are often expressed when thieves stealing vehicles are not maimed or killed in accidents that often follow. What about trotting our empathy and understanding for victims whose stolen vehicles are so often trashed, burned or otherwise totally destroyed.

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The Gunner Government’s determination to bring on Dan Murphy’s at whatever cost, is destroying the integrity of Justice Trevor Riley’s findings. Our CM needs to stand behind the Tribunal’s findings. To waver and vacillate flies in the face of what government has done to secure Riley’s findings in action outcomes.

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From April 2020

POINTS TO PONDER

Through careful management of COVID-19 issues, it looks like things are heading in the right direction. However this wretched virus is not a scourge to be treated lightly or with any complacency whatsoever. We can afford careful optimism but not unrequited rejoicing.

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Those stupid rugby players who defied social distancing and gathering size regulations in NSW during the weekend raise a question of trust. Can authorities believe these people will do the right thing by special conditions aimed at restoring competition? You have to wonder at their selfishly childish attitudes.

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Without doubt Mr Gunner is proving himself to be a Chief Minister dealing with COVID-19 with authority and confidence. The like of his leadership effectiveness has not been seen since Marshall Perron was our political leader. Surely the Territory will vote to continue with him and his party in August.

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POINTS TO PONDER

I am a very confused old man. I cannot understand why all governments, Federal, territory and state (with the exception of WA) went from careful, controlled Covid management to turning two thirds of Australia into a virus free-for-all! Neither can I understand why the 40 to 50 plus daily deaths from Covid are apparently being dismissed as collateral damage.

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With Covid unleashing variant after variant into the world, ongoing disruptions to education, health, business, industry and general trade look set to continue into perpetuity. Somehow people are will need a to permanently adjust, in order to share the world with this dominant viral player.

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I often wish we lived in the more simple, straightforward and ‘common sense’ compliant world that existed in my growing up days of the 1950’s and 60’s. During those years (and later) vaccination programs and other health measures necessary for common good. There was no unnecessary fuss perpetrated by ‘anti’ persons wanting to big note themselves. These Covid times cause me to yearn for the attitudes people had in these

past times.

A senior health provider told me that while masks and hand hygiene are deterrents, the best and most effective control to staying Covid free is physical distancing. Crowd density at sporting arenas and mingling tightly at entertainment venues is promoting the exponential spread of Covid. We should be heeding his words.

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I have been hanging out for the Wulagi Fish and Chip shop to reopen after the Christmas/New Year break. How glad I am that the business is now back for 2022 and I can again enjoy the quality product for which this establishment is famous.

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With Covid front and centre in all medical matters, other health issues are being overlooked. It is becoming impossible to have other matters requiring urgent attention treated at RDH. Staff are being worked to a point of extreme exhaustion and creeping fatigue. These issues MUST be rectified.

Tasmanians, who for so long have enriched teams through their participation in (other) state and Australian representative teams, thoroughly deserve the 5th Ashes cricket test, the FIRST ever, to be played at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. We too often fail to appreciate Tasmania, and Taswegians for their contribution to Australia.

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So the tens of thousands of patrons heading to major sporting events in Australia’s Covid prone states are double vaxed, try to physically distance and are masked unless eating or drinking! Television footage confirms that distancing and mask wearing are out the door; I’d bet the vaccination status of some at least, would also be suspect. Cases in these states are continuing to rise by tens of thousands each day. No wonder!

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Two outcomes are absolutely guaranteed if the NT Government introduces a waste levy for commercial and industrial waste. Building maintenance and construction costs will rise. There will also be an epidemic of waste dumping onto vacant land, rural roadsides and in quiet bushland. Careful thinking about a waste levy is needed.

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So the tens of thousands of patrons heading to major sporting events in Australia’s Covid prone states are double vaxed, try to physically distance and are masked unless eating or drinking! Television footage confirms that distancing and mask wearing are out the door; I’d bet the vaccination status of some at least, would also be suspect. Cases in these states are continuing to rise by tens of thousands each day. No wonder!

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The epidemic of Covid in the NT is thanks to the government opening the borders in a ‘carte Blanc’ manner to Australian states and the ACT on December 20 2021. That was the day all the good, careful and scrutinising surveillance against Covid was undone by policy change. This short sighted decision will have extremely negative long term consequences.

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Caz Shopper’s (txt editor 10/1) is not alone in apprehension about security in the Centre’s car parks. The centre as a whole has become subject to the behavioural caprices of antisocial individuals and groups seemingly hell bent on creating stress for shoppers. I used to love shopping at Casuarina, but now o only go there for services not available elsewhere.

With each passing day I am becoming more nervous and jittery about Covid. Although fully vaccinated it is taking me hours to pluck up the courage to go shopping. While using the QR code, trolley wiping, hand sanitising, mask wearing and physically distancing, I feel the ever present and lurking threat of Covid. This may well be for the rest of my life.

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The security and assurance I have long felt in the wisdom and actions of the Gunner Government are being shaken. I am wondering whether my confidence has been misplaced. The safety and security I felt because of sensible Covid management policies is being eroded by the fact the issue seems out of control. For Covid it seems ‘anything goes’ and government is now ‘letting it rip’. My allegiance is being sorely tested.

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NT voters are wise in having elected NT Legislative Assembly politicans who are truly representative of our population, ethnically and by gender. We have 12 women and 13 men. Five of our elected members are Indigenous Australians. This representative balance must be the envy of other states and the ACT.

So the tens of thousands of patrons heading to major sporting events in Australia’s Covid prone states are double vaxed, try to physically distance and are masked unless eating or drinking! Television footage confirms that distancing and mask wearing are out the door; I’d bet the vaccination status of some at least, would also be suspect.

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The epidemic of Covid in the NT is thanks to the government opening the borders in a ‘carte Blanc’ manner to Australian states and the ACT on December 20 2021. That was the day all the good, careful and scrutinising surveillance against Covid was undone by policy change. This short sighted decision will have extremely negative long term consequences.

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I love watching cricket on TV and listening to Shane Warne’s enlightening commentary. His depth of experience and breadth of knowledge of this great game, leave me open mouthed and spellbound.

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In past months the NT Government said its aim was to keep the territory Covid free. Now they are saying the aim is NOT to keep Covid out, but to ensure our hospital system is not overwhelmed. Shifting goalposts is a government speciality.

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The NT News lead story (‘Our remote housing crisis rack and ruin’, 14/12) highlights two urgent deficiencies that need to be addressed. The NT Government must be more aware of maintenance issues and act with greater alacrity to fix problems in remote houses it owns. As well, tenants (adults and children alike) must be educated in a way that enables them to understand the need for ongoing care and treatment of fixtures and fittings in order to avoid premature wear and tear. This May require an educational program for housing occupants.

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Billy Moir’s letter to the NT News (Trades needed 16/12) pointing out that Indigenous Australians in past times were competent tradespersons and builders is spot on. Keith Cole in his book ‘Arnhemland People and Places’ takes readers on a text and pictorial tour of the top end from that era. Many communities were, as Cole reveals, both self sufficient in building and agriculture while also supplying produce to others. Government policy lead to the decline and extinguishment of these skills. Rebuilding of what was lost is underway but the catching up process is slow.

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Key television news programs are

benefiting from daily appearances (and from all parts of Australia) by PM Scott Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese. I am humbled by the deep desire they have to communicate so regularly with viewers.