The history and development of NT’s ICAC has been punctuated by incredible operational processes almost from day one. The seeming incredulity of decisions that have been made suggest that very little consideration was given to constituting the ICAC before it was brought into premature existence.

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The sudden departure of Justin Langer, one of Cricket Australia’s most effective coaches, makes him the fourth coach in a row to leave under a cloud. However, it is rare for a coach who has done so much to rebuild a team, taking it from the lowest of low to the highest of high points, to be dishonoured when the team is at its zenith. The Australian Cricket Board may well come to regret the decision leading to Langer’s resignation.

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A pharmacist told me on Saturday (5/2) that a reasonable supply of RAT kits to outlets in the NT is at least two weeks away. If fortunate enough to locate kits, be aware of the fact that purchase is tax deductible.

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Casuarina Shopping Square has been sold again. It was at its best when smaller, family friendly and supporting community through encouraging art/craft displays and musical performances. Back then, the centre was warm, inviting and welcoming – very much like Gateways right now.

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It is reported the Rio situation and that confronted by female mine workers is so bad that women on site are living in constant fear of molestation. If that is the case, employment contracts should be offered only to women and not renewed for men. Upgrading workforces by degree to women only will be workplace enhancing.

Productivity will also increase because women are so focussed on the jobs they are doing.

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I spoke with a Darwin bus driver on Tuesday. He was on his way to work, wondering about the level of confrontation he would face from verbal assaults and physical threats ‘today’. He told me reporting is a waste of time because driver concerns are shrugged off and not dealt with in any way. It is totally and morally wrong that drivers are, in essence, told to “suck it up” and accept this abuse as par for the course.

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The sudden and untimely departure of Justin Langer as the senior coach of Australian men’s cricket is an absolute travesty. In my opinion it is testament to the very poor administrative and management structure of the Australian Cricket Board.

We will never fully know why the board procrastinated for so long in offering what apparently was a very mediocre contract extension to Mr Langer.

What seems to have been conveniently overlooked was the way in which Justin Langer took Australian men’s cricket from a very dark place and resurrected it in terms of both status and winning glory.

It would appear that the coach is a victim of the sin of insisting on high standards of behaviour and conformity to a coaching ethic designed (and proven) to bring out the best in the team.

Justin Langer is the fourth coach (after Nikki Arthur, John Buchanan, and Darren Lemon,) to fall victim to the caprice of players, the ingratitude of the Board, or both.

It will be a miracle if the team is able to continue high-level performance. A dip in the level and degree of future success will not be surprising.

It is absolutely awful that Senator McMahon did not feel physically safe while attending CLP central council

meetings. Women have a right to feel secure as they carry out their duties and fulfil their responsibilities. It is a shame that the Senator was distracted by her feelings of vulnerability while attending these meetings.

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Covid is sinister because it is so poorly understood by authorities. Governments are looking at a briar of thorns through rose coloured glasses. Thoughts about a wonderful, possibly fictional future are hiding them from the present terrible realities.

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It seems to me there is no way Anthony Albanese can lose the election due by about May 17. I would never ever bet on this or anything else but it seems with the balance weighing going on at the moment, the Coalition has certainly been found wanting.

I have been an urban farmer for the last seven or eight years. With the passing of time I have growing passionfruit, pawpaws, and also other garden plants.

Without doubt, pawpaws have been my major crop. I have had a reasonable success with these plants as my next entry will show.

AUSTRALIA SO LOST WITHOUT AMERICA

Well, well, well,

Fancy that,

You KNOW Australia’s,

A copy cat.

Yanks say ‘jump’,

Aussies say ‘how high’,

We’re commanded by Yanks,

Like pigs in a sty.

Holt once said,

To LBJ,

‘With you, my mentor’,

‘We’ll go all the way’.

Slaves to America,

With no mind of our own,

We surrender our birthright,

Your will be done.

We’ll join in your wars,

And fight overseas,

For it is you Big Brother,

We aim to appease.

Keep you arm tight around us,

And guide our way,

Forever and always,

Your servant each day.

Fixing the quandary of sexual harassment in the Federal Parliament.

A number of things need to be done in order to fix the situation of sexual harassment in the Federal Parliament.

It is devastating that in this day and age I am reminded of a statement made by a lady who lived to be 104 years of age. She said that in her experience “the thoughts of men never rise higher than the bed.”

The whole harassment and bullying issue needs to be fixed and I suggest three things.

• Immediately, alcohol should be banned from Parliament house and all functions should be supported by non-alcoholic beverages.

• Secondly, a move should be made toward all staff supporting parliamentarians being female. Any position that becomes vacant should be available to women only. As tenure for male staffers comes to an end as contracts expire or male staffers resign, only women should be allowed to take their place.

• Over the next 10 years all parliamentarians should be transitioned to a women only status. Male politicians presently in the parliament should be able to continue putting themselves forward for only another two terms. Retiring male politicians from now on. should be replaced only by female persons in the House of Representatives and the Senate. No male should be eligible To seek preselection for any seat becoming vacant.

The problem has to be fixed and it would seem from history and current experience that the fixing just does not happen. The alternative is to get rid of the problem! That means getting rid of the men.

If there are harassment issues in state and territory parliaments and assemblies, the above methodology should be implemented.

Policing in the NT will be a deficit model until every town, community and homeland settlement has a ‘bricks and mortar’ facility, with every station staffed by officers living on site. We have some way to go!

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Government has responsibility to ensure that people in remote communities are kept as safe as possible from the ravages of Covid. However, elders, traditional owners and community leaders must all play their part by being vaccinated and using their influence to persuade all others to vaccinate. Community response cannot be influenced by government alone.

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Could Government ministers please tell us the way things are. The health and police departments are in deep crises. Our economy is in a parlous position and the territory is under the pump. Darwin is NOT the ‘Comeback Capital’, and the statement ‘boundless possible’ is empty rhetoric. Ministers, be honest and stop trying to hoodwink us with trite, dismissive statements; acknowledge how bad things really are in the NT.

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.

I am an urban farmer – first post.

I am going share on LinkedIn and add to my blog, my “togetherness blog“ a little series about one of my occupations at the moment.

In retirement, one of the things I have discovered about flash terminology is the term “Urban Farmer“. I did not identify quickly as being an urban farimer, but the term has a certain warmth and it sticks.

As an urban farmer who has an 800 square block with a backyard and some fence lines, I face both challenges and have the opportunity to celebrate. I’m going to share a little over the next period of time about both.

Some of my posts will talk about the frustrations experienced as an urban farmer. Others will talk about the things I’ve been able to do and tell about the produce I have been able to share.

There will be some giveaways that are offered and all my giveaways are free to anyone who might like to use them. I’m not an urban farmer for profit but rather for the fun and for the frustration that it offers.

Urban farming is not a bad occupation for a very old man.