You can be sure that when disputes over this "deal" are broadcast over the media, the average white punter's perceptions after seeing Aboriginal people protesting against (what to them is a generous billion dollar gift from the government), this will only reinforce negative and resentful white attitudes, such as 'why are they being given all this money by the government and still not satisfied? They are greedy.'
Andrew was one of the Territory’s great eccentrics—but also one of its best contemporary writers,” said Mr Mackinolty. “He came to the Territory chasing music as a journalist, which led to the influential book Strict rules which covered the Warumpi Band/Midnight Oil tour of the Territory and never looked back as a writer. “He followed this with Death in Dili, Catalina Dreaming and An Intruders Guide to East Arnhemland—the latter led to his being awarded NT Writer of the Year in 2009.
The strategy of bussing people around is not new. It was used effectively during the Swan Brewery protest in Perth where Aboriginal dissidents were ferried in from Wiluna to speak against local Nyoongar Elders who were trying to protect their spiritual heritage from development. The Wiluna people were not related to the Swan River Nyoongars but this didn't matter to the politicians.
The Bitch - and her sisters - will each carry cattle worth - at current values of $782 a head for export cattle - $112,600 from Brunette Downs to the yards in Darwin. Each load will weigh around 50.4 tonnes. Across the four trucks in this convoy the total value of this run will be around $450,000 with a weight of 200 or so tonnes.
Darwin - or Robertson Barracks - isn't exactly seen as a comfort post. One comment on a military weblog reckoned that while the Northern Territory might be a great place to conduct large-scale training exercises most of the troops won't be based at or near Darwin but at Bradshaw an awful long way from Darwin. One commentator described Bradshaw as a "shitty place to be posted".
Professor Karen Edyvane: "With the inaccurate, misinformed and highly partisan, 'anti-Marine Park' views of the Territory's only daily newspaper, the NT News, Territorians are neither being informed of the basic scientific facts, nor the overwhelming scientific consensus and support for Marine Parks - including 'no-take' Marine Sanctuaries. The NT News has instead, engaged in gross misinformation, inflammatory and partisan anti-Marine Park media coverage and editorial commentary."
UPDATED - Now with added Gerry Wood! That's not all! Just next to this rubbish dump there is an open sewerage pond where the raw sewage is pumped out straight of the houses. It is just very rough and ready - a hole in the ground surrounded by a chain-mesh fence. Pure raw sewage. The tip is about 2 or 3 minutes drive from the community. Kids walk back and forth. Dogs can get into the sewage ponds and then they go back to the community. It is a disgrace.
I indicated by local sign language that I would stay where I was and that he should pass me, a signal involving a closed fist and one or two up and down movements of the wrist 'I'm staying here'. I should have realised of course that this signal wouldn't work cross-culturally and that only when I saw the police officer drive up to my window and start abusing me did I realise that this local signal had no currency with the constabulary. He protested I was being offensive and in between the yelling I attempted to somehow explain the intricacies of Bininj sign language. I realised it was a lost cause. It still is.
Earlier this week I drove out to the west coast of the NT’s Gulf of Carpentaria for work. On the first morning out bush I was lucky enough to be up before dawn and wandered down to the foreshore to see what might wander past and into my camera. I’d seen a pair [...]
Nigel Adlam's award as NT Journalist of the Year was unsurprising and - in light of the three minor gongs awarded for solid work - deserved. But there were more than a few mutterings that it might have been better for him to leave the field to the many younger, and no less deserving, early career journalists who might appreciate the the nice cheque and trip to Brisbane for the Walkley Awards in a few weeks as much as he will.
