The Northern Territory news Thu 22 May 2014
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2014-05-22
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English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin
News Corp Australia
Darwin
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News Corp Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/250969
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/551895
Take a tip and ditch the dump ...and another thing IN JUST under two weeks, the battle will begin in earnest to save the Northern Territory from becoming the nations nuclear waste dumping ground. There are serious questions to be answered about the nomination process for the site at Muckaty Station, not least of which is the claimed lack of consultation with key traditional owner groups and, according to Labor Senator Nova Peris, the profound grief, suffering and loss it would inflict on Aboriginal people Then there is the little matter of geological suitability. Federal Court hearings will begin in Melbourne on June 2, travel to Tennant Creek and finish in Darwin on July 4 (although evidence may be heard later than this). Since Muckaty was first nominated in 2007, the Territory has listened to politicians flip-flop and backtrack, but ultimately deliver the green light to sell out. Political expediency is a commonly cited theory. Comments from former prime minister Bob Hawke that the Ter ritory should be a nuclear tip come as no surprise. It is the Outback, right? Exactly where our Chief Minister stands remains a mystery. As a candidate for Lingiari he championed the idea. As the Terri torys cheerleader-in-chief, he has been conspicuously absent. A no comment to Mr Hawkes claims he is an ardent sup porter could perhaps provide a clue. The tacit support could not be because of the economic benefits the embarrassingly modest $10 million upfront and $2 million each year hence. Simply, this is a good deal for the states particularly NSW not for the Territory, and its time to hear noise to that effect from our leaders. THANK God we dont see many louts running around Darwin with saggy pants. Hang on, the dry seasons here, so well probably start seeing some more. Sigh. A city in Tennessee, in the US, has had enough of the saggy pants syndrome and is fining the louts $25 for wearing pants three inches below the hip. Were all for freedom, but keep the pants at the waist, dudes. WHAT: Several wooden bollards along Casuarina Drive have broken and look ugly. WHOS RESPONSIBLE: Darwin council general manager for infrastructure, Luccio Cercarelli CONTACT: 8930 0581 Do you know of something in the Territory that needs fixing? Give the Fixer a call on 8944 9750, email thefixer@ntnews.com.au or follow on Twitter @NTNTheFixer What the frack I AM writing regarding your Sunday Territorian story on fracking (May 18) about the exploration for resources getting close to Uluru. While I support development, it seems we are losing sight of having a balance in development and maintaining our beautiful landscape and attractions here in the Territory. Do we really want to lose these attractions? Does anyone else care? I understand fracking is a reasonably new way of accessing natural gas resources and should be welcomed as a cheaper and cleaner alternative to oil and coal. The problem is that to get the gas out of the ground, a toxic brew of chemicals has to be pumped into shale at high pressure. If these chemicals stayed underground, I possibly would not mind so much, but they find their way back to the surface to damage our environment. Some experts believe some of the chemicals cause cancer, and that they contaminate water supplies. Then theres the actual damage to the landscape. Fracking isnt also known as hydraulic fracturing for no reason. I realise successful exploration could provide many jobs, but should we undergo such risks to employ more Territorians? Chris Tyler, Parap Get off your bum I WOULD strongly urge anyone who has an interest in the environment or whose family or livelihood relies upon bore or naturally occurring water sources to educate themselves about the apparent human consequences of modern hydraulic fracturing techniques. Very quickly. Public submissions to the NT Government inquiry close on May 31. If you are apathetic and dont care, thats fine, keep your head in the sand. But you are likely to regret that attitude if the Government gives the go-ahead for multiple gas extraction sites utilising modern fracking techniques in the NT. I dont believe our environment is pristine any more, but one thing is for sure the Territory will never be the same again if this industry gains momentum. Daniel Fuller, Darwin Dig a little deeper I DONT think Ill be watching Australian Story on ABC any more, because they have too many tall poppy celebrities and sports gods. Why doesnt Australian Story show Aussie battlers and real Australians who are ordinary people who do extraordinary things? I want to see blood, sweat and tears Aussies. There must be thousands of them in these tough times. Get your act together. Show the diehard true Aussies please. David Nicholls, Palmerston Savings obvious AUSTRALIANS agree the Federal Budget is an unfair shocker. The invention of philosophical conservatives, it seeks to downgrade this countrys health and education systems while spending freely on programs that remain central to their electoral success such as border protection. Listening to all the expert commentary regarding this slash-and-burn Budget document, nowhere have I heard the pundits put forward the obvious place where Government can make immediate savings and not be forced to cut Australian entitlements and raise taxes. The construction and ongoing maintenance of overseas and domestic detention centres produces no pay-offs for Australian taxpayers. It costs billions to incarcer ate families and children at multiple detention centres, people who, in earlier times, would have been welcomed by more fair-minded governments. Australia gets nothing for its detention money except a sour international human rights reputation. So heres a formula to save billions without the need to resort to savage Budget cuts: close the concentration camps in overseas hellholes and do not add Cambodia to the list. Lets spend Australian money in Australia. Dennis Schulz, Marrara Doesnt add up THE Federal Government says we have a Budget crisis, the Opposition says we havent, but being politicians most people dont believe either of them. One thing that baffles me a bit; if the Medicare co-payment is all going into the creation of a new bureaucracy for medical research, how does that help the Budget bottom line by reducing debt? Bert Logan, Coconut Grove You can start here IF pollies want to save money, get all the ex-pollies off their high pensions and on the same pension as the rest of us. They couldnt live on our pension. Cut out their cars, flights, and other perks too. Izzy Dak, Wanguri I dont believe our environment is pristine any more, but one thing is for sure the Territory will never be the same again if this industry gains momentum. SEE BELOW 10 YEARS AGO: Darwin residents do not want high rise but they do want tropical when it comes to future development of their city, a Planning Action Network survey has found. The survey will be used to lobby the NT Government to ensure the city maintains its tropical nature. 20 YEARS AGO: Thousands of Top Enders turned out to watch the official start of the worlds first legal Cannonball run in Darwin yesterday. Officials said people began setting up vantage points along the race route from Stokes Hill Wharf to the highway from about 8am. 25 YEARS AGO: The Chief Ministers refusal to rule out rises in electricity charges has come under further attack from Opposition Leader Terry Smith, who accused Mr Perron of playing games since the Federal Government confirmed the multi-million-dollar subsidy would remain. Letters to the editor should be kept to 175 words or less. Send your letters to GPO Box 1300, Darwin, 0801, or email ntnmail@ntnews.com.au You must include your name, home address or PO Box number. Name and address will be withheld on request. The Northern Territory News reserves the right to edit letters. Responsibility is taken by the Editor, NT News, GPO Box 1300, Darwin, NT, 0801 12 OPINION THURSDAY MAY 22 2014 NTNE01Z01MA - V2