The Northern Territory news Tue 30 Jul 2013
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2013-07-30
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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/10070/247279
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/579412
12 NT NEWS. Tuesday, July 30, 2013. www.ntnews.com.au P U B : N T N E W S D A T E : 3 0 -J U L -2 0 1 3 P A G E : 1 2 C O L O R : C M Y K On this day IN THE TERRITORY 10 YEARSAGO: Territory doctor Philip Nitschke announces his voluntary euthanasia organisation EXIT Australia has become international, with EXIT NZ opened. 20 YEARSAGO: The Territory could be facing anHIV epidemic. All sexually active Territorians are urged to reconsider any infection risks, and think about being tested. 25 YEARSAGO: A reportwarns Darwin CBD could be in danger, from the effects of direct radiation, if a nuclear ships reactormelted down in the port. Letters to the editor should be kept to 175 words or less. Send your letters toGPOBox 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, NTNews, GPOBox 1300, Darwin, NT, 0801 TUESDAY, JULY 30, 2013 False hope a cruel deceit POLITICIANS have a reputation for being creative with the truth at times. But it is not often that you see an enraged roomof citizens scream that their elected leaders are liars. That is what happened at Nhulunbuy yesterdaywhen NT Treasurer Dave Tollner fronted up to explainwhy the so-called gas for Gove deal was nowoff the table. The CLPs backflip has leftmany in the 4000-strong community afraid for the towns survival again. Formonths, Rio had been threatening to shut its bauxite refinery amove thatwould devastate the town unless the NT Government provided cheap gas. Butwhen former chiefminister TerryMills announced in February that Power andWaterwould allowRio Tinto to take 300 petajoules from theNTs gas supply, themining community breathed a sigh of relief. But last week, now CLP ChiefMinister AdamGiles made a shock announcement the deal was off. He said the agreement had not been finalised and investigations proved theNT could not afford to be so generous. A new, smaller offer is now on the table and the people of Nhulunbuy are back at square one. It is now clear the deal was not officially a deal. Documents obtained by theNTNews show that on February 12 the day before he issued a press release on the done deal to secure the future of Gove Mr Mills wrote to Rio Tinto chief executive SamWalsh saying hewould expedite our due diligence process. Only thenwould the arrangement be formalised and the gas released. Despite that, MrMills lapped up the cheers and applause fromworkers and business owners on his victory lap of Nhulunbuy. ButMr Giles is not an innocent victim here. As a member of the CLP Cabinetwhen the decisionwas made, he allowed the people of Nhulunbuy to embrace what turned out to be false hope for fivemonths. That is, until he pulled the rug out on Friday. Its clearly a sensible decision to reduce the offer after investigations showed Territorians could not afford to give up somuch gas. But, in themeantime, it was cruel of the CLP to hoodwink awhole town people invested in their community, both financially and emotionally into thinking their futurewas secure. Letters Notmany of us can retire on a parliamentary pension, so being able to subdividewould help SEE BELOW AIRPORTPARKING APAINFULDEBACLE I CAN only describe the Darwin Airport parking situation as a complete joke. On a recent trip to drop off my daughter only one arm was working, so I waited in line. Once in the carpark, the southern section was closed off. The real fun started on leaving. Having parked at the northern end, I turned right at the bottom of the escalator looking for a payment machine. With 15 people waiting in line for one machine, I headed to the three machines at the other end. There I found a man trying to get his card out of a jammed machine, so I inserted my card into the second machine and was charged $7. The machine wouldnt accept my $10 note. After pushing the intercom someone eventually spat my card back at me. The third machine charged only $5. Im not surprised many people are still running the gauntlet with the jackboot parking wardens. Im guessing that the respective government ministers dont have to deal with these clowns like us mortals. Please look into this mess. Anyone with a brain could help them. Steve of Stuart Park WHYARENTPOLICE PROTECTINGVICTIMS? I AM horrified to read the story about police discretion in the NT, i.e. police deciding who to take to task and that certain citizens do not need to be treated equally under the law. No wonder we have a crime wave. Two weeks ago, I witnessed a man being punched to the ground and assaulted by three young men the same men had pushed me, a 60-year-old woman, and when I tried to help the victim one assailant tried to karate kick me. The police were called but they did not arrest the men and so far have failed to lay charges. Why? Although I am the primary witness to the crime the police have yet to take a statement from me or the victim. What is going on here? SuzyKruhse-Mountburton, Coconut Grove SHIPGASANDNO PIPELINENEEDED WE ship gas to Japan, why not ship to Gove? No pipeline needed. DavidHill,Winnellie DIVIDINGPROPERTY BENEFIT TOEVERYONE SUBDIVIDING should be the owners choice. We are in agreement with Peter Cavanagh and Geoff Coles view they have put into letters regarding subdivision of land in the inner rural area. Five acres (2ha) were originally meant to be minimal size farm blocks, but everyone knows they are not economical and are too large and too expensive to maintain. Most people tend to look after only half and the rest is left to nature. This is a waste of services and also creates a fire hazard, then more money has to be spent on fire breaks. I have verbal consents from both my neighbours to divide our block into two, allowing better use of services and the land. The new school on Whitewood Rd would benefit by enrolling new students who have moved into the new homes that are drastically needed. The shopping centre would also welcome new money into the area. I think a lot of people in this area have the same idea. Not many of us can retire on a parliamentary pension, so being able to subdivide would help and many other benefits would eventually come through for the area. M. andD Izod, Howard Springs UNSHOULDSTEP INTO HALTBOAT INVASION I FULLY agree with the comments made by Ray Swann and Peter Still in the NT News letters on July 26. Can anyone tell me why the mass arrival of boat people is not considered an invasion, and so perfectly reasonable to rely on our armed forces to stop it? The numbers of arrivals amounts to an invasion; relying on emotional blackmail to gain acceptance. There are many here who seem to be willing to accept one and all such arrivals. Among these arrivals may be some who have been activists in their home countries. Are these the very people who cause the uprisings seen in detention centres? Australians who are sympathetic towards all boat arrivals are obviously blinded to any harmful effects . As the Federal Government is proud of its social engineering as with Medicare, welfare programs and the NBN they may favour the entry into Australia of multi-racial groups who arrive illegally by boat and we would have had no choice. The solution has to be to appeal to UN bodies to intervene in the countries from where the boats originate. It seems rather pointless that a full-page advertisement is taken out in the NT News declaring our position about boat people arriving here without visas. It is a nakedly obvious electioneering ploy. The advertisement would be better placed in the countries of origin of the boat people. With the present government indicating its role in this sad affair, one cannot remain complacent. Australian Immigrant 1962, Darwin TREATMENTWOULD DRIVEMANTODRINK LAST week at one point there were 60 patients waiting for a bed at RDH while the new medi-hotel, which was purpose-built for RDH remote patients, was up and running with staff looking after one patient in the new mandatory alcohol program. The other inmate had escaped with the threat of being locked up on return. CLP ministers, would you stop drinking if you were forced into treatment and locked in your room? AngryAnt, Ludmilla Email: ntnmail@ntnews.com.au Text: 0428 NTNEWS Fax: 08 8981 6045 Letters: PO Box 1300, Darwin NT 0801 VOTE LAST WEEKS VOTE Your Say Should the Lord Mayor and aldermen be exempt from drug testing of Darwin council staff? Do you support Kevin Rudds plan to axe the carbon tax in favour of an Emissions Trading Scheme? To cast your vote go to www.ntnews.com.au Yes 58% No 42% The Fixer WHAT: This is a busted footpath on Lakeside Drive, Alawa. Cause? Tree roots. Fix it, dammit. WHOSRESPONSIBLE? Darwin council general manager for infrastructure Luccio Cercarelli. CONTACT:8930 0581 DOYOUknowof something in theTerritory that needs fixing?GiveTheFixer a call on8944 9750, email thefixer@ntnews.com.auor followonTwitter @NTNTheFixer