The Northern Territory news Wed 2 Feb 2011
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2011-02-02
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English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
Darwin
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/230685
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/670702
14 NT NEWS. Wednesday, February 2, 2011. www.ntnews.com.au P U B : N T N E W S D A T E : 2 -F E B -2 0 1 1 P A G E : 1 4 C O L O R : C M Y K On this day IN THE TERRITORY 10 YEARSAGO: DARWIN City Council will try to lure amajor department store in a bid to boost trade. Lord Mayor George Brown said the council may offer a 10-year ratemoratorium. 20 YEARSAGO: THENT birth rate exceeds the national average by almost 70 per cent. In 1989 theNT had a birth rate of 21.5. The national averagewas 14.9. 25 YEARSAGO: THE Federal Government has rejected a gift of a catalogue of traditional remedies fromNTAborigines for the 1988Bicentenary. 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 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2011 Keep debate on track POLITICS is amostwasteful, if necessary, business. The debate overwhat to dowith itinerants found guilty of antisocial behaviour is a good example of this lots of huff and puff, much grandstanding, great dollops of pettiness and, in the end, almost exactly the same policy from all sides. What an energy-sapping exercise in futility. The NT Government announced last year mandatory rehabilitation for drunks. IndependentMLAGerryWood called onMonday formandatory rehabilitation in purpose-built treatment centres. And the CLP chipped in by saying it had come up with all of the above first. Nowonder ordinary voters are cynical about politicians. There are a few issues that should be bipartisan that is, above party politics. Tackling Aboriginal disadvantage Australias greatest shame is one of them. There is a real problemwith itinerants; they are at best a nuisance, atworst a danger to the safety of law-abiding citizens. Unfortunately, the political squabble has detracted from a useful debate. MrWood seems to have taken the Government policy and added an interesting element secure, or semi-secure, rehabilitation centres. Its an ideaworth considering. As always, the big question is: would taxpayers bewilling to footwhatwill no doubt be a substantial bill? ... and another thing ITS interesting that John McRoberts has now admitted the order to tap a journalists phone was taken by a relatively junior officer. The police commissioner was given plenty of opportunity to say this during a long interviewwith the NT News last Friday but didnt take it. Letters Themedia always drum it into our headswith feel-good stories about the Aussieway! . . . What a joke! SEE LETTER BELOW CONFUSIONOVERROLE OF COMMISSION THERE appears to be confusion over the role of the Northern Territory Licensing Commission in the media coverage of complaints laid against Discovery and of a weekly event known as TOT. The published articles infer the commission has initiated an investigation into TOT and a more recent article refers to the commission throwing the book at Discovery over alleged licence breaches. The commission does not conduct investigations into alleged licence breaches. Rather, inspections and investigations of licensed premises are conducted by NT Police or licensing inspectors. Following such investigations the director of licensing or the NT Police may lay complaints before the commission for hearing. In the case of the 11 complaints laid by the director of licensing against Discovery, only one relates to patron conduct surrounding TOT. The other complaints allege breaches of the licence and the Liquor Act in relation to fire precaution requirements, camera surveillance requirements, security adequacy etc. In short, the commissions role is to impartially consider the alleged complaints and hear evidence accordingly through a hearing. To somehow blame or attribute to the commission the nature of complaints it is hearing is similar to blaming a court for the matters being prosecuted before it. RichardOSullivan Chairman,NT Licensing Commission BURNOUTSTUPIDITY MARSAGREATDAY WE went out with our kids to see the Ute Run. After having a look on the track, we decided to set up a spot along the road to watch as the utes went by. We were enjoying the wide variety of vehicles until a boy stopped so suddenly that he was lucky not to have been rear-ended. Then along the road where numerous families were set up on either side, he decided to do a burnout well, at least tried to! He, as the many before (or at least before they hit that tree that kills them and their mates), wouldnt lose it of course! Imagine his life if he had, and he killed innocent people with their families. I have not been able to contact the organisers to tell them what a wonderful event they had organised and about this derf! Nameandaddresswithheld NUMBERSALWAYSADD UPEITHERWAY NOW, take the last two digits of the year you were born and add that number to the age you will be this year. The total should be 111. It is actually possible to apply this magical formula in reverse to determine, for example, that someone who turns 16 this year was probably born in 1995 (adding up to 111) and someone who turns 86 this year was an all likelihood born in 1925 (also adding up to 111). Next year, in 2012, your age plus the year you were born will add up to 112. This has nothing to do with the fact that somebodys exact age corresponds eerily precisely to how long ago they were born and surely must mean that the Mayans were right! I think its spookier that somebody actually thought that this was worth pondering at all and that it was featured in last weekends Sunday Territorian! Now thats weird. FredBogotargo, Leanyer CEMETERYCLEAN-UP CAUSINGDISTRESS THE recent Thorak cemetery clean-up is causing distress, anger and sadness among families and friends of many Territorians. On the advice of Thorak staff, we spent considerable time in knee-high grass, sifting through the strewn, broken remnants of pots, plants, keepsakes, mementos and childrens toys that once adorned headstones in Section A and B. Why they were not more carefully stored is anyones guess. Apparently, items removed from Darwin Cemetery grave sites (as part of their clean-up) are securely stored for 12 months after removal. Why cant Thorak do the same? Sadly, the pot which once sat next to my familys headstone has been taken. While Id like to think someone has taken it by mistake, Thorak staff said each pot was clearly marked on removal with an identifying number. If someone has inadvertently collected a 20cm high, foot-long black ceramic pot with a Desert Rose in it and the number 765 on it, my family would really appreciate its return to the Thorak administration office. Further, while I can understand the need for a precyclone clean-up, it seems a little odd that the more elaborate sections of the Thorak cemetery are yet to be stripped bare of all the ornaments and pot plants. NRW, Leanyer HELPINGHANDSADLY LACKINGOVERLEVY WE LIKE to think of ourselves as kind helpful people who look after our mates. The media always drum it into our heads with feel-good stories about the Aussie way. How we pull together in times of need. What a joke! We have just had the most catastrophic event in our living history with a huge chunk of Australia under water. The Government wants to impose a once-only, one-year, 1 per cent tax on people who earn more than $50,000 and 86 per cent of Australians say no? It will cost the average tax payer $1.86 per week. What message does that send to Queenslanders that have lost everything? I was proud to be Australian but over the past six years I have witnessed firsthand what this nations about. Where did this Im all right Jack mentality spring from? SWH,Darwin 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 Australia get a new flag? To cast your vote go to www.ntnews.com.au SHOULD students be told what they can and cant wear to school? Yes 94% No 6% The Fixer WHAT:GROUND water bubbling up in Bernier Court, Karama, every wet season. WHOS RESPONSIBLE: Power andWater general managerwater services SteveMcKenzie CONTACT:8985 7168 DOYOUknowof something in theTerritory that needs fixing?GiveTheFixer a call on8944 9724or email: thefixer@ntnews.com.au