1845
1967
EXPLORER
Ludwig
Leichhardt
arrives in
Australia’s
Northern
Territory from
Brisbane
AUSTRALIAN
Prime Minister
Harold Holt
disappears
while
swimming
at Portsea,
Victoria
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
MILLA
Jovovich, US
actress (1975-)
You have no
idea how big
fellow’s troub
the other
les are.
— Bertie Charl
es Forbes
Keep your nuke propaganda, Matt
Tanya Howard, Alice Springs
NO THANKS: An Alice Springs resident says she has received mail from MP Matt
Conlan trying to convince her to support a uranium mine in her neighbourhood
PAGE: 33 COLOR: C M YK
their toxic industry.
It begs the question — who
are Matt’s real constituents
here in Alice Springs?
The exploration for
uranium so close to town
is not the answer to
climate change.
The article by Barry Brook and Martin
Nicholson actually states ‘‘there is enough
energy in already mined uranium ... to supply
all the world’s power needs for more than
three centuries before we need to mine any
more uranium’’.
Why then encourage acceptance of a risky
and radioactive mining industry in our
neighbourhood?
Matt, if you are really concerned about
climate change, why not support and promote
the future we could have as a solar city, not risk
it all for the dirty dollar of the uranium industry.
VAL KEMP
SADGROVES CREEK
HUGH BENSON
MILLNER
KELLY FONG
WAGAMAN
MARCUS MITCHELL
MILLNER
GARY POLLOCK
MARLOWS LAGOON
NO. I’m not frightened, I’m
more wary of them.
NO. No, I’m not frightened
at all.
NO. I’m not frightened of
the diseases.
NO. Not necessarily. I have
a friend who had dengue
fever though, but he made
it through.
MAYBE. I suppose they are
around. I have lived in
Darwin for a long time and
travelled overseas and
haven’t had any troubles.
We’re all on the Must resist the
highway to hell archive shift
TO HELL with Power and Water.
To hell with this NT Government.
To hell with the power station. To
hell with show Santa where you
live. To hell with all politicians,
who don’t stand up, and get the
power supply fixed.
To Top Enders, may you have
power to light up your Christmas
and keep all things cold.
Brian F Piddick, Southport
New top cop
misinformed
VINCE Kelly shouldn’t be surprised
the new Police Commissioner is
from interstate. A local recruit
would be aware of the tragi-comic
government and would either laugh
or burst into tears when confronted
with an NT government minister.
I do know that the new recruit
appears to think we have a justice
system — sorry we don’t. We have a
legal system that operates on a
revolving door principle.
I must say my favourite two
ministers are Chris and Kon, who
have been recycled more often than
the average beer can!
Peter Cavanagh, Darwin
ONE of the devices used by secretive government is to make it difficult to access information, particularly if it reflects poorly on that
government’s activities.
The plan to shift the NT Archives
to that fortress of secretiveness,
Canberra, must be resisted.
While the Territory Labor people
may favour this idea, the CLP
should set up an incessant clamour
until the plan is abandoned.
Howard Young, Kununurra
Don’t blame the
parents
I FEEL for parents like Tracey Leo
(‘‘No help for parents of problem
youth’’, Northern Territory News,
December 12).
Many Australian parents feel
they don’t have the skills to raise
their children and feel at a loss in
many areas of child-rearing.
One consequence may be that
children grow up unable and unwilling to regulate their own behaviour. Even when parents do a great
job, a peer group can legitimise bad
and antisocial behaviour.
Too often such kids are only
pulled into gear by external regulation. It’s a reactionary, ambulance at the bottom of the cliff
approach, and it’s not only failing
miserably, but hurting a lot of
caring people who are doing their
best in a bad situation.
And here I’m not just writing of
parents, but teachers, childcare
workers, police officers etc.
It is not enough to teach parenting skills.
One or two adults are often not
sufficient to raise a child, particularly if they’re unskilled.
Yet there are highly skilled parents among us indigenous people.
On outstations in western
Arnhem Land, young children are
surrounded by, taught and influenced by several older people.
Children begin to learn parenting
skills, and hence responsible behaviour, as toddlers.
A girl may have her first baby at
16, but like an apprentice, she is
surrounded by many others who
help her at every stage — parents,
grandparents, older siblings,
aunties and uncles. All pass on
those essential parenting skills.
If that child moves to town and
enters school the ratio is reversed,
and s/he will be one of 20 or
more children under the control of
one adult.
Who is then going to be the main
influence in that child’s life?
DATE: 17-DEC-2009
ARE you frightened of mosquito-borne diseases?
Instead of blaming parents,
change the system.
Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow, Bakewell
Reader’s timely
driving tip
DEAR selfish bas**rds and blowins, just in case you have not
noticed the Territory experiences a
lot of storms this time of year.
It usually gets quite dark in
stormy weather, so when you’re
driving around in stormy weather
— TURN YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON
so that considerate drivers can see
you coming.
Ian Baume, Coconut Grove
Always better to
be prepared
WHAT a wonderful billboard.
‘‘We’re not ready for a cyclone’’ —
whatcha gunna do?
Tell dear old mum nature we are
running late?
When people live within high
cyclone risk areas, perhaps a couple
of popular slogans should be the
order of the day.
Like Scouts’ Australia ‘‘be prepared’’ RSL’s ‘‘ever vigilant’’ or
dream up your own — ‘‘what stage
am I at?’’
WW II Vet
Voteline
THIS WEEK’S QUESTION
SHOULD the NT Government
ban roadside car sales?
YES
1900 969 562
NO
1900 969 563
Or vote online at www.ntnews.com.au
PREVIOUS QUESTION
SHOULD the NT Government
conduct a cull of feral camels?
YES:
Letters to the Editor should be kept to 175 words or less. Send your letters to GPO Box 1300, Darwin, 0801, or email [email protected]
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
www.ntnews.com.au
59% –
NO:
41%
Calls cost 55 cents GST inclusive. Higher from
mobiles and payphones. News Connect.
Northern Territory News, Thursday, December 17, 2009 — 33
PUB: NT NEWS
AS AN Alice Springs resident
who displays a No Alice
U-mine sign on my front fence,
I am prepared for questions
about my personal concerns
about the exploration for
uranium at the Angela Pamela
site close to town.
This week I also received some questions
from Matt Conlan MP, who kindly offered to
dispel my concerns with a cheery article from
The Australian newspaper spruiking nuclear
power as the answer to climate change.
Thanks Matt for your personal approach to
my mailbox.
However, I do wish that my taxpayer dollars
were not being employed by an elected
member to try and convince me to support the
powerful uranium mining industry.
On the other hand, uranium giant Cameco
must be delighted one of our prominent
public servants is prepared to recommend