32 OPINION
MONDAY JULY 28 2014
Nothing to fear
but fear itself
IT’S a bit ridiculous to fear the dead.
The only thing that can cause harm in a house where someone
has been murdered is a vivid imagination – something that can be
uncomfortable and hard to shake once it gets a foothold.
Most houses dubbed “haunted” or “creepy” are labelled thus
because they’re abandoned, ramshackle or inhabited by a recluse
for whom long-time rubbernecking neighbours invent a morbid
history.
The fact remains that most people wouldn’t have a clue if someone had been killed – or simply died an accidental or natural death –
in the house they bought cheap from a shifty real estate agent 20
years ago.
If you do want to know the house’s history, ask.
While there are no Territory laws forcing agents to disclose the
grisly skeletons in the closet unprompted, they must answer truthfully under consumer regulations.
But don’t be disappointed if the response is vague and unyielding.
Some Territorians will claim they’re easily spooked or closely
connected with the spirit world – just don’t mess about with candles and a ouija board.
People who believe a previous death in their home will make
nights unbearably scary probably shouldn’t seek out the bloody
past in their dwelling because ignorance is preferable in cases
where irrational fear prevails.
That said, people’s wishes and beliefs should be respected, especially when culture and beliefs rest heavily on spirits and ancestors.
It’s all a matter of individual perspective when it comes to the
mortal resistance of death.
...and another thing
LET’s charge our glasses and toast the Territory’s newest national
champion, Schooner, the cattle dog.
Schooner has done the NT proud by taking out the Australian
Agility national title in Brisbane. And he’s the first cattle dog to
ever win the title which is usually dominated by the super agile border collie breed.
Said his proud owner, Tanya Reichstein: “He knocked off some
superstar dogs.” So, Schooner, here’s to you. Cheers!
WHAT: A section of the mosaic footpath
through Marlow Lagoon has broken up. It’s now
a “build your own” footpath.
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE: Palmerston council director of Technical Services Mark Spangler.
CONTACT: 8935 9951
Pension blues
UNDER the Labor government, an age pensioner who
wanted to go overseas for any
length of time, including leaving Australia permanently,
could keep their full pension
for the rest of their lives.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the age pension
would not be touched.
Mr Abbott said if the Budget was blocked he would go
elsewhere for savings.
As of July 1, 2014, any age
pensioner who leaves Australia for more than six months –
and that includes permanently
– will have their age pension
reduced to 77 per cent.
This is a loss of $185 per
fortnight from their age pension.
That decision was made regardless of whether the Budget
was blocked or not.
Mr Abbott is determined to
keep the red flag flying.
A G Piper, Winnellie
Ol’ silver circle
Do you know of something in the Territory that needs fixing? Give
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Editor, NT News, GPO Box 1300, Darwin, NT, 0801
I SEE where Adam Giles has
stated that it is the prerogative
of the government of the day
to make such appointments as
that of Terry Mills.
That is probably why every
failed CLP candidate in the last
election is either working for
the Government, a government-sponsored board or some
other government sinecure.
The old CLP silver circle is
alive and well.
Bill John, Tiwi
■ That is probably why every failed CLP candidate in the last
election is either working for the Government, a governmentsponsored board, or some other government sinecure.
— SEE BELOW
Don’t ruin it
PETER Chandler demands
Unions NT relinquish Stella
Maris while stating that he
hopes they do “the right thing”.
Stella Maris has always
been about seafarers.
In many ports, I have visited
Stella Maris to say hello to fellow seafarers and donate to the
facility.
NT had $300k gifted by unions and the inquiry only stated that Labor had been
favourable to the unions. No
laws broken.
How is this different from
Giles’s club that wants to use
Millsey to contract services
using the current Government’s “full discretion”?
All parties use friends, supporters and like-minded people to help achieve their ends.
Mr Chandler stated that he
would not rule out commercial
development and as we all
know, this Government is hellbent on selling off the north in
the guise of promoting industry and our future.
The only people that should
be looking after Stella Maris
are the unions.
They are for the people, by
the people and a truer democratic and more communityminded process than our Government works under.
Thousands of seafarers
10 YEARS AGO: The student-to-teacher ratio at
Charles Darwin University has gone from one of
the best in the country to one of the worst. New
figures show there were 23.6 students for every
full-time teacher last year. But in 1996, the uni
had 13.6 students per teacher.
have passed through those
doors.
Friends stick together and
Giles and his band will continue to, but he ain’t no friend
of mine.
Don’t let them ruin our
town completely under the
guise of progress.
Sue Gibb,
Stuart Park
Breathe, people
THE world and Australia has
to slow down – we’re moving
too fast.
Don’t people know that
speed kills?
If everyone got a bit of patience into their blood instead
of always wanting instant
gratification, maybe people
could take a breath and realise
it takes time to make things
and deliver things.
The world has to slow down
or the Earth’s going to spin off
out of the solar system into the
never never.
David Nicholls,
Palmerston
Here are the facts
IN RESPONSE to Katja Evans
(Letters to the editor, NT News,
July 18).
In relation to Australia’s
current economy, the facts are
that the majority of our manu-
20 YEARS AGO: There were potent political
and defence reasons for developing and
populating the north, Chief Minister Marshall
Perron said yesterday. Mr Perron said Darwin
had a crucial role to play in populating the north
because it was so strategically located.
factured goods are made in
China.
Because of imported fruit
and vegetables our growers are
going broke.
The mining industry is the
only major income that Australia has at present.
Also with the Federal Treasury deep in debt, it only needs
mining to halt due to a drop in
earnings and Australia would
be lining up cap in hand to the
World Bank.
Then foreign financial
interests would be in control of
the Australian banking system.
Name & address withheld
Deadly virus
RE: AEROPLANE deaths in
the Ukraine.
Spike Milligan said: “There
is a virus on this Earth, and its
name is mankind.”
Chyilpie
Just make way
I WAS driving back from
Grove Hill recently and came
across a lot of caravans going
out of Darwin.
Not long after that a convoy
of American Defence vehicles
came towards us.
It was interesting at first.
They had a dozer on the back
of a vehicle, painted in dark
colours.
We had to swerve to the left.
Why you ask?
It was over that 2.5m but no
oversize flags, no signs.
Jason Hamood,
Hudson Creek
25 YEARS AGO: The NT Minister for Lands and
Housing, Daryl Manzie, called for an urgent
conference of Australia’s housing ministers,
after advice that proposed changes to the
Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement
could see the NT lose $100 million in funding.
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