AYERS ROCK JOBS FARCE. Report by ERWIN CHLANDA.
No-one from Mutitjulu works at the Ayers Rock Resort, just 25
kilometres away, despite rampant unemployment in the community, and the
resort's repeated claims that it would welcome local Aborigines into
its staff.
Mutitjulu CEO Wayne Howard says about 60 people Ð roughly half of
the adult population Ð are on the dole.
They are some of the owners of the world-famous national park.
It is serviced by the resort, which is hosting 420,000 visitors a year
and charges more than $1000 a night for some of its accommodation.
Nearly all the 800 resort staff are from interstate or overseas.
Meanwhile, Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon (Labor), last week
blamed poverty and unemployment for the depressed state of Aboriginal
communities in the NT, and is calling for "massive" public investment
in health, housing and community infrastructure.
But while the Granites Gold Mine, 500 km to the north in the Tanami
Desert, is putting tribal Aborigines into full time work with equal pay
after an intensive course of just three weeks (Alice News, Oct 23), no
similar program exists at Uluru.
However, the resort is collaborating with the Nyangatjatjara Secondary
College, located on the resort's land, in a planned hospitality
apprenticeship program next year.
Details are yet to be finalised but college principal Ian White says
one of the resort's hotels is planning to give paid work to five
students for 10.5 hours a week whilst they undertake study and training
to complement that work. Mr Snowdon describes the move as "very
positive".
None of the students are from Mutitjulu, although Mr White says that is
only because of age.Older students, who happen to come from Imanpa,
about 200 km to the east, were chosen for the opportunity.
The resort, under growing pressure from mooted Aboriginal-owned tourist
accommodation ventures in the region, is also kicking off the
"Mutitjulu Foundation", funded with donations solicited from tourists,
for example, $2 a head.
Funds raised will be matched by the resort company, with a target
figure of $400,000 a year.
The money will be used "for community projects," says Mr Howard.
Employment - in its conventional sense - has been a disaster at
Mutitjulu ever since Aboriginal people from the wider region moved in
for the "hand back" of The Rock in 1985.
Mr Snowdon says some 80 locals are working as rangers and guides for
Parks Australia, or at the cultural centre, but most of them are
part-time.
Practically no Aboriginal Mutitjulu residents have ever been employed
at the resort since it opened in 1982.
It was sold by the NT Government to the multi national company Lend
Lease for a fraction of its replacement value five years ago.
Mr Snowdon says: "Traditionally the resort has not been a welcoming
place for Aboriginal people from Mutitjulu nor anywhere else, for that
matter.
"The resort can dispute it but that is what I'm telling you.
"The adult employment situation has been chronic for decades, for a
range of reasons.
"We should not blame the Mutitjulu Community for the failure of the
resort to put up appropriate employment programs, in a way which is
acceptable and appropriate to them.
"The people of Mutitjulu have been calling for years to get involved in
resort, in joint venture tourism projects, but until recently the
resort has rejected that approach.
"Ask the resort why haven't they been able to deal effectively with the
people of Mutitjulu, to provide them with job opportunities, work in
partnership with them, and provide them with full time employment which
suits their skill set."
Mr Snowdon apportions no blame to the Aboriginal jobless for failing to
seek work, and instead quotes the following reasons for the
catastrophic unemployment rate:-
¥ lack of secondary education Ð now being rectified by the
Nyangatjatjara Secondary College;
¥ a very mobile population;
¥ lack of community infrastructure;
¥ lack of vocational skills;
¥ no employers;
¥ the Federal Government has dismantled all the infrastructure
which Labor had put in place to work with individuals in communities on
a case by case basis, working with individuals, to get people into
jobs;
¥ initially, animosity, distrust and suspicion between at least
some traditional owners and Yulara, about whose impact on the
communities there was profound concern.
Mr Howard says "Anangu are shy and not confident" in their interaction
with visitors.
They are "very shy because of the way the Australian community is
treating them".
The resort "has not tried to develop courses which are appropriate to
the needs of Anangu," says Mr Howard.
"What they need is intensive theatrical training in skills such as
deportment and presentation."
Mr Howard says the resort "tries to consult with us.
"They are keen to have Aboriginal involvement in tourism but they have
not put any hard proposals to us.
"[Anangu] have their own cultural values.
"They are not into being housemaids.
"Anangu are very good with people but because of their shyness they
don't get a chance."
An educator at The Rock says a string of Federally funded employment
and training programs had ended "in utter shambles" and had been
abandoned "in disgust".
In mid 1999 the community was seeking Federal funds for a three-year
program to get 94 people "job ready".
That program Ð soon abandoned Ð would have taken 40 times
longer than the program at the Granites mine.
A recent successful training program at Uluru was run by Aboriginal
owned Anangu Tours: 10 people joined the program, seven completed it
and five are still working as tour guides, not full time but
"regularly", telling stories to visitors.
Mr Howard says unemployment is "an issue" at Mutitjulu, but half the
population were currently engaged in ceremonial business, which in fact
is work Ð although unpaid.
BUSINESSThe other half have part time jobs, so in effect "one hundred
per cent of the people are working".
Rather than joining the resort workforce, the community members are now
aiming to set up their own businesses, seeking contracts for such work
as house maintenance and building fences, jobs currently done by
outside contractors.
A spokesperson for the resort would make no comment other than saying:
"Ayers Rock Resort remains committed to working together with Anangu
and members of the Mutitjulu community at Uluru.
"A range of work experience programs are being considered, in
particular a work transition program from Nyangatjatjara College.
"Another initiative, the Mutitjulu Foundation, will provide in excess
of $400,000 per annum for Mutitjulu projects and programs."
HUGE SWING TO ANDERSON IN BUSY POLL. Report by KIERAN FINNANE.
Alison Anderson is feeling doubly confirmed in her ATSIC role:
recent elections have seen her increase her vote by more than half and,
around the country, there were significant increases in ATSIC
nominations, enrol-ments and voting.Voting, which is not compulsory,
increased nationally by six per cent and in the Territory by 10 per
cent."This is gives ATSIC greater legitimacy," says Ms Anderson, who
was elected Zone Commissioner in her first term.
Commissioners are elected by ATSIC councillors in zone meetings, set
for late November.Ms Anderson increased her primary vote from 160 in
1999 to 265 this year.
She puts her support in large part down to her capacity to speak in
Aboriginal language. She speaks Pintupi-Luritja, Western Arrernte and
Pitjantjatjara.
"People see me as able to stream-line their hopes and vision through to
government," she says.
Although based in Alice Springs and constantly travelling interstate,
she spends as much time as possible in her home community of Papunya
and visiting the communities of her region.
She sees the main achievement of her first term as initiating the
"whole of government" forums to oversee regionalisation of services.
The forums are attended by the chairs and deputy chairs of community
councils, as well as the regional heads of the departments of local
government, health and education, as well as ATSIC reps.Ms Anderson has
personally taken the message of this "reform agenda" to as many
communities as possible.
"This first term has been all about getting informed consent from
people for the reforms, giving them the information, hearing from them
about what they need, getting them to participate.
"In this next term I hope we can go beyond that, to initiating more
programs with this approach."
Meetings have been well attended, she says, citing an early meeting at
Kintore, attended by some 270 people out of a population of 600.
She claims widespread support for regionalisation, although
acknowledges that there is some opposition, from people who want their
communities to go it alone.
She argues for "catching everybody in the same mesh".
"What if you concentrate on improving services in one community and
then a family with six kids moves away? Where will those kids be picked
up unless you've got regional policies?"
She says "more activities for kids" is very high on the agenda in most
communities.
Employment is important too, although she says "we've got to be
realistic about employment".
"At the moment there are only a handful of jobs on most communities and
they are for professional people.
"There is scope for ATSIC to improve its CDEP strategy, to take it
beyond picking up rubbish and painting rocks.
"We have to create real jobs through partnerships with the tourism and
arts industries and we have to do skills audits in communities to make
sure people are trained properly for those jobs."She says communities
are working on their "capacity-building" strategies at present, working
out how they see their community operating and what they have to do to
get there.
She says this approach is strongly endorsed by the Federal Minister for
Aboriginal Affairs, Philip Ruddock.
"I've done tours with the Minister at Mutitjulu and Hermannsburg. He is
very, very responsive to the needs of Aboriginal people and strongly
supports capacity-building."
On domestic and sexual violence issues that have been prominent in
national discussions of Aboriginal affairs, Ms Anderson says they were
on the board's agenda for its first three meetings this year, however,
"we are not the primary funder of domestic violence services"."That's
the Health Department's job. ATSIC has to bring the Health Department
to the table and hold them accountable."
She says these issues are "very high" on her agenda.
"I deal with them every day.
"At two in the morning I have women who've been bashed coming to my
door, I have to be a marriage counsellor, a suicide counsellor.
"I'm a community person. I'll never lose contact with my people."
She enjoys the challenge and is proud of her ability to live in two
worlds, made possible by education, she says, and the support of her
husband and children, who range in age from 25 to 11.
She's learnt to live out of the suitcase and bag standing by in her
room, ready-packed for different climates, and is just as at home in a
suit and high heels as in shorts and thongs.
"I'm still Alison, what ever word I'm in" she says.Would she be
interested in ATSIC's top job?
A little smile crosses her face.
"I've got ambitions for my life, like every person, but I'd rather keep
them to myself."The question will be decided before Christmas by a
meeting of commissioners.
NT POOR COUSIN IN COUNCIL FUNDS. Report by ERWIN CHLANDA.
The NT, population 200,000, has 65 local government councils.
Victoria, pop. three million, has 79 Ð since Geoff Kennett's
vigorous amalgamating.
A council in Victoria might raise half its revenue from home-owners,
business people and farmers.
The Tambo council in Queensland, pop. 583, in 2000-01 received $1.14m
in Federal Assistance Grants, affectionately known as FAGS.
Santa Teresa, south-east of Alice Springs, pop. 569, got $62,635.
That means Sta Teresa's per capita funding was $110 and Tambo's $2005
Ð 18 times greater.
It's these kinds of absurdities that the 800 delegates to the National
General Assembly of Local Government in Alice Springs this week were
trying to get a handle on, at least those interested in "the bush".
Community councils generally don't have ratepayers, but they do collect
service charges: half their funding comes from FAGS, 30 per cent from
the NT Government and 20 per cent from the sale of services to
households, or departments such as education, sports, roads or Power
Water.
In many cases local government is the only skilled provider of such
services in the area.
In the NT, 10 councils are servicing 160,000 people and the remaining
55 are servicing 31,000 people; 30 of these are servicing fewer than
500 people.
Smaller councils Ð 500 people or less Ð have lately had their
funds cut by around five per cent.
"There is a lot of pressure on them to collaborate, resource share or
amalgamate," says Tony Tapsell, CEO of the Local Government Association
of the NT (LGANT).
It has on its executive equal representation from the bush and the
urban councils Ð four members each.
The new president is former Darwin Lord Mayor Cec Black; the "urban"
vice president is Alice Mayor Fran Kilgariff, and the "bush" vice
president is Gibson Farmer from Tiwi Islands.
Mr Tapsell says the Federal cost shifting enquiry, sitting in Alice
Springs this week, has been told by the NTLGA "that councils have been
asked to perform more and more varied functions and also to pay for a
bigger share of them as well."
Aboriginal community police officers are one example.
Some councils are performing post office and Centrelink services.
Council-run CDEP projects sometimes play a major role in getting bush
people "work ready".
In Jabiru, where Mr Tapsell has worked before, "CDEP was used as a work
readiness program for people who went on to work for the mine".
"Local government has a big role in infrastructure provision for the
tourism industry, things like airport terminal buildings, sealing of
airstrips or upgrading roads."
The question is, how is infrastructure going to be paid for in the
future?
At present, Canberra pays to the states and territories through FAGS
about $45 per person, says LGANT manager, member services, Phil
Maynard, a total of $1.1b.
It's then up to the states and territories to divvy up that money on a
needs basis, to the 700 councils around the nation.
The state grants commissions usually take the view that a lot of needs
in cities are currently being met but in remote areas there is a huge
gap between needs and services to be filled.
And this is where the smaller administrations Ð and the NT is the
smallest Ð are looking down the barrel.
In the other states the cities with big populations are attracting vast
sums from which substantial amounts (up to 70 per cent) can be diverted
to the disadvantaged councils.
But in the NT we have a far greater number of disadvantaged councils,
yet Darwin and the regional centres have small populations.
This means no great amounts Ð not enough, claims the LGANT Ð
can be re-directed to the "bush".
Hence, remember, the glaring discrepancy between Tambo (Q) and Sta
Teresa (NT).
"Geelong City Council gets more money from Canberra than all our 65
councils put together," says Mr Tapsell.
"But we would say they are not looking after 65 towns" Ð in a vast
region.
The answer is clear, says Mr Tapsell: let Canberra make the allocations
on a needs basis, not on a per head of population basis.
Neither Mr Tapsell nor Mr Maynard like their chances of Canberra nor
the bigger states playing ball, although the issue is on the agenda of
the cost shifting enquiry.
Opposition Leader Simon Crean told the Alice News on Sunday that local
government, so far, hasn't made a convincing case to the state or
Federal governments.
"The issue is not about funding but about outcomes," says Mr Crean.
Sadly for the NT, it's likely to remain a numbers game, with both
parties sticking to the present arrangement.
Says Mr Tapsell: "If you brought it down to seats in Parliament, we've
only got two in the House of Reps, and the eastern states have heaps.
"If they're going to lose money, they're going hold out at the expense
of us, aren't they?"At the moment only half of the community councils
are incorporated as local governments, and Mr Tapsell says LGANT
supports the total incorporation of the NT.
"This would bring representation and services to all constituents in
the NT and spread the responsibilities."
300 RAPES A YEAR. Report by EMMA KING.
There are more than 300 rapes in Alice Springs each year.This and
other alarming statistics, presented at the annual Reclaim the Night
march on October 25, underline the continuing need for community
education and action on sexual violence.
Speakers Annie Zon and sexual assault counsellor Tracy Quinney also
told the gathering that:-¥ The incidence of sexual assault is 41
per cent higher in the NT than in other states in proportion to the
population.¥ 93 per cent of sexual assaults in the NT are against
women, the majority of these against Aboriginal women.¥ There is
only one sexual assault counsellor for the Alice Springs region.¥
In the year 2000 there were 15, 630 victims of sexual assault reported
to police in Australia.
¥ 67per cent of the assaults occurred in residential
locations.¥ In 2000, 99 per cent of sexual assault offenders were
male.¥ Most sexual assault victims were aged under 25 years.Despite
this evidence, only a small number of women attended Reclaim the Night
this year.The event was initiated in 1977 when, as a response to a
series of sex murders in Leeds, England, women decided to gather
together after dark to face their fears.Twenty five years on, women who
attended the event in Alice Springs ranged in age from teens to
sixties, and expressed strong commitment to addressing issues of sexual
violence."I came along to make a personal stand on violence against
women, in respect to the many women who live with domestic violence,
and who are subject to rape," said Carmen, 55."It is an important
statement of women's solidarity and recognising how women's behaviour
is constrained still through the fear of rape," said Helen, 33.However,
lack of broad interest in this event prompted organisers to hold a
forum about how to tackle sexual violence, prior to the traditional
march down the Mall.A number of questions were raised including:
whether the increase in reported sexual assaults was the result of more
assaults, or of more willingness to report; how to best address issues
in the broader community, including remote areas and among the
Aboriginal population; how to get more services for sexual assault
survivors; and how to get the issues of sexual violence back onto the
political agenda.
While there were no concrete answers, a number of women decided to form
an ongoing group to continue these discussions and create further
forums for community education and debate. For more information contact
Kaz Phillips on 8953 5914 or Tracy Quinney on 8951 5888.
A textbook service. COLUMN by STEVE FISHER.
Another heart-warming chapter in the history of Alice Springs public
transport was written just the other day.
A member of my family left her new skirt in a bag at the bus stop
opposite the Post Office. It was a kind of Britney Spears low-slung
skirt. The kind that over-the-hill fathers never really understand,
even if they claim to be young-at-heart. But they look great on 11 year
olds.
Anyway, this was a minor tragedy. She gazed back towards the bus stop
as the East route vehicle accelerated away. It was like a scene in slow
motion in a mini-series starring Victoria Principal. Her arm was
outstretched and her face contorted. As the music swelled, she realised
that she might never see the skirt again. Well, at least until the next
trip to Chain Reaction.
In most places with urban public transport, you could get off the bus
at the next stop, walk back, pick up the skirt, have a coffee and get
on the next service. But in our town, this entails several coffees, a
toasted foccacia and a choc-dipped ice cream because the next bus
doesn't leave for two hours. In fact, the food would cost more than the
skirt.
Before getting off the bus, the driver reassured us that the lost item
of clothing would be recovered. And he was true to his word. To cut a
long story short, this involved Jimmy driving the 2.45, someone else on
the West bus and a magical mixture of coordination and communication.
She waited at the bus stop near our house and the skirt duly appeared
in her arms later that day. If this is customer service, I would like
some more please. But there are two varieties of customer service. The
kind that you find in management textbooks and the kind that you find
on buses in small towns.
In the management version, line managers adopt new fangled ways of
doing the same old thing and call it "relationship marketing" or
"customer-orientation". Chapter headings in these dreary books have
names like "101 ways to put the client firs"'. 102, I reckon, if you
treat them like a human being instead of a subject in a management text
book. Or "Up, up and away in my beautiful balloon", which is about
answering the telephone and entering the information in a database.
Line manager. When did line management get to be more important than
anything else in workplaces larger than 30? The very term sounds like
lukewarm porridge. I'll come back to this some other time, so help me.
Anyway, in the other, warm and cuddly version of customer service,
people do what comes naturally. They deal with customers 99 per cent of
the day and they know what makes people tick. They are tolerant of the
fifteenth person climbing aboard and asking if this is the East bus
when it says so in foot-high letters on the front. In fact, they quite
like to be nice to other people.
I know brilliant customer servers who have spent their lives doing a
great job and never had an ounce of credit or a cent above minimum
wage. One of them was 10 years in a shop before that fifteenth person
finally got under her skin by picking up a packet of sultanas labelled
"Sultanas", marching up to the counter and asking if they were
sultanas. "Why did you leave the job?" I asked. "The customers ground
me down," she said. It was like a wartime tale from the trenches of
retail therapy.
So my little story of public transport and customer care certainly
warms the cockles. But I reckon this has little to do with Alice
Springs being a pleasant town. If I told you that, I would be
stretching it a bit.
In fact, it has more to do with the culture of customer service that
goes with certain kinds of jobs, like ambulance staff, tip shops,
garden centres and corner shops. Or maybe some people are just warm
human beings. I'll stop gushing now.
When it lets you down, it's easy to whinge about the lack of service.
But, like good coffee, when its natural, uncontrived and genuine,
customer service is just great. I'll have another cup please. Or a
return ticket on the eastbound.
Cup fever. COLUMN by ANN CLOKE.
And 2002 races away Ð another breathtaking Melbourne Cup Day
over.It was super to note that some traders had gone all out dressing
up their windows for the occasion. Whether it was a special luncheon, a
day out at Pioneer Park or a celebration closer to home when the nation
came to a stop yesterday, most interested parties ensured they were
able to follow the sound of thundering hooves over the 3200 metre
course Éand hopefully a few people were lucky enough to
collect.At some point it was brought to my attention that Kiwi trained
horses have managed to win 31 times out of the last 50 starts in the
Melbourne Cup. The New Zealand Thoroughbred Newsletter writes about the
success of trans-Tasman racehorses and invites investors to the annual
National Yearling Sales for the chance to bid on future champions.
Last year proved a huge win for the ladies Ð New Zealand trainer
Sheila Laxon brought her mare, Ethereal, across and won the prestigious
Melbourne Cup. I backed it when friend and fellow Kiwi, June asked me
how I'd feel if I didn't, and she came inÉ. We had a big bet,
$10 each way!
For those punters who like a few statistics to mix and match with the
odds, the betting gazettes and the on-course tips, there's quite an
interesting website about Melbourne Cup Carnival History, which tells
us that only four horses have won twice. Archer, from Nowra, was the
winner of the inaugural Melbourne race in 1861, and also managed to
cross the line first in 1862 Ð at that time the winner's purse
comprised the princely sum of 710 pounds plus a hand-beaten gold watch.
The first actual cup trophy wasn't presented until 1865.Other horses to
take out the title twice were Peter Pan (1932 and 1934), Rain Lover
(1968 and 1969) and Think Big in 1974 and 1975.In 1930 Phar Lap, the
most famous of all racehorses, won. He was born in Timaru, New Zealand,
and just as Australians adopted him, so he adapted readily to his new
home here.Greg Irvine's trivia site advises that lucky saddlecloth
numbers are as follows: number four with 11 wins, number 12 with 10,
and number one with nine wins.
Six winners have leapt out of barrier 11, and barriers five, six and 19
have recorded five winners each over the years É there doesn't
seem to be a real pattern in those stats, but does that matter?
It's a tough call Ð 24 great jockeys astride their respective
magnificent mounts. For those punters who, like me, really need a lot
of luck and have problems picking a suitable jockey sporting the
favourite colours on the best looking horse, with the lucky saddlecloth
number and starting from the right barrier, sometimes it's best to
ignore the experts' advice and simply put the money on the horse with a
nice name. Or back the long-shot, possibly one bred in New Zealand,
because they do seem to have a good percentage rate to date.Melbourne
Cup Day, a nation stopper, on both sides of the Tasman.
(Of necessity, Ann Cloke's column was written before the big day Ð
the Alice News went to press in Mt Isa at about the time the race was
run.)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Black vs white law.
Sir,- Some thoughts in response to Ann Cloke's remarks (Alice
Springs News, Oct 16) about Aboriginal customary law.Firstly, the
Aboriginal people never asked the British to abolish their traditional
law and replace it with a law based on a completely different
civilisation, that might have been better in some ways, but might have
been worse in other ways. So there is no reason why they should accept
it uncritically.One Aboriginal attitude to Western law goes like this:
"Our law comes from the Dreaming; it is eternal and unchanging. Your
law is constantly changing. How can we be expected to respect such a
law above our own law?" (See also the quote from Rev. Jim Downing in
the article on page 6 of the same issue.)Another reason why people
might not respect Western law is that it does not always support the
family, the basic unit of society. How can people for whom the family
takes precedence over all other units of society respect a system with,
for example, a law that allows some members of a family to be given
refugee status while other members are not?Corporal punishment can be
divided into three kinds:
(a) killing people
(b) mutilating people
(c) injuring or hurting people in such a way that they are not
permanently incapacitated.
Allowing a person to be speared in the leg (especially when medical
assistance is at hand) is of the third type and it is not fair to
compare it with stoning a single mother to death or chopping off the
hand of a thief.
I don't believe in either (a) or (b), not even for people who light
bushfires. I'm not enthusiastic about (c) either, but I think it is
less inhumane than the dehumanising treatment that is meted out to
people in gaols (some, at least) and (more so, it seems) in detention
centres for asylum seekers.
I believe there should be a set of universally accepted ideas of human
rights that forbid punishments and customs (like the treatment of the
girl in Maningrida) that the majority think of as barbaric. But they
have to be universally accepted, and it is up to those with the ability
to do so to persuade communities to accept them, and give due
consideration to contributions that those communities might want to
make to the set. See Jim Downing's remarks for an approach to tackling
some of the problems.
Gavan Breen
Alice Springs
PUBLIC DRINKING
Sir,- On walking down the Mall I could not believe my eyes. I thought
Telecom was having a party outside the old Scotties. What a sight! Do
we have to have this kind of thing in Alice?We will end up with all the
restaurants up the mall selling beer and wines. Come on, we have got
too many fully licensed places now.
June Burns
Alice Springs
BAD NAME FOR YANKS
Sir,- Bob Graham's letter (Alice News, Oct 23)inspires me to reply as
follows:-Dear Bob, It's people like you that give Yanks a bad name!(a)
You can judge people by the way they look.(b) Money is more important
than anything else.Whatever happened to truth, liberty, freedom and
justice?
Robin Laidlaw
Alice Springs
LENIN / TROTSKY
Sir,- The joint Australian / US Pine Gap defence facility uses a
satellite network that intercepts telephone, radio and other
communications from around the world.
It provides the intelligence essential for our armed forces and also
warns of potential terrorist attacks on Australia.
This facility has been targeted by the Medical Association for
Prevention of War and other Leftist groups that seek to divide
Australia from her allies and neuter our military.
MAPW's spokesman Dr Bill Williams wants to shut Pine Gap down with the
absurd "because it is a nuclear target and so a vital preliminary step
in the health care for all Australians".
These groups with their tired, failed Lenin / Trotsky agendas have such
a blind hatred of the US they would put our defence force personnel and
the lives of ordinary Australians in jeopardy by giving aid to our
enemies in cutting off our main source of intelligence.
These groups seem so concerned with Iraqi lives yet have no problem in
putting Australian lives at risk. They should be given the contempt
they deserve for attempting to shut down the very security of Australia
when we need it the most.
Ken Murray
Jindabyne, NSW
GREEDY MASTER
Sir,- Just three points:-Prior to Kuta, 72 per cent of Australians knew
supporting America's first strike against Iraq was a bad idea. Bad for
us, bad for the U.S and bad for Iraq! A bad idea!Please, do not allow
your outrage over the napalming of local Balinese workers and holiday
makers from Australia and all over the world to confuse that fact.I am
not a pacifist and have no sympathy for the cowards that planned this
atrocity. I do know that cowards plan and execute atrocities from all
political persuasions:¥ Palestinian and Israeli;¥ Irish
Protestant and Irish Catholic;¥ Black and White.I personally
support the ideas of the American people as laid out in their
Declaration of Independence and the character shown at their Boston Tea
Party. That doesn't mean their attitude towards Iraq shows the same
high ideals.
America is our friend. Our Prime Minister should tell them that our
single greatest international lesson was borne by our ANZACS at
Gallipoli.
The world needs to hear what we learnt then. America needs to hear that
our history is not forgotten. Never follow a greedy master to war.
Lindsay Round
Alice Springs
VALE, ROGER
Sir,- I have been asked to pass news of the death Roger Boehm of
Denton, Texas to his friends in Alice Springs. Roger Boehm passed away
in Denton on October 31, 2002. He is survived by his wife Rose Boehm
also of Denton, and two daughters.
Roger truly loved Alice Springs and going "bush". He was one of the
very first Yanks to come to Alice Springs with Pine Gap when it was
being built. And, returned may times. He took a piece of the Alice with
him in his heart.
Jim Millette
tonopah354@earthlink.net
CHIPPENDALE
Sir,- It is time to debunk a bit of local mythology concerning the
first resident botanist in the NT, George Chippendale.
I was closely associated with George throughout his years in the NT. We
still correspond by mail.
It was stated in an article in the Centralian Advocate (Sept 27) that
George had claimed the pastoral industry would never recover from the
big drought of 1958-65, and that he was a pessimist.
He was a realist who was aware of the pasture destruction that had
devastated the western district of NSW in the 1890s due to
over-stocking followed by a severe drought. George did not want to see
this happen to Central Australia.
He was ahead of his time in his demonstrations of what are now accepted
as ordinary land and vegetation measures.
He had a series of small areas fenced off on Yambah and Bond Springs
stations, which demonstrated the benefits of preserving areas from
grazing in the hard times.
He devised a pioneering system of determining pasture conditions.
As a member of the Animal Industry branch, his work was aimed at
benefiting the pastoral industry. Botany section solved many cases of
live stock poisoning, including some which occurred along the stock
routes, many of which were devoid of good pasture due to over-grazing
long before the drought. This had caused increases in toxic plants,
which were grazed by hungry animals, as little else was available.The
Centralian Advocate article claimed that the "esteemed botanist" took
the next plane out and was never seen again when the drought broke. My
son Alex explained in a response to the article the incorrectness of
that statement.
Personal matters were the reason for George's departure by train, six
months after the breaking of the drought.
He subsequently returned to the NT on three occasions. On one of these
three visits I drove him around many of his old work sites. He
expressed pleasure on seeing the recovery of many of these
areas.Unfortunately, in spite of his endeavours during the drought,
some members of the industry which he was trying to help decided to
target George, I can only surmise, for having the temerity to suggest
that he had better knowledge of aspects of the Centre then they had.
In particular, one prominent cattle owner, along with the editor of a
local magazine conducted a disgraceful campaign to denigrate George.
I was glad to have helped in uncovering the deception of this
enterprise. The cattle owner (I prefer this description, rather than
that of a pastoralist) displayed great ignorance of the pastures on
which his livestock roamed. Being a public servant, George was limited
in the way in the way in which he could respond to criticism. However,
to his credit the then director of Animal Industry Branch, Goff Letts,
responded to nonsensical claims made in an article in the local
magazine.
The editor was obliged to publish this retraction. The cattle owner has
passed away. The magazine editor subsequently left, never to be heard
of again. Persons who wish to know more details of this matter may
contact me personally.George Chippendale, an unsung hero and pioneer in
his field, now in his eighties, remains interested in events occurring
in the NT. I do my best to keep him informed of these.It was George who
chose the Sturt's Dessert Rose as the floral emblem of the NT, many
years before self-government.
Des Nelson,
Alice Springs.
FIXING FOXES. Report by KIERAN FINNANE.
As feral foxes creep further north Ð now being sighted as far as
Tennant Creek, threatening the region's surviving populations of
Bilbies Ð Parks and Wildlife officers are on the brink of
perfecting a fox-specific control.
Foxes can be eradicated over quite large areas using 10/80 baiting, but
till now it has been impossible to kill foxes and not kill dingoes,
which, as native wildlife, are protected on all land tenures.
Another concern has been that when foxes and dingoes are taken out, cat
numbers increase.
"There's a lot of anecdotal evidence for that," says Glenn Edwards,
senior scientist with the Wildlife Management unit in Alice Springs.
There has also been worry about camp dogs Ð dear to Aboriginal
people Ð and wildlife such as lizards and birds of prey taking up
the poison.The fox-specific control is still in the developmental
stage, but "without saying too much about it, we think we're just about
there", says Dr Edwards.
He rates predation by feral cats and foxes as the single biggest threat
to native animals in the Territory.
Cat control remains elusive.
A cat-specific poison has been developed in Victoria and is undergoing
registration at the federal level at the moment.
When registered, it will become available firstly for experimental use
by licensed practitioners.
Even then, however, there will be considerable barriers to be overcome.
A major one is how to avoid uptake by domestic animals. Another is that
cats don't scavenge, so the only time that they could be baited is when
they are "doing it tough, like right now".
Cat and fox numbers in Central Australia have built up over recent good
seasons but after an extremely dry winter, they are under a lot of
pressure.Says Dr Edwards: "A lot of animals are starving at the moment.
"People have been reporting cats coming into homesteads on pastoral
properties, people have seen cats scavenging on the road kills, which
is very unusual, and they're seeing them in national parks."They're a
lot more visible because they're hungry, they're looking for food."If
it continues to be dry a lot of cats and foxes will die, already a lot
are starting to keel over.
"Some though will always survive: some are better hunters than others
and some live in areas that will get some rain."
The last time Dr Edwards saw cats starving was in 1994, when the
population declined quite dramatically.
If no effective control is possible in this dry spell, the opportunity
probably won't arise again for another seven or eight years.
So, just how many cats and foxes are out there?
It is difficult to estimate population size because "you don't see them
a lot". "You have to rely on indirect things like looking at tracks,
which provide an index of abundance so you can tell whether the
population is going up or down without actually knowing how many are
there."The density varies with a number of factors. In areas where
there are rabbits the density of foxes is a lot higher, there could be
as many as one fox per two square kilometres.
"In areas without rabbits it's probably about one fox per 10 square
kilometres.
"Cats are probably pretty much the same in density but in range they
occur just about everywhere, irrespective of habitat type.
"Foxes don't do well in the tropics, but we're concerned by their
spread to the north in the last 15 to 20 years."Early survey work done
by Aboriginal people in the Tanami showed that there were very few
foxes out there, now you get foxes there regularly and they are
well-established as far as Tennant Creek. They weren't there 15 years
ago.
"As they move north there's no doubt that they put pressure on
wildlife. In particular we are concerned about bilbies. When you get
foxes, bilbies disappear.
"Bilbies used to occupy about 70 per cent of Australia, now they are
only found in about 10 to 20 per cent of their former distribution.
There's a small population in Queensland, reasonable populations in the
NT, but their stronghold now appears to be in desert areas in WA.
"They used to occupy a large range of habitats but now they are hanging
on only in areas where there are no foxes.
"My personal opinion is that the worst threat to biodiversity comes
from predation by cats and foxes.
"That's why the establishment of foxes in Tasmania would be one of the
greatest ecological disasters that we have ever faced. We'd probably
lose five to seven species, including the quolls, even the Tasmanian
Devil.
"From an NT perspective, if we could control cats and foxes we could
put some of our threatened species back.
"We've got the resources to achieve that. What has stymied us so far
have been the techniques," says Dr Edwards.
Alice Prize: tough decisions. Review by KIERAN FINNANE.
The Alice Prize has provided the community with "an important,
intriguing, challenging, relevant list of work É to reference,
engage with, learn from".
This is because the Alice Springs Art Foundation has from the outset
"tapped into a knowledge base Ð the judges who'll make the tough
decisions, who'll go for the hard-edged works".
"It is a credit to people in this community, that they've been so brave
and visionary in the structure of the prize over 30 years," said Tony
Ellwood, Deputy Director of the National Gallery of Victoria, judge of
the 32nd prize, which he announced at Araluen on Friday night.His
choice of winner, Debra Paauwe's "highly charged" Type C photograph,
Crimson Autograph, (above) sought to live up to the prize's
traditions.He saw the work as encapsulating a "political depth far more
successfully than anything else in this space".
"To me it's about a layering or a veiling of meaning to so with sexual
identity, femininity, the protectiveness of the innocent.
"The saturated use of colour can be aesthetically quite captivating but
also politicised Ð the notion of hot pink has several messages or
meanings."It's a really complex work, leaving more questions than
answers, very powerful, beautifully composed."Controversy or at least
debate over the choice he welcomed as "really healthy": "If you look at
winners of the Alice Prize, in that list there has been a high
percentage of works that were not necessarily going to connect
initially but have done with the passage of time."The prize's residency
provides the opportunity for the winning artist to "articulate the work
in their own way, have that debate with people".
He was sure Debra Paauwe, "a strong emerging force within contemporary
art circles", would be able to "bring in a very strong voice" to
counteract reading of the work as "exploitative, lurid or disrespectful
of the female form".
But will she be able to elucidate the layers of meaning? For me, the
work struggles to be more than beautifully seductive. There are
questions about what might be going on Ð two young naked women,
legs inter-twined, carefully posed and veiled Ð and how we as
viewers might read that, but where is the "charge", other than erotic?
Mr Ellwood suggested the work "could also be seen to be informed by
layers of art history Ð the headless female form, a contemporary
reclaiming of that to give an empowering choice to the subject".
I recognise the interest of these themes and they packed a lot of
charge when they were first brought forward. Now, however, their
reiteration (and I can't see that Crimson Autograph breaks new ground),
however aesthetically successful, for me is less than gripping.
I'm much hungrier for art that responds to the pressing questions of
how we act within the world's political and economic power structures
Ð which at an everyday level has a lot to do with how we see and
act towards our fellows, wherever they come from Ð and how we treat
the environment. (I'm not saying I never want to look at anything else;
I'm just talking about what seems important rigt now.)As for the
aesthetics, I'm reminded of British art critic Matthew Collings'
comments at his recent talk in Alice about how contemporary art in
Britain looks more and more like advertising.
Crimson Autograph looks a lot like the sexiest kind of ad, although
it's not selling anything other than itself. That's a layer of meaning,
our image-making collapsing in on itself. Equally, though, our
image-making can still be outward looking and communicative of profound
understandings. Last year's Alice Prize winner, Eye Contact by Merilyn
Fairskye, the complete version of which is currently showing at
Araluen, is a great example.
There are also works in this year's prize with broad political and
environmental concerns (subtle, not didactic works), which drew Mr
Ellwood's attention. More on those next week.
Highly commended works were another Type C photograph, At the speed of
sound by Mark Kimber, "a captivating, successful composition É
complex in its possible readings", which has been acquired for the
collection, and two works by Central Australian artists, the "joyous"
Yellow Bird by Peggy Napangardi Jones (Barkly Tablelands) and the
"iconic" untitled acrylic painting by Ningura Napurrula (Westren
Desert).
NICK STAYS.
Former Alice town council CEO Nick Scarvelis has been appointed
regional director of the NT Department for Community Development, Sport
and Cultural Affairs.
Mr Scarvelis' contract was not renewed by the council last month after
an acrimonious dispute in which a faction of six aldermen Ð not
including Mayor Fran Kilgariff Ð accused him of failing to properly
inform the council about certain financial issues. The council had a
healthy budget during Mr Scarvelis' tenure.
He will now be working mainly for Minister Ah Kit who during the
dispute ordered the council to engage in mediation with Mr Scarvelis.
Mr Scarvelis will remain in Alice Springs. He will be responsible for
the NT south of Tennant Creek.
Mr Scarvelis was instrumental in attracting the national local
government convention this week with 800 delegates.
BIG MAC SIZZLES IN SUMMER SUN. Report by PAUL FITZSIMONS.
Adrian McAdam, who transferred from Federal to Rovers this year, has
been dubbed "Big Mac" by his mates after a sizzling performance with
the ball against RSL Works at Albrecht Oval.Rovers ended the two-day
encounter with first innings points after they had set RSL 185.
Matt Pyle celebrated his return to cricket with a solid 34, and with
Justin Dowell at the other end, the two put on an opening partnership
of over 50. Despite a crumble in the order, big Brad Tanner and Greg
Dowell got the Blues back on track and late support in the dig came
from Nick Clapp.RSL responded to the challenge on day one, being 1/40
at stumps.
From the start of play this week Graham Schmidt had RSL in contention
as he batted confidently for 38. However the pace tandem of McAdam and
Dowell proved dynamic as they wore down the Blues line-up. In their
lethal spell, they took six wickets between them and literally made the
difference in the game.McAdam snared Schmidt lbw, and was responsible
for the dismissal of Rod Dunbar, caught Pyle for six; followed by Jamie
Smith lbw for 21. Tanner was then clever in dismissing skipper Geoff
Whitmore for 15 when Gavin O'Toole accepted a neat catch.
The Razzle were then given a brief lifeline when young Tom Scollay
continued his fine form with 25 before becoming yet another McAdam
victim. Luke Southam also put up a fight before going for 26 , caught
Tanner off Dowell.Dowell then cleaned up Matt Forster for a duck, and
McAdam claimed the tail.RSL were all out for 157, with Rovers taking
the first innings points and McAdam 7/40.
Rovers then put themselves in a precarious position, through poor
application. On what was still a good batting deck, the Blues' wickets
tumbled.
Again Matt Pyle got a start, but watched as Matt Forster and Cameron
Robertson claimed the wickets of Glen Shorock for one; Gavin O'Toole
for three; and Greg Dowel a duck.
At 3/18 Rovers were not in a good state and, with Pyle dismissed for 16
lbw to Forster, they were looking down the barrel. Time and a spirited
effort from Nick Clapp (22) and Adrian McAdam (17), who pushed the lead
beyond 100, made the mission impossible for RSL.Skipper Whitmore
however stuck to his guns and played the game out to full time, when on
the bell of six o'clock he was able to salvage bonus points by
dismissing the Rovers' line-up.
Matt Forster in taking 5/32 was the destroyer, well backed up by Cam
Robertson with 2/35 and Nathan Flannigan, 2/10.On Saturday, the
continuation of the game between Federal and West was put under a rug
by midway through the day's play.On day one, West had captured first
innings points as a result of making a mere 119.
Nathan Allen and Darcy Brooke, who made 55 and 20 respectively, headed
the Bloods' batting. With the ball Rory Hood came to the fore with the
good figures of 5/65 and Jarrod Wapper was impressive with 4/30.In
reply Federal were only capable of mustering 83, with five decisions
going lbw.On Saturday, West went to the wicket and batted solidly to
score 3/180 before declaring. Nick Allen continued his love affair with
Alice Springs cricket by scoring 87 and Adam Stockwell rose to the
occasion with 83.
For Stockwell it was a milestone, being his first A Grade 50. He has
shown potential since starring as a junior and from here, he could well
go on to post big scores.
For Federal Chris Marriott took a wicket, and Allan Rowe took two. Feds
were then left with the daunting task of scoring 216 in some 25 overs.
With victory out of the equation, skipper Rowe turned his batting order
on its head and used the time remaining as a practice session. At the
end of play they were 6/78, so forcing the draw.
This week Rovers and Federal will do battle in the first of the two-day
games. RSL will meet West.
RUGBY BACK TO BUSINESS. Report by PAUL FITZSIMONS.
After a raucous interlude of Masters Games competition, it was just
grand to see all four competition sides on the paddock when Rugby
launched into its official season on Saturday nightIn the pre season
competition the Roger Rudduck Trophy was taken out by the Cubs and
their efforts were not discarded. Points gained during the lead up
games counted towards the premiership and so at the start of play
Saturday, the Dingoes had six points followed by the Eagles with four;
Devils, two; and Kiwis, nil.The grand finalists of last season, Eagles
and Cubs were matched up again to begin the season and they didn't let
the fans down. At half time it was a 12 to 11 game, and while the
Eagles made the break in the second half to win 31 to 16, it was far
from a white wash.The Eagles scored five tries to two. For the former
Misfits, the player to catch the eye was Lincoln Peckham who played a
blinder in setting up play. Jonno Swalger took full advantage of his
opportunities and scored two tries, while singles went the way of David
Kieran, Brendan Adams, and Fred Vaka.
In response Bobby Wong again showed his skill with the boot by
converting three.In the Cubs' camp it was Wiley Steele and Stephen Barr
who made the try line, and Paul Veitch capitalised each time with a
conversion.In the Devils' match up against the Kiwis things were
similarly tight. Although the score board showed the Feds boys winners
20 to 10, both sides gave plenty. Tim Blacker of the Devils teamed up
with Simon Moldrich as valuable players, while in the Kiwi line-up
Tim's brother, Chris, showed he has no fear. Also impressive was the
veteran Victor Williams who dominated with his kicking game.Simon
Moldrich got the Feds fired up when he opened the scoring with a try.
Dylan Kirchner in playing at full back then ran off every opportunity
to score a hat trick and give Devils the edge.
Alas, for Feds Jimmy Niland must have left his kicking skills at home
as he failed to convert any of his four attempts, even one from under
the posts. As Niland contemplated the fact that all great players go
through lean times, Lee Volker in the No. 7 jumper really impressed for
the Devils.In the Kiwi camp try scorers for the night were Patrick Ah
Kitt and John Ah Matt, and, for the record, both conversion attempts
were missed.Play resumes at Anzac Oval on Saturday night at 5.30pm.
DANCING TO TOKYO? Review by KIERAN FINNANE.
Year 12 dance students at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart have been
under more than usual pressure this last week.
On top of rehearsing for their production of Songlines tomorrow night,
which will count for 30 per cent of their final mark, they have been
preparing for their English exam today, their technique exam on Friday,
and have had to cope with the absence of one of their key dancers.Renee
Thompson had to withdraw from rehearsals late last week, nursing a
long-term foot injury. A decision about whether she would dance on
Thursday would not be made till after this paper had gone to press, but
the group had to be prepared for the worse and worked on re-staging the
piece over the weekend.If they breathe a sigh of relief on Friday, it
won't be for long; there's a written dance exam on Monday as well as
art moderation, which will involve many of them.
"But they're coping well," said teacher Bryn Williams, and it's not
hard to see why. There's a lot of pleasure to be had in dance studies,
even if they have their own challenges. According to Mr Williams,
there's still stigma attached to dance and other creative arts as Year
12 subjects."So they tend to get marked a lot harder," he
says.Songlines, as the title would suggest, is inspired by Indigenous
dance, both from here and around the world.
It has been informed by "some very dynamic Indigenous students in
creative arts", among them Sam Laughton.Of Arrernte background, she has
worked to develop a contemporary dance style inspired by Indigenous
dance but open to be danced by people of other cultures.
"This has given students an education in and appreciation of other
cultures through the arts, says Mr Williams."They've had to stretch
themselves."Songlines also incorporates elements of Eastern movement,
such as Butoh.
Is it in danger of becoming a bit of a mish-mash?"We are conscious of
that and of the risk of undermining cultural values," says Mr
Williams."But what we have produced is not a pastiche of cultural
forms, but more of a blending, with the key being strong theatricality,
a piece that will work on stage."This, he says, was the key to the
success of Gondwana, acclaimed at the recent Dreamtime tourism industry
trade show and which will also be performed on Thursday night.
Following Dream-time, a Japanese special events company has opened
negotiations with Mr Williams to take Gondwana to Tokyo.
It will be a big break for his young collaborators, in particular
choreographer Sila Cowham and Sam Laughton.
For Mr Williams it will be one of several commitments in the first half
of next year, including launching a French fashion label in south-east
Asia and producing the CROC Eisteddfod, together with Cowham and
Laughton.
This will mean taking six months' leave of absence from OLSH, so
Thursday's performance will be one of his last at Araluen for a little
while (there are still a couple of dramas to go from this prolific man
of the theatre).
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