By: Hal Duell

Hal Duell — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:05:41 +0000

While I agree with the focus of what both Erwin and Bob have said, even where they differ, I would add one more point.
Several times in different press reports, quoting court evidence, alleged victims were referred to as “enemy”.
Apparently forgotten is the reality that we all live in Australia. We are all citizens in the Commonwealth of Australia, and any violent tribalism needs to be grown out of.
Let’s make that social evolution part of our future focus as well. Who knows? We might even get over sending troops to places where we have no business sending them, such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
Enemy! Get over it.

By: Bob Durnan

Bob Durnan — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 07:31:49 +0000

Erwin writes “What have our leaders done to get the message out to people prepared to riot in the streets that such behaviour will not be tolerated? This will take more than a so-called education campaign. It requires person-to-person contact, a prolonged effort of sitting down and talking to people across the region about bottom line, shared standards and goals. It may also require sanctions.”
I agree that these measures are needed, in copious amounts. But these messages, even if delivered effectively, are unlikely to change behaviours to any great degree; by themselves they will merely manage some of the problems, and thus cushion some of their impacts.
To do more than this, and create the really desirable and sustainable long term changes which are needed, we must take steps now to prevent the development of another generation of people with major proneness to impulse control problems, great vulnerability to addictions, a heavy burden of susceptibility to chronic disease because of environmental and other health-related issues in early childhood, and few of the skills needed to live healthy, productive, autonomous, and truly self-determining and rewarding lives in the contemporary world.
To achieve these significant social and cultural changes, we need to start now on projects that will bear high grade benefits in 15 to 20 years time.
This will require the rolling out, into the remote bush communities, of the intensive intervention programs now operating in Alice Springs. They include regular home visitation by specially trained nurses during the two years after birth, targeted family supports, parenting skills delivered by qualified staff, professional childcare and high quality pre-school programs available to all children from the age of three, case management of young people with high levels of problems, creation and long term maintenance of a much more effective education system in remote communities, maintenance of intensive efforts in health, shelter and safety, and investment in all the infrastructure needed to sustain these initiatives.
But more tellingly, it will also require certain fundamental changes needed to create the settings within which, over time, the aforementioned programs may be able to flourish: fundamental changes such as creation and maintenance of a more socially and culturally appropriate welfare and work system, continuous regional anti-violence programs, and alcohol reforms such as a floor price for take-away alcohol fixed at the average price for a standard drink of popular beer brands.

Comments on: Picture of lawless Alice served to national audience, again

By: Hal Duell

By: Bob Durnan