“We need more than a new government” is spot on, ministers and bureaucrats will also need to learn from previous (ALP and CLP) governments’ mistakes and/or poor decisions. What we also need is a more robust private sector, investors and developers with vision and their own money (not taxpayers). Legislation that facilitates development and at the same time protect community interests and the government to think strategically and long term (more than one or two election cycles) may also be required. Existing legislation and regulations that are not used, followed or enforced already exist, new legislation may not be the answer. The complex processes outlined in this article will need time for consultation, organisation, planning, bedding down the details and action. Something China and other totalitarian governments can do in an undemocratic way, but is not so easy in a democracy.

Decentralisation is a classical example, it must be a long term (maybe forever) policy, any short term fixes will not work, unplanned natural forces of economic activity seems to eventually draw people and money back to the capitals. For example, The Advocate are now going to print their paper in Darwin, listen for the outcry from the general public and small businesses when it doesn’t arrive early one morning. With all the new technologies around these days management and administrative hubs can be built anywhere – even in small communities along the lines mentioned by Hal below, but to avoid building infrastructure that maybe redundant in four years, careful planning and consultation is required. If the investments in Aboriginal education and training in remote Australia are successful, a lot of these people may wish to join mainstream Australia and move to the larger towns or SE Australia.