Comments on: LETTER: Mills should chill on grog in bush communities

By: Russell Guy

Russell Guy — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 06:11:10 +0000

As Noel Pearson advocates an inter-Aboriginal dialogue on why money for grog should be a cultural obligation, the humbug and coercion continues from Aboriginal men who demand by force if ncessary the wherewithal to feed their addiction. It hardly needs be said that domestic violence occurs in non-Indigenous homes over alcohol abuse.
Despite some Indigenous leaders sniping at each other, a posse of informed political and health worker opinion are saying that this is not the time to be relaxing Alcohol Management Plans (AMP’s) in communities, much less introducing more Wet Canteens when women and children are just gaining some respite from decades of alcohol-fueled violence.
The Aboriginal dialogue should be encouraged before AMP’s are tampered with, allowing a decision to come out of the communities and this will take at least twelve months.
Perhaps, more Aboriginal voices speaking out on alcohol abuse might help Alcohol Industry supporting whitefellers unable to see that the carnage is not race-based.

By: John

John — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:03:32 +0000

Paul, face the facts as they pertain to the NT, Alice Springs and the communities around it. You’re right, it is racist but that is not the problem. Grog is the problem. Unfortunately, you cannot separate race, and the grog issue in the context of the these communities, nor can it be addressed on an individual basis only, because the problem is too widespread. This needs to be addressed not only individually but by the communities as a whole as well, not decided by some white politician.

By: Bob Durnan

Bob Durnan — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 01:03:59 +0000

Paul (Posted October 13, 2012 at 12:41 pm), we recently had a system, not race-based or segregationist, which attempted to make people more accountable for their behaviour when under the influence of alcohol, without criminalising them for simply being persistently drunk, dangerous to themselves and annoying to others.
It was called the Banned Drinkers Register.
It treated people as individuals, according to their actions.
It attempted to hold people accountable for individual decision-making and actions which, while not criminal, led to self-destructive and anti-social behaviour.
It strongly encouraged and supported those who decided to seek treatment and other help to overcome their addictions and problematic behaviours.
Just when it was starting to become effective, with nearly 2,500 people on the Register throughout the NT, the half-smart Mr Mills abolished it without any attempt at gathering current facts about its operations or doing a proper evaluation of its merits.
This abolition of the Register without regard for its impacts was clearly, in my view, an act of gross stupidity, cruelty and irresponsibility, for which the Mills Government must be held accountable.

By: Paul Parker

Paul Parker — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 03:11:21 +0000

Racist, discriminatory, segregationist actions regularly present as “special measures”.
Using race as a measure IS racism, not “special measures”.
“Special measures” for people with specific injuries do not measure them by race rather by their injuries.
“Special measures” for people with criminal, negligent or dangerous behavior do not measure them by race rather by their behavior.
Treat people as individuals due their actions.
Address the individuals and their thinking which results in their behavior.
Treating people using racial filters is racist.
To acknowledge actions as discriminatory then argue it is lawful and appropriate as a special measure remains the apartheid and segregationist argument.
Commonwealth remains an active racist in Australia.
Many problems result from previous apartheid and segregationist attitudes allowed by the Commonwealth to occur.
Continuing the apartheid, segregationist approach continues the problems.
Commonwealth falsely claims Australians support their racist actions, repeatedly in hope we accept their racism.
Commonwealth ignores ongoing attempts at Federation, repeated in 1967, all to prevent Commonwealth and States / Territories qualifying Australian’s rights or responsibilities using race as their measure.
Most Australians regard a drunk as a drunk, regardless of race.

By: Bronwyn Dealdi

Bronwyn Dealdi — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:58:44 +0000

Don’t people have a right to choose? Telling them what is going to happen to protect them is patronising.