Archived article
Comment on Cr Kudrenko puts poverty and disadvantage on council agenda by 25 Yr Ratepayer, Bruce.
Yes, there is much poverty of mind as well as of body in our town. Many people could be (financially) wealthy one day and dirt poor the very same day. I have come to the conclusion that many people here cannot escape their situation and do not even try.
Their situation is “normalised” and they know no-other. It is tragic. This is a condition caused by lack of aspiration, being dragged down by family, poor education and health.
The causes are multiple and so intertwined as to be inescapable. What we must do is provide the opportunity for the few with talent and aspiration to escape and prosper. Alice is a Tale of Two Cities with Dickensian parallels: affluence beside wretched poverty. Nightly I go to sleep with distant shouting and screaming from those camp residents camping out rough trying to escape the horrors that seem to dog them.
Billions of dollars have been spent with little effect between the Feds and the NT Govt in this town and region.
The 9000 or so ratepayers do not have similar resources and we can afford no more! Our town camps, courtesy of the Intervention have spent tens of millions paving streets, erecting street signs and installing letterboxes! But nothing will change till alcohol is driven from the camps, housing occupancy is capped and dogs are banned and house inspections (and evictions) are enforced.
I see no intention to enforce bans using patrolling guards 24/7. Personally I feel the only solution is a tough one. Close the camps and send people back to the communities except those whose traditional lands are the Todd Basin. Everyone acknowledges that health outcomes are better in the bush.
But there is no pollie with the goolies up for making the tough decisions. So Jade, you can move all the motions on poverty and disadvantage that you like. A great idea, and certainly not new, to engage camp residents into work!
The reality is that they are given no incentive to work. Their basic needs are currently met and if they do try to work their family drags them back down. So they will work till the first pay check and find it’s simpler to be with the mob.
It’s this simple: till people are collectively hungry they have no incentive to change their lot.
25 Yr Ratepayer, Bruce Also Commented
Cr Kudrenko puts poverty and disadvantage on council agenda
@2 Well Bob, I respect your views however my beliefs (as yours) are informed by well over a quarter century of living and working in Central Australia; town and remote. They are not “knee-jerk” reactions at all. If I could see some real improvements happening for the millions and billions spent on indigenous issues I would have some hope. But I see little hope.
Even the millions spent in refurbishing the housing will have little long term effect. Spoke to a builder who has been working on a bush refurbishment program. Some of the houses needed gutting and starting again.
Some were last refitted two years back. This is the future for the program here in Alice and remote. Do you feel it is fair that workers sweat in Sydney and Melbourne (and everywhere else) toiling so their taxes rebuild houses every couple of years?
This isn’t my definition of a “fair-go” Bob. One woman demanded to know when her house would be painted.
Meanwhile she sits there without work or motivation all day. She never considered picking up a paintbrush. I would like the NTG to paint (and repair) my house every two years as well.
Sorry Bob, you feel me guilty of “sloppy thinking”. Maybe it is just a different reality than the one you might be seeing. I wish I could think that things are getting better for all the Billions (yes, Billions*) spent.
I wait to see some improvements in health and education. But they seem to be going backwards.
The baby-bonus is resulting in an epidemic of kids who will be Dept. Children and Families then Corrections clients for life.
I firmly believe that too many people have accommodated their misery. Goodness, we don’t even enforce limits on the number of dogs that share living and sleeping quarters in government housing!
Our indigenous have much better opportunities than poor African and Asian people. We need to stop making excuses for them and demand that they start to take some personal responsibility. Yes, easier said than done. However to keep making excuses to my mind simply perpetuates the racism. Racism works two ways Bob.
* Note: The 2012 Indigenous Expenditure Report (see Aust Govt. Productivity Report) says “Estimated expenditure per head of population was $44,128 for Indigenous Australians, compared with $19,589 for other Australians (a ratio of 2.25:1)”.
Further, the population of Central Australia seems about 60,000 people of which 50% is indigenous. I tried to find data at ABS but settled on Wikipedia (regret “sloppy” data). Now “DO THE MATH”.
It equates to spending of $1.3b in 2012 alone. I’m not certain if that includes or excludes funding by the NT Government as well.
Recent Comments by 25 Yr Ratepayer, Bruce
National Indigenous Gallery advisors: ‘Release full report’
@ Original Centralian: What is “going on” is that politicians are involved.
They have multiple objectives to satisfy. Prime would be political objectives.
If CM Gunner thinks we will take his site decision lying down I feel he’s in for a surprise.
I recall Gough Whitlam being equally arrogant and ignoring local concerns with his “You’re getting Galston” statement for the site of Western Sydney airport.
Aboriginal flag on Anzac Hill: it’s not over yet
If indeed, as stated by Cr Satour, that the petition is “a very strong representation of the community that is in support of the flag” it is nevertheless a very poor result for the fly the flag case. While 1000 plus people is significant, it falls well short, indeed even close, to the majority of residents.
Perhaps we need to move away from pressure groups attempting to impose either view and instead get our Alice Springs Town Council to collect signatures and addresses of all interested residents.
The front desk at the council is one way to collect a true feeling over – say – a two week period without significant expense. Out of towners could email their vote.
Aboriginal flag on Anzac Hill: the nays have it
I have previously supported here the flying of the Aboriginal flag on Anzac Hill but acknowledge that doing so raises issues and potential problems. First, and perhaps most importantly there needs to be clear majority support, not a simple majority in either the community or indeed the council or RSL. Secondly it would need an understanding in my mind that this does not raises further expectations for the Torres Strait flag or for that matter any others. Central Australia is simply not the Top End. One should not imply the other for reasons of political correctness. Perhaps my greatest concern is that the Aboriginal flag may be used for political purposes with attempts to have it flying at half-mast whenever it suits vested interests. This would be a disaster for reconciliation.
It seems a ‘no brainer’ that here in the centre of Aboriginal Australia that it is most appropriate to fly the flag that represents the oldest culture in our nation. Yes, the national flag does this too. I do not see any contradictions in acknowledging the ancient Aboriginal presence in our region. The argument that we should hoist just a single flag seems to imply that the NT flag should not be flown either. Each has a different purpose nor diminishes the other.
Considering all the above I am not convinced that we are sufficiently mature to embrace that in the words of Bruce Woodley of ‘The Seekers’ and Dobe Newton of ‘The Bushwackers’ that “We are one ….. We are many ….. We are Australian!”. Perhaps on reflection it’s not such a great idea at this time ’till we grow up.
Liz Martin says goodbye and good luck
Immediate questions arise in my mind (can you do some digging here, Erwin?):
1. What involvement did the Minister for Business and Industry have in this breakdown between NRTHoF and his department? If not, why not? The Associations Act is under the control of the NT Government and in particular the Chief Minister, being also the Minister for Business and Industry. The Minister’s full title is: Trade, Business and Innovation. Can only wonder where the innovation went to here. All we have witnessed is an intransigent department. If there’s another side can the Minister please enlighten us?
2. What involvement have our town council CEO, Mayor and appointed councillors had in mediating a solution between the parties? If not, why not?
This breakdown has been a long time coming. Well time for parties to get together. It seems that egos and possible incompetence have played significant roles. The incompetence in the loss of the financial records seem to have merely exacerbated other systemic issues.
Where to now our beloved Alice Springs town? It is so sad to see the town lose such a committed and talented lady, not to mention the damage to the Hall of Fame itself.
Best wishes, and thank-you Liz Martin for your years of dedicated service to our town. May your next adventures find less bureaucracy.
Moss ties together three Alice projects worth $90m
Hello! Has anyone noticed the kitty is empty? Politicians throw around numbers like $50m, $20m, $90m like we have a pot of overflowing gold.
Can someone also advise me how spending all this (borrowed) money will, as the Minister claims, go toward “creating a safer community”?
Another re-vitalisation of the Mall requires more than simply re-arranging the landscape unless it will all be fenced off with guarded entry. Wouldn’t that be attractive!
