Town Council riven by conflict, lack of leadership
@ Smithy. If Jacinta does not have the answers to divisive social questions confronting the community, then it is quite obvious from the mess Alice is in right now that no one else on council has any answers either.
Regardless of her perceived merits or shortcomings, the vile personal abuse aimed at her recently on social media is quite shocking and very disturbing.
Smithy, are you saying that it is Jacinta’s fault that she is copping this vile abuse, a lot of which is coming from males from different ethnic backgrounds?
No female, regardless of race, ethnic background or political opinion should be subjected to such vile, cowardly and frightening threats of physical and sexual attack.
It is worrying in the extreme to justify it with the rationalisation that such verbal attacks are common in Alice. If such postings on Facebook or Twitter were to occur against certain young women or councillors of politicians down here in the Big Smoke, it would be prime time news and police action would be taken.
It is very sad that Alice appears so conditioned to such attacks now that blaming the victim is acceptable.

Town Council riven by conflict, lack of leadership
Can’t wait for Prime Minister Shorten and his union frontbencher backbencher entourage to hit town after the next Federal election.
If this circus is any indication, the Council Labor lads and girls will probably declare a public holiday and bedeck Todd Street with a carpet of red roses.
However, for all of their silly shenanigans, Alice Councillors are Sunday School picnickers compared with the fruitcakes that infest my next door Darebin Council down here in Melbourne Town.
As an old Feddy, I ask fellow Feddy Mayor Damo – is the aggro of the Perpetually Outraged worth it these days?

Youth crime: compassion alone is no solution
Erwin’s article is straight-shooting and a fair comment.
Basically he is saying that this lawyer, in failing to address the serious offences that landed teenagers in detention in the first place, is misrepresenting the balance between compassion and responsibility for ones own actions.
The word “compassion” is a political currency fast being devalued by its loudest advocates.
Our politicians latched onto it in the late 1960s – early 1970s at a time when the public social conscience was being made aware of Aboriginal and TI disadvantage.
A wonderful and positive thing in the beginning.
But the Toyota Dreaming days that accompanied it also brought an overbearing virtue signalling class of intolerant Humanistas, mainly from Down South.
So many young people became imbued with a sense of self-righteous entitlement that now far outstrips their sense of responsibility.
To even speak about this imbalance risks being labelled with the “R” word (racist) or the “C” word (coconut).
The balance must be restored in public debate. By advocate lawyers especially.

Cold morning, warm hearts at the Old Timers Fete
To Mary and Sue and staff and all the wonderful people who make the Old Timers a beautiful place.
You have a great big loving heart and a good soul.
The world is a better place for your caring.

Is it time for a First Nations university?
The idea of a First Nation University begs the question – why?
What is it about indigenous academic study that demands that it be taught in a specialised (read: insular) learning and teaching environment?
And is the concept of First Nation heritage up for debate, or is it a closed shop that does not allow the special privilege of First Nation lineage to be debated?
I would have no particular objection to it as a non-First Nation human who would not be eligible to enrol anyway. But what exactly would be its purpose? Just a thought.

Council may take up slack of the NT government
Advocating council to step in to take a role in the NT government’s debt problem is a double-edged sword.
The danger is that the role of “small government” by local council increasingly blurs the demarcation of powers between elected Parliamentarians whose role is to legislate, and elected councillors whose role is delivery of essential services eg roads maintenance, collection of rates and rubbish collection.
Local councils everywhere are stepping stones for wannabe State and Territory pollies. Local council charter is not meant to be political.

Looks like Wazza’s back
I have been asking Wazza questions of accountability for significant expenditure of Commonwealth grant funds in a charity for the Indigenous Marathon Project for six and a half years now.
As the keeper of public trust for the Aboriginal people of remote tribal communities in Lingiari, Wazza should be transparent.
He should come clean now that he remains the keeper for the next three years.
I would be very happy to get to his electoral office in Alice somehow for a cup of coffee and a couple of simple answers in the public interest.