MORE POLITICS

Around
the Barkly

WITH LOCAL MEMBER
MAGGIE HICKEY

Whilst most of the Barkly has missed out on a big wet this year, the Gulf did get its share. And as usual, roads were impassable as the McArthur River rose and people living in Garawa 1 and 2 camps or further afield at outlying communities, were cut off from Borroloola.
Over the years, flood conditions on the MacArthur crossing have already claimed lives and put many more at risk. I've been campaigning to have a bridge built across the MacArthur and although this has not yet reached the drawing board, the Department of Transport and Works is finally conducting an economic appraisal of the Gulf region's roads infrastructure. This will include a public meeting in Borroloola later this year. I'm sure the locals will have plenty to say!
Sport plays a big part in people's lives in the Territory especially in the smaller communities where recreational options are few. Elliott School desperately needs funds to repair its fifteen year old basketball court. Ali Curung Council wants to build a swimming pool. Both facilities are much needed and both deserving of support.
More on upgrades - the Barkly electorate office has not been upgraded for many years but recent visitors to the office will have noticed the strong smell of paint and noise of hammering overhead. The roof is now hopefully leakproof and the interior repainted with new floorcoverings etc. My Electorate Officer Mike Smythe is threatening he'll need a month's leave to recover from all the trauma! However once it's finished, we'll have an open day and invite everyone in to see it. The office is there for all constituents and I particularly encourage people to use the conference room facilities and to browse in our library etc.
More information on what the electorate office can offer YOU is available from Mike. Call in or telephone 8962 2205.

We deserve Statehood

Mark John explains why

In 1978 Self-Government provided the impetus for a surge in Territory infrastructure and confidence that has turned a frontier into a front door.
In the past 20 years the Territory has proven its ability not only to govern itself with common sense - and provide an increasing contribution to the national purse, but also to play a real role in shaping Australia's future.
The Territory's population and economic growth rates are consistently at least twice the national average. Per capita export earnings are consistently more than double the national figure.
The Territory has taken a national lead in making friends and building trade links with Asia, fostering national tourism growth, increasing primary industry production and exports and opening up new mining ventures.
Yet in the two Federal Houses there are people who still retain the view that the Territory is still a province of the Commonwealth - 'without rights, only obligations.'
What does it say about Australia that its national commitment does not even extend across the continent we occupy?
The Australian Federation is short one family member - the seventh state of the north.
In 2001 what more fitting a symbol of national political and constitutional maturity than that Australia make itself whole - embracing the Territory and the northern and central lands it encompasses?
We should end the injustice that Territorial status visits upon its residents.
It is not simply a matter of the dilution of voting rights which make 180,000 Australians less equal than their fellows.
Nor is it the denial of administrative powers and the confiscation of control over resources, parks and other matters that have always been areas of regional - not central - responsibility in 200 years of modern Australian history.
Rather, in the final analysis, the desire for Statehood in the Territory is driven most by the implied insult of continued Commonwealth reserve powers.
It says to Territory residents that they cannot be trusted to run their own affairs.
That is not a judgement that any individual Australian from one part of the country would make over another from another part.
No thinking Australian would claim that residence of a populous, established State is a qualification for knowing what is best for others who are tackling very different challenges in very different environments.
No one would deny that New South Welshmen are best qualified to run New South Wales, Victorians to run Victoria.
Undeniably the expertise, the experience, the qualifications for the best governance of the Northern Territory is located squarely in the Territory.
To reserve powers in Canberra is not only unjust, it is also inefficient.

Around the Barkly WITH LOCAL MEMBER MAGGIE HICKEY Whilst most of the Barkly has missed out on a big wet this year, the Gulf did get its share. And as usual, roads were impassable as the McArthur River rose and people living in Garawa 1 and 2 camps or further afield at outlying communities, were cut off from Borroloola. Over the years, flood conditions on the MacArthur crossing have already claimed lives and put many more at risk. I've been campaigning to have a bridge built across the MacArthur and although this has not yet reached the drawing board, the Department of Transport and Works is finally conducting an economic appraisal of the Gulf region's roads infrastructure. This will include a public meeting in Borroloola later this year. I'm sure the locals will have plenty to say! Sport plays a big part in people's lives in the Territory especially in the smaller communities where recreational options are few. Elliott School desperately needs funds to repair its fifteen year old basketball court. Ali Curung Council wants to build a swimming pool. Both facilities are much needed and both deserving of support. More on upgrades - the Barkly electorate office has not been upgraded for many years but recent visitors to the office will have noticed the strong smell of paint and noise of hammering overhead. The roof is now hopefully leakproof and the interior repainted with new floorcoverings etc. My Electorate Officer Mike Smythe is threatening he'll need a month's leave to recover from all the trauma! However once it's finished, we'll have an open day and invite everyone in to see it. The office is there for all constituents and I particularly encourage people to use the conference room facilities and to browse in our library etc. More information on what the electorate office can offer YOU is available from Mike. Call in or telephone 8962 2205. We deserve Statehood Mark John explains why In 1978 Self-Government provided the impetus for a surge in Territory infrastructure and confidence that has turned a frontier into a front door. In the past 20 years the Territory has proven its ability not only to govern itself with common sense - and provide an increasing contribution to the national purse, but also to play a real role in shaping Australia's future. The Territory's population and economic growth rates are consistently at least twice the national average. Per capita export earnings are consistently more than double the national figure. The Territory has taken a national lead in making friends and building trade links with Asia, fostering national tourism growth, increasing primary industry production and exports and opening up new mining ventures. Yet in the two Federal Houses there are people who still retain the view that the Territory is still a province of the Commonwealth - 'without rights, only obligations.' What does it say about Australia that its national commitment does not even extend across the continent we occupy? The Australian Federation is short one family member - the seventh state of the north. In 2001 what more fitting a symbol of national political and constitutional maturity than that Australia make itself whole - embracing the Territory and the northern and central lands it encompasses? We should end the injustice that Territorial status visits upon its residents. It is not simply a matter of the dilution of voting rights which make 180,000 Australians less equal than their fellows. Nor is it the denial of administrative powers and the confiscation of control over resources, parks and other matters that have always been areas of regional - not central - responsibility in 200 years of modern Australian history. Rather, in the final analysis, the desire for Statehood in the Territory is driven most by the implied insult of continued Commonwealth reserve powers. It says to Territory residents that they cannot be trusted to run their own affairs. That is not a judgement that any individual Australian from one part of the country would make over another from another part. No thinking Australian would claim that residence of a populous, established State is a qualification for knowing what is best for others who are tackling very different challenges in very different environments. No one would deny that New South Welshmen are best qualified to run New South Wales, Victorians to run Victoria. Undeniably the expertise, the experience, the qualifications for the best governance of the Northern Territory is located squarely in the Territory. To reserve powers in Canberra is not only unjust, it is also inefficient.		A basketball court in obvious need of repair.