Thank you Dan, you have put my concerns to rest. I am greatly relieved to know that people are aware of the risk, and the matter will be handled appropriately.

Of the thousands of words I have read on this topic since the declaration by our Beloved Leader, I have read only one comment which made any sense to me. It suggested that there are SOME successfully functioning indigenous centres. Why are they not being recognised and used as good examples?

As a former heavy drinker and smoker I can only see disaster for people who are suddenly cut off from their drugs of escape. I had work, interests, family support and fairly good health on my side. The overcrowded, unhealthy, unemployed, and unvalued have not.

I have great sympathy for the NT administration; of course it knew the extent and seriousness of the problems but it had neither the power nor the resources to tackle it.

In the first 24 hours we had a chorus of accusations that the PM was being paternalistic and colonial. Bless Noel Pearson (I think it was he) for saying that if that was going to protect abused children, bring it on.

Surgery might be a very radical approach to take to a cancer, but it seems to me that the time to discuss how the malignancy began and how to stop it recurring is after the scalpel has got rid of the ill.

Has anybody got any real solutions to offer? Could we perhaps look at any little areas of success that exist and encourage them to be adopted where they are so evidently needed?

Diana

jr here.my interests are getting on green2share like including d'StockMarket.I know a bit about Brisbane in the 60'/70's music scene and just ya general rough'n'tumble.

hope to see ya round.

Yes, Lyn, you're right, until Brough took over the OIPC was overseeing services. Of course it was shut down, just as other services were closed, funding was slashed. It was all part of Howard's blueprint for cultural genocide. Not only is there an empty police station, there is no Doctor, thanks to Brough taking away OIPC control and slashing funding.

I agree about the 6 month ban. The alcoholics will shift to fringe camps where grog is available. I was pleased to hear that NT medical services will be able to help those coming off the grog, Dan. I worked for Community Development in Alice for almost 25 years. There was a vast improvement in education, health, living conditions for 15 years, until funding was withdrawn. I also helped set up a de-tox and rehab centre, which has gone by the way since Howard cut the funding, despite the Commonwealth supposedly funding that centre.

Johntas, I had the same question. In the 70's and early 80's the indigenous were building their own homes. I agree with you, that spin about the cost of homes must be because Howard and Brough plan to ship in new materials and employ whites to build the homes. So much for aboriginal self-actualisation.

Razz, your observation was confirmed by the comments from several of the posters. The reason Howard has pulled this 'shock and awe' military invasion and occupation is a pre-election ploy designed to trigger the prejudice of the racists in an attempt to gain votes from the racists, and the gullible and naïve fools who really believe that Howard cares about the aboriginal situation. If he really cared he would have done something when the first report came out in 1997, or each year after that when aboriginal leaders begged for help. If he cared, he would also address all of the recommendations, not just 2 of them. And, he would have followed the recommendation for going in 'softly-softly' and not use shock and awe to con the gullible and racists. Pardon my cynicism as well.

Now hold yr horses there BobbieCee ol pal.

Now what's this nonsense about the OIPC being closed by Brough? If only he had, but it's still there, and has in fact been built up!

And what's this about no Doctor (at Mutitjulu I presume?) "thanks to Brough taking away OIPC control and slashing funding". The OIPC has nothing to do with doctors or health; they come under Tony Abbott's OATSIH. There has been no slashing of funding for doctors or anything to do with health. The Mutitjulu Health Service had not been able to recruit a permanent doctor for several years under Mr Randall's direction, years before ORAC put an Administrator in to deal with the chronic mismanagement and lack of key staff.

You seem obsessed with the idea that "There was a vast improvement in education, health, living conditions for 15 years, until funding was withdrawn." What is this about? Under Howard there has been more funding overall for Indigenous affairs than before? Please explain.

When you say "I also helped set up a de-tox and rehab centre, which has gone by the way since Howard cut the funding", to which supposed rahab & detox are you referring? I strongly suspect that your memory could be playing tricks with you. As far as I know, there has never been a proper detox and rehab service in Alice until we set up the ones at DASA and CAAAPU, and they are expanding, not closing down.

As for "the indigenous [sic] were building their own homes." This is a convenient myth, and happenend in very few places since the Native Affairs and Missionary regimes withdrew in the 60s and 70s.

I may be a "gullible and naïve fool" to use your terms, but what Brough is doing is a darn sight better than anybody else has done over the last 30 years to break the logjam and address some of the issues. By no means perfect, but a lot better than nothing. If it takes the imminence of an election to get things moving, then so be it!

There are good Aboriginal communities and the reasons why they are successful should be the criteria for all to work on.
Raz I consider your statement that white Australians "hate" aboriginal is so wrong, we do not hate them but when people use Victimhood as an excuse for not doing the right thing, we view them with less than respect.
They COULD do better, they should do better. Just sitting around waiting for the next drinking session, neglecting hygiene, abusing children and women, that is wrong,wrong ,wrong.
Anyone can keep their houses and yards tidy, only pigs live like pigs.
Unless the children are protected and educated, the whole awful abuse thing will go on through the generations.There is no excuse for it, none at all.
All the troubles are in Labor states, they have managed to look the other way now the Howard government has stepped in to do their work, they should be thoroughly ashamed of their inaction.