There are a few fairly specious arguments there. For a start, what is the point of the permit system if "Central Land Council approves more than 3,990 of the 4,000 permits". If only 10 were rejected, it seems that you might as well let every one in. The grog and all the other nasties are supplied either by people who don't need permits or else by those who got permits, so it obviously is a waste of time having them.

While you are busy heaping coals of fire on the Minister's head, how about a few scattered in the direction of the NT government and your ex ATSIC mates for sitting on their hands taking the money and doing very little to fix the problems for the past 40 years.

It is going to take some time and considerable resources to get on top of all the problems which have been allowed to build up and whichever party gets into power at the next election is going to have a massive job on their hands, so all you knockers had better get behind them and stop complaining.

David

Truth and Respect through politic's in Australia sets a disgusting example for civilians.Apart from the mud slinging there is no substance.Yesterday was another valuable day wasted by politians engaging in school-yard bullying reducing the real need for debate off the bench.

I feel the LIBERAL's have alot of learning to do. They are out of touch with the processes and needs of FAIR GO AUSTRALIA and how we would like to feel about our country on a International and National scale.

I support Kevin Rudd for his HUMAN FACE. His approachable manner, and I know with the need for "grassroot" services for Aboriginal people, Farmers and the rest of us struggling in the rural and regional area's... we might gain some continuity should the ALP get the chance to attack the problems that are skinking our communities.

WHY? It would be a way to PROBLEM SOLVE. While I don't believe we would be a ALP nation with all the STATE elections...possibly changing the ALP balance through State election later, I do seriously believe it would give our nation time to GET REAL... sort a few things out... especially on the ground for rural Australia.

Howard is disapointing - even after the emotional up-heaval of his Leadership scare. It was awful to watch. I note the way he utilises SOCIAL CAPITAL(in Benalong) asking for "help" and "support" for his own gain while having his minders do his dirty work.MISSION - slag ALP. SAD, the evidence I needed to confirm the motivates behind Howard and the so called team.As a motivated person myself, I would not last the distance in this kind of cultural environment. No this is not mainstream Australia, it is exclusive scare mongering.

The war in Iraq.Like Bush I believe Howard and his government is spining the meaning of "support" like real estates profit on lingo used to promote ecology and environment.

Our Federal Government is acting like used car sales men and I would be extremely worried if they were to win office this time.

Of course Howard wants to get rid of the permit system, no matter what.
Does anyone seriously think that this government gives a hoot about the aboriginal people?
All the pious stuff about saving aboriginal children from abuse – it sounds pretty hollow when you realise that the government has completely ignored the recommendations of the “Little Children Are Sacred” report.

I am sure that there are many good people working hard and well, to implement the “intervention’s” measures to improve aboriginal health and welfare. The intervention will surely have some good results, despite the hypocrisy behind the plan.

Who is surprised that the Howard government ignores the truth about aboriginal land and the permit system? After all, lying is entrenched in the Howard style.
Howard said he would “never bring in a GST”.
Howard knew that those refugees “threw their children overboard”
Howard knew that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction (so Australia went off to that foolish war in Iraq)
Howard didn’t know anything about the Australian Wheat Board bribing Saddam Hussein, while our troops were in Iraq. (We presumably are supposed to believe that Howard, Vaille etc are incompetent – just didn’t know what they were doing)

So – the Howard government says that it’s a good thing to demolish the reputation of the aboriginal people, commandeer their land, and remove their permit system.

Well – it is a good thing – for uranium exploration and mining, and for setting up the structure for nuclear waste dumping. After all, Howard tried to get South Australia to accept nuclear waste dumping, and it didn’t work. But the aboriginal people might be more vulnerable to bribery or intimidation about this.
As Australia has just signed up to the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership – well, it will be expected to take back international nuclear wastes, and we’ve gotta put them somewhere.
Christina Macpherson www.antinuclearaustralia.com

The Australian Community including Kevin Rudd and the ALP were effectively disarmed when John Howard and Mal Brough acted on the emotive issue of the little children are sacred and had to be saved from 'sexual abuse', 'pornography' and 'rivers of Grog'

Nobody seemed to notice that the rest of the 97 recommendations were ignored.

The invasion is best described as official vandalism, with ill conceived, hastily prepared legislation, pushed through a controlled parliamentary process, the Howard Government has effectively destroyed years of good reconciliation work and returned Aboriginal advancement to the years of ignorant paternalism.

Sadly, they will not be punished for their wilful acts of vandalism but leave the mess to be cleaned up after they have been expelled from Government.

The N.T. Government who commissioned the report are being severely hampered in implementing recommendations by Howard's agenda that has more to do with his electoral opportunism that any desire to uplift Aboriginal people from life below the poverty line.

The chances of two events as rare as a ringy thingy article and accuracy occurring on the same page are indeed astronomical: the PM flew in and out of Hermannsburg, so the 'sealed road' and 'official cars' (and Prime Ministerial comforts) had nothing to do with it.

Howard returned to Alice Airport hours before the moon turned red.

Sorry to spoil your precious imagery Gra-Gra, but that's life in lalaland for you.

It seems the PM is not the only one with a special talent for platitudes - meet our man in the Alice! Just read his articles, if you can bear the boredom.

And the haggard nit from the NIT can hardly afford to be sarcastic about other peoples' acronyms, let alone those of people like Chalmers and Brough who are actually doing some constructive & useful work despite their ill-judged propaganda and heavy handed approach.

Our no-brainer from somewhere, cub commentator Graham, can hardly load ammunition let alone fire it. The first line of defence against drugs and grog trafficking is not the permit system: the first line is decent and diligent cops with the trust of the community. Don't believe Ringy's ignorant nostrums and weird analysis.

As for my fellow commentators ChristinaMac and maracas, they have both got it as wrong as the thingy: Howard & co have not 'completely ignored the recommendations of the “Little Children Are Sacred” report.'

Far from it: if you go through the report's recommendations, you will find that Howard/Brough/Hockey/Abbott/Stone & co are addressing the vast majority of them, either directly or indirectly, wholly or partly.

They might be bastards, and doing some of it for the wrong motives, and have neglected to make these reforms years ago, and be doing some of it badly, but credit where credit's due please: they are actually ploughing more than a billion dollars into much needed reforms, some of which - the health, housing, policing, stores, safety, welfare, budgetting, training and employment provisions for starters - will greatly improve the length and quality of life for many Aboriginal children.

Yes truth is always the first casualty as those here who do not like the truth will run to the moderator.

Yes i know who you are by tag because there is now way you will come out and show the type of people you really are.

What is also funny is how you havnt got what it takes to take me to court for defamation.

I know i posted the truth and to go to court brings everything else out for me to state why i said it.

That is what you are scared off.

Stuart Ulrich
Independent Candidate for Charlton