Dear rehctub,

You wrote;

“We give these people billions, allow them the freedom they fought for to run their own lives and all of a sudden their out of control kids are our fault.”

You often want to be seen as someone wanting to get the figures right and quick to pull people up if you deem their numbers seem rubbery but then you go and pull this out of a hat to suit your argument or prejudice.

From a Senate report into indigenous funding;

“much of Indigenous-specific expenditure has not been simply ‘on top of’ that which Indigenous Australians might benefit from by being Australians. A large proportion of it has substituted for expenditure that would normally be provided via mainstream assistance programs (for example, Community Development Employment Projects for Newstart, Community Housing for housing under the Commonwealth-State Housing agreement, Aboriginal Legal Aid for general legal aid, Aboriginal Medical Services for Medicare supported services). A further amount has been for services which are generally the responsibility of other levels of government (for example, state or local). At the same time, Indigenous Australians have often utilised mainstream services and benefits at a lower rate than other Australians (for example, Pharmaceutical Benefits and Aged Care).”

Why don't you go away, do a little research and tell us what the real figures are or at the very least justify your own.

Anyway who are 'we' and 'these people'? The vast majority of people who are identifying as indigenous are paying taxes, indeed the number of indigenous doctors graduating is proportionally higher than the general population.

All bloody Australians as far as I'm concerned.

when you listen to the likes of Trigg who got it so wrong with detention centres it leaves no confidence of any decent outcomes by a politicised Royal Commission. Without culture (good aspects and bad) being examined we will be peeing in the wind again. The only winners will be the lawyers and more funding for more white and Indigeneous bureacrats achieving nothing. Many of these Indigeneous kids have hate taught to them from a young age. Kinda of like the young Palestinians who are taught to rejoice when Jews are stabbed.

Hi Steele,

Yes, Indigenous success is always exciting The higher education stats for 2015 should be available by next week, I'm expecting for growth in commencements and graduations of at least 6 %, hopefully 10 %, to 7,500 commencements and 2,200 graduations. A typical Indigenous higher-ed age-group, say 24-year-olds, would number around 10,500.

Do you have any figures on Indigenous medical graduates ? I'm very impressed with the medical program at Newcastle University: they currently have around a thousand Indigenous students, and probably many hundreds of medical graduates by now. That's Indigenous graduates in standard, mainstream, medical courses. No, not Mickey Mouse courses. No, not shorter courses. No, not 'Indigenous-focussed' courses. Standard, mainstream courses. Hundreds of graduates. Somebody pass that on to the Indigenous education elites.

Joe

Paul and Poirot,

Compared to some of the looney conspiracy theories you lot have come up with, this theory has far more weight.

What is not in dispute is that these behaviours were going on and both the NT Labor government and Rudd labor federal government received as far back as 2012. This was discussed on Radio National (ABC) this morning, and it is clear that this story is far from new.

Given that prisons are the purview of the state and not federal governments, releasing this info prior to the federal election would have little effect, however, with NT elections due shortly, its timing is as close to the optimal timing for Labor contesting the NT elections, just as Triggs deliberately delayed the inquiry into detentions until after the 2013 election so as not to cast Labor in a bad light, the ABC has form in this area too.

Still here Poirot. When can we expect the big day? You might remember a person calling himself CJ Morgan. He was areal shocker but, of course, he was also a comrade, so you would not have criticised him. I am 'nasty' only when goaded by people like you.

Foxy,

This is, at least, to my knowledge the second time that you have advised that your "days here are numbered". I think you should take notice of your medical advisers in relation to your health. You are not blessed with good health on your own admission. I hope that I haven't upset you too much, because you seem to be a gentle soul with sincerely held beliefs. But people are different, and always will be, and there is no need to get yourself hurt for any reason whatsoever, especially politics, or anything else that we really have no contol over. In real life, I never talk politics with people I don't know. I might find myself at odds with them over one thing, but lose the chance of communing with them on lots of other things far more important than mere grubby politics. And, how many people do you meet that are looking for an argument about politics, anyway? OLO and similar sites are a good way to express your opinions without fear of being torn to bits by extremists. But they are not the real world, and our strength still lies in the fact that we all have a vote, no matter how different we are. And, perhaps the the fact that only about 5% of votes will change governments means we are not as far apart as it seems?

In passing: I was raised in a left wing household. One of my brothers is something like me; the other two are real old lefties. We get along fine.

ttbn,

"....I am 'nasty' only when goaded by people like you."

Oh really!

Here's what o sung wu posted on another thread.

"Hi there TTBN..

I understand completely your sentiments concerning this vile creature, but the copper who made the statement, enunciating that Man MANIS also had rights, was in a very difficult position indeed. If you were to take him aside privately, and ask what he'd do if he could, he'd most likely respond by saying, take the slug around a corner and flog him 'til he bled, then shoot him !

It's so easy to come adrift, either in Court, in front of the media, or in the presence of the public, to make some unguarded, intemperate remark, and all hell breaks loose, requiring you to tap a typewriter forever and a day !"

Here was your reply:

"ABC news today. The police Foreward Commander admitted that he was responsible for the Lindt cafe deaths. Ex-policeman and their apologists can try to 'explain' away police incompetence as much as they wish. But the fool in charge in this instance, has a conscience of sorts, and has admitted that his faffing around and stupid thoughts about the 'rights' of a terrorist caused the murders of 3 innocent coffee-drinkers. There is simply no excuse for such stupidity and incompetence in someone supposed to be protecting the public. And, anyone attempting to excuse it including, including o sung woo, is a knob-headed idiot."

Sums up your style to a tee.

Btw, I'll leave when I'm ready...and you fellas will have an air-tight right-wing echo chamber - something to look forward to!