'It is remarkably disrespectful': Cyclone Tracy survivors to be excluded from memorial unveiling ceremony by Darwin Council | NT Independent

‘It is remarkably disrespectful’: Cyclone Tracy survivors to be excluded from memorial unveiling ceremony by Darwin Council

by | Nov 5, 2024 | News, Subscriber | 20 comments

Cyclone Tracy survivors will be excluded from a secret VIP-only unveiling ceremony for the controver
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20 Comments

  1. Kon, please resign!!!!

  2. Kon, you have ducked, weaved, and taken a stance on every aspect of this issue except one—the truth. Repeatedly, you have lied, as evidenced by your own words, but the most heinous of all acts is your utter disrespect and disdain for Territorians and your betrayal of the survivors of Cyclone Tracy.

  3. i would like to share an evening with other souls who survived that horrific night, especially the bedraggled people who crawled out of the debris at daybreak on Xmas Day and organised a remarkable recovery outside Nightcliff High School, only to see their hard work demolished by the late arrival of Emergency Services. All part of the experience.

    I would seriously like to exchange stories with any Tracy survivors because we never did get the chance to debrief in the decades that followed. Social reconstruction was launched immediately and most of us did long hours for many years afterwards.

    I do not want to share such a sacred moment with parasites and opportunists who are devoid of respect for the suffering of those stormy hours. Can somebody suggest a time and venue for real Tracy people. I don’t care if it’s the carpark of Tracy Village.

    • Tony, check out this group on Facebook

        • As a survivor of Tracy I cannot put into words how much anger and frustration I feel about how Kon and the rest have handled this. How dare he treat us like insignificant peasants,which is what he continues to do. You will not ever be allowed to forget this Kon..never.

  4. Many of the survivors pitched in the following morning to help get the town on its feet. Some of us did risky stuff ( mine was climbing a tree to mount a comms antenna above the height of St John ambulance building at Parap). Others in police and emergency services searched for people trapped in wreckage. Power workers battled horrible conditions and storms to restore power. I was pleased to be able to do something productive. These are the people that deserve to be recognised for their efforts. Kon has totally disrespected all of the survivors and everyone that has chipped in as volunteers to provide community services.

    • People like Kon would have had you all prosecuted for failing to observe work safety laws

  5. If Government at any level and in any guise is going to spend (read waste) money on public art, especially when we are all doing it stuff, then it should be locally produced. 100% local content. Or better yet reduce rates and help ease the current financial stress.

    • Disgustingly, no local artists were offered the opportunity to contribute to this cause. Kon had already chosen a mate in New Zealand and gifted the gig to him.

  6. Claire Martin (Labor) was the Chief Minister who made the promise to put the power underground after Cyclone Marcus in March 2018, at that time she made a point of stressing that would happen. Now here we are at the back end of 2024 & still nothing has been done. So it seems that since the NT Labor Govt at the time made the promise, we have been stuck with successive Labor Governments since 2018 & not a word has been mentioned by any of them. Nothing happened, all talk & no bloody action, which is the usual game plan with Labor, all waffle & no end result.

    • I’m sure Claire would have honoured her promise to territorians, but remember Henderson took the reigns and focus soon disappeared for Territorians

  7. Good idea, Kon. Let’s invite only those who became rich after the event, not those who suffered it.

    • Something smells bad at the Darwin City Council – what are you hiding Kon?

      All territorians regardless if they are Cyclone Tracy survivors or not are part of the regions history.

      This must not be an exclusive event for the chosen ones.

      We are the Northern Territory – put your head on straight Kon

  8. I call on the current Aldermen to vote out or publicly denounce the Mayor!
    I also call on the public to vote out the Mayor and each and every of the Aldermen at the next election for letting this mess occur!

    Morgan Rickard
    Peter Pangquee
    Ed Smelt
    Mick Palmer
    Sam Weston
    Amye Un
    Jimmy Bouhoris
    Vim Sharma
    Rebecca Want de Rowe
    Sylvia Klonaris
    Kim Farrar

  9. Darwin feels like a gulag overpowered by ALP manipulated ex-Ministers, CEO’s, Lord Mayor and councillors who are bribed with trips to China & NTG Grants. Think ex-CoD Councillor Paul Arnold granted $100,000.00 tax-payer money while on remand for DV & now has to live outside the NT.

    Or are they being blackmailed to bury the truth? Either way Darwin feels dangerous & claustrophobic whilst generations of white Australians are not consulted, yet our relatives died in WWII for freedom of speech? Why is Cyclone Tracy so important to Kon when he didn’t live in Australia.

  10. I as an eleven years old child and my brother Augustine then 18 years old and my late parents Alfonzo Matarazzo and Lina Matarazzo and my many relatives and friends went through the harrowing and frightening Cyclone Tracy 50 years ago in Darwin.

    The decision by the Mayor of Darwin City Council Kon Vatskalis not to invite myself and my brother Augustine and my relatives and friends who did go through the harrowing and frightening Cyclone Tracy 50 years ago in Darwin whilst Mayor of Darwin City Council Kon Vatskalis did not go through Cyclone Tracy 50 years ago in Darwin, and Mayor Kon Vatskalis is hosting this VIP-only event on 29 November 2024, speaks for itself.

    At this VIP-only event on 29 November 2024 I ask Darwin City Council Mayor Kon Vatskalis to show and play this song Santa Never Made it to Darwin by Bill & Boyd.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HYbgLcIz2s

  11. Kong by name, conman by nature.

  12. Shame on you Kon ,resign now. You have completely mismanaged this whole debacle and refuse to accept responsibility for your lies and deception.

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