NT News should consider taking some things seriously

In the words of Plato: “the measure of a man (or a woman) is what he / she does with power”.

Your exclusive story ‘Will do my absolute best to put a stop to this’ has revealed the lack of character and journalistic integrity of the man behind the words.

It is most concerning that up until 2020 we Territorians had one Territory-wide newspaper: the NT News.

The fact that the editor of that newspaper made an undertaking to put a “stop” to stories about the gifting of $12 million of public money is both morally and ethically wrong.

The fact he made that undertaking knowing $12 million was gifted at a time our public health system was in crisis, with our doctors and nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital stressed out with worry, is a sackable offence in my book.

Gerry Wood, former Independent Member for Nelson, nailed it with his comment:

“The media is an important, powerful and influential part of our democracy but as it is not elected it therefore has a big responsibility to make sure it produces news that doesn’t have distorted emphasis.”

Alarm bells rang for me about the character and integrity of the person named in your story when I watched the 60 Minutes story ‘Outrageous headlines and front page stories of the NT News’ on 19 November 2017.

The story was all about his “finest moments” as the editor. He disclosed that “Territorians don’t take themselves seriously so their paper doesn’t either”, as he showed the rest of Australia newspapers depicting us Territorians as irresponsible halfwits.

As the granddaughter of courageous immigrants who followed their hearts and dreams of the “gold rush” in the Barkly in 1934 (during the great depression), and daughter of humble Territorians who persevered through hardship to raise six children before their too early deaths, I was offended by the story. It dumbed Territorians down without any recognition of our achievements.

There was no acknowledgement of our survival as a community in the aftermath of the bombing of Darwin (which was worse than Pearl Harbor) or the catastrophe that was Cyclone Tracy. There was no rejoicing of our greatest achievement: Self Government in 1978 – the reason we have fireworks on 1 July!

Of course, there was no mention of the trauma that led to “the intervention” and the injustices and the poverty that continue, in spite of it.

Whilst we only have a population of about 250,000 people, our Territory is a community of five regional centers, 73 townships and hundreds of outstations spread across a vast geographical terrain of 1.4million square kilometres.

Our government dollars have to go a long way. Yet, despite the passing of 43 years since self-government, we are still reliant on federal government funding to exist as a community. We are a welfare Territory. Worse, our First Australians still live in poverty without a place to call home.

This fact is not something to be proud of, in my respectful opinion. Neither is the fact that our budget is in structural deficit.

It means that the credit card is maxed out and our children’s, children’s, children will be stuck with the debt.

What have we got to show for it?

Corruption by people paid with “Territory” public money and a former Editor who undertook not to disclose the corruption.

Just remember this: public money is for roads, buildings and services to support our prosperity through health, education and wellbeing. It is not for good times and buying votes, especially at a time when our credit cards are maxed out and our bills outweigh our income.

Ironically, for the former editor of the NT News, he was so right in his interview for 60 minutes … “Darwin is a funny place and everyone knows everyone, so if a story happens, everyone is going to know, and we’re going to find out about it”!

Kathy Ganley, Fannie Bay

How does an ‘independent’ anti-corruption commissioner get appointed by a public servant?

The advisory panel involved in the appointment of Michael Riches as the NT’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption included one Jodie Ryan. Apart from being conflicted as a senior NT public servant, Jodie’s other challenging claim to fame is her involvement in blowing $10m in tax-payer funds by gifting it to NT Beverages – a company with a dubious past that promptly went into administration.

The NT Beverages scandal is exactly the sort of thing that ICAC NT should be investigating. It is mind-blowing to think that anyone of sound mind could consider it appropriate that someone involved in that scandal should be involved in appointing the ICAC Commissioner. How it escaped the attention of her fellow panel members is beyond comprehension and to their eternal discredit.

Messrs Riley and Christrup, you have betrayed Territorians. Hang your heads in shame.

Those of us old enough to remember the Bjelke-Petersen era are rightly alarmed, and furious.

Our Chief Minister is quoted in the press on this matter:

“Our government established the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption to restore trust in our democracy……..”

Pig’s arse.

David Smith, Alawa