1
Some Letters to The Norfolk Islander, Saturday 23 January 2016
(1) Letter from “Losing the Faith”
Dear Sir,
When are we going to see some promised improvement to this island and her people? Actually, showing some honesty would go a long way.
I’m scarred and stressed.
My family is scared and stressed.
People I talk to are scared and stressed.
It would be assuring if Hardgrave and his team would communicate and tell us, honestly, their master plan. They must have one, surely they are not that stupid.
They may actually find less resistance and more cooperation if they were up front with the community, listened to the community, and acted on the fears of the community.
Real shame - this place could have been a real gem in the crown, a show piece for the world. Now it’s appearing to be on the same ‘red tape’ piece of dirt in Australia.
They whinge and whine about other nationalities and customs coming into Australia showing no respect, now they know how we feel.
I can’t believe some of the stories regarding the treatment of Administration workers still exist in the 21st century, in a country such as Australia.
Yours etc.
Losing the faith
(2) Letter from Andre Nobbs
Dear Editor,
There has been an ongoing theme in the letters to the editor of general dissatisfaction with the Norfolk Island Advisory Council (NIAC). In December I wrote the following:
“A question for the members of the Australian Government appointed NI Advisory Council...
Taking into account the response from United Nations representatives (including the recent visit to Norfolk Island of the UNANZ Vice President); that the removal of the islands parliament; and the continuing imposition of loosely defined and implemented change (under the dubious label of "reform") does not meet Australia's Human Rights or United Nations Charter obligations;
And
“Referencing the fact that the United Kingdom, through members of the UK Parliament have recognised that the progression and process of the Australian Government Department responsible for Norfolk Island and Australian Government representatives sets a dangerous precedent for other small member nations of the Commonwealth... and that relevant UK MPs now commit to the installation of Real Self Government into Norfolk Island;
And
“That Referendum, Petitions to Australian Government Institutions, and Norfolk Island community actions such as the ‘Hands Up For Democracy’ demonstrate the imposed changes are not appropriate, not democratic, not fair and not welcome;
And
“That no economic modelling of the loosely defined and implemented change exists to guide community, business or tourism. (Professional evaluations of the 2006 CIE report indicated catastrophic outcomes for the Norfolk Island economy).
The Question:
Why would the "appointed" Advisory Council continue to misrepresent the majority of this community and enable Australian Government Officials to claim a "broadly supported" consultation process?
Printed in the 12th of December edition of The Norfolk Islander were many other letters asking the same question of NIAC and highlighting the lack of process and transparency in Advisory Council process. Last week, Dr Christopher Nobbs provided specifics of the damage the NIAC is doing to community consultation and the inability to represent the majority of people on Norfolk Island.
I personally wonder how the advisory councillors are able to look at themselves without feeling the guilt associated with misrepresentation and the comparable lack of transparency in their processes and deliberations when compared to the previously broadcast Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly meetings, public engagement and public accountability of our elected representatives. A number of the NIAC members were previously very vocal about transparency, process and policy for the NI Government…. Now we have no broadcast, minimal minutes, decisions and commitments that do not necessarily represent the community majority views.
As I said previously, “why would the NIAC perpetuate the misrepresentation and lack of community engaging process?” Perhaps it is personal interest?
Yours Sincerely
Andre Nobbs.
(3) Letter from Brett Sanderson to the Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects, Hon. Paul Fletcher MP, reprinted in The Norfolk Islander, 23/01/2016
Dear Minister
The most distressing aspect about Canberra's 'takeover' of Norfolk Island has been the sheer Commonwealth bastardry in an extremely biased and corrupted political campaign. As a Norfolk Island resident it causes me great pain to see the anguish your government has inflicted on the Norfolk Island community. Nowhere is this more demonstrated that the spurious propaganda and sham consultation process your department has operated for the past few years.
I believe the most important thing you could offer the people of Norfolk Island-apart from genuine consultation-is an apology. The exchange below at the Administrator's public 'consultation' meeting in November 2014, shows the quality of consultation the Commonwealth has offered the Norfolk Island community.
Sincerely
Brett Sanderson, Norfolk Island
------
Brett (Sanderson):I’m not looking for a job,but you don’t need a Commonwealth dedicated officer to do what the recommendation says. Anyway your notes here: assisting cottage industries, what new and existing industries should be targeted for growth? Existing industries: why don’t we try and grow retail?Nothing in the Joint Standing Committee report looked at the duty free retail industry here and preserving what we’ve got. Last financial year, tourists spent 25 million dollars on retail on the Island, so while I don’t have a problem with cottage industries, it takes a lot of jam and knitting to make 25 million dollars in gross revenue; second biggest earner was accommodation and restaurants which was 16 million dollars so we’re talking about looking at existing industries and targeting for them for growth. We’ve already got 25 million dollars’ worth of retail which is not going to be preserved under the Joint Standing Committee recommendations, effectively we’re looking at demolishing retail overnight-existing duty free retail-and the recommendation looks at cottage industries.
Gary Hardgrave (GH):Brett there is something in the water down your end of the room, to make a statement like that is just absolute nonsense. How can you say that industries-retail industries are going to be demolished overnight? It is nonsense, you said that to me once before and I put you in your place that time.
Brett:And is this "nonsense" argument thing a standard thing for Canberra administrators?Because Neil Pope used exactly the same phrase.
GH:… consistency of the words coming out of your mouth Brett
Brett:But do you guys get a little lexicon before you leave Canberra?
GH:No
Brett:Because this 'nonsense' argument thing was boring when Neil Pope used it and it’s very boring when you use it.
GH:But Brett it is nonsense what you're saying.
Brett:No, it’s not nonsense at all.
GH:It's complete nonsense.
Brett:No, are you a tax accountant?
GH:No, but I understand economies obviously far better than you do and by bringing more people into the place, by reducing taxation burdens and bringing moremoney into the place through Commonwealth expenditure into the market place, you’re going to grow the economy here.
Brett:But how are you going to protect the duty free industry?
GH:Well duty free industries will only protect themselves by their own ability to buy at a price less than the price they sell, all industries need to make a profit. At the moment Brett on this Island too many businesses are not covering their costs, you...
Brett:Well...
GH:Your 20 years of...
Brett:Well where is the 25 million dollars coming from Gary?
GH:Your 20 years of advice has not produced sustainability, so if I was you if you want to take responsibility for where we’re at now great; but you gotta understand Brett that what you're saying is nonsense.
Brett:No, no, no; this is from the Neil Pope/Gary Hardgrave lexicon which was handed down when you leave Canberra. Let's go over there to try and brainwash the natives. It’s a very, very legitimate concern which retailers/business people on this Island have, so to discount it as a 'nonsense argument', you just make yourself look foolish. It's a very, very legitimate concern. Your comment to me when I came to see you with the Chamber of Commerce was: "when you take into account things like tax credits/input credits, when it all balances out of the end of the day most businesses would probably be better off, if not the same"; you have no understanding or you're either playing dumb or you have no understanding of how the retail industry works on this Island. It's currently earning 25 million dollars a year and we’re in bad times, so what could happen to it in good times, to propose you know knitting and jam making and goats cheese? It's replacing the industries-the industry that’s going to be demolished overnight-and I know they’re very, very severe sounding words; the duty free industry will not survive because nothing in the JSC recommendations takes it into account, so to discount my argument as a nonsense argument makes you look absolutely foolish, it's about time consultation became about listening to our problems, not just the Gary Hardgrave lecture tour.
GH:Well Brett, I think I’ve got a pretty good understanding of your problem okay, so thank you for your contribution.
Brett:I haven’t finished.
GH:No you have.
Brett:No, I have not finished.
GH:Any further comment?
Brett:I haven’t finished.
GH:Look Brett.
Brett:Excuse me?
GH:We’ll have a private conversation afterwards, you’ve had enough to say; can we move on to the next person?
Brett:No nono I’m still speaking.
GH:Can you shut his mike off please?
Brett:Oh it's just like Bob Brown,when you lost the argument.
GH:Yes Brett and I’ll read...
Brett:Just like when you lost the argument with Bob Brown.
GH:Brett BrettBrettBrett you have too much to say on stuff you don’t know.
Brett:You have too much to say full stop, now I will continue thank you.
GH:No you won't...
Brett:Yes I will...
GH:We would like to move on...
Brett:Its just like when Bob Brown-you cut off Bob Brown -you were losing the argument and he called you a "spineless ill-informed jock" cos you were the losing the argument and you shut him down.
GH:What are you talking about now?
Brett:You know damn well what I’m talking about, it was all over the Australian media when you were a shock jock so...
GH:Well when I find people who are spreading untruths and people who are misleading people and when I find people who are rude like you are...
Brett:I’m holding up a mirror
GH:I can't believe...
Brett:All those things actually apply to you, now also moving along we’re talking about....
Brett's microphone is turned off at this point.
(4) Letter Robin Adams to Peter Gessling, Executive Director, Norfolk Island Administration
Mr Peter Gesling
Executive Director
Norfolk Island Administration
Kingston Norfolk Island
Sent by email:
Dear Mr Gesling,
Multi-Purpose Service for Norfolk Island
The Administrator on 18 May 2015 announced ‘the Australian Government has set in place another step towards providing modern and integrated health and aged-care services to the Norfolk Island community with the engagement of KPMG to complete a Health Services Plan for the Island.’
It would appear that a Health Services Plan has been completed by KPMG who, by open tender published 4 January 2016 have been awarded a contract for the ‘Development and implementation of the Norfolk Island Multi-Purpose Service’ (an MPS)– the contract period being 21 December 2015 to 30 June 2016. Cost of the contract - $600,093.00.
Two earlier open tenders were also awarded by the Commonwealth to KPMG for ‘comprehensive health services’, presumably for consultancy costs to prepare the Health Services Plan –
a) Contract period 8 May to 30 June 2015 - $182,852.00 (CN3066142); and
b) Contract period 29 May 2015 to 30 June 2015 - $17,051.00 (CN3163982),
a total to date of $799,996.00.
Questions:
a) Considering that the contract period for ‘Development and implementation’ of the Norfolk Island MPS was to commence on 21 December 2015, when will the KPMG Report which was due for completion last year on 30 June 2015 be made available to the Norfolk Island Hospital Board and the community at large so people can learn the proposed direction of health services and/or provide feedback?
b) Did the development and implementation commence on 21 December? Please provide details of the KPMG strategy for change including time frames.
c) What impact will the implementation of the MPS have on current services provided at the Norfolk Island Hospital Enterprise?
I look forward to your early response which will be published.
Thank you,
Robin Adams
Copied to: Director Norfolk Island Hospital Enterprise, Chairman NIHE Board, Editor TheNorfolk Islander and Norfolk Online
(5) Submission from Norfolk Island People for Democracy (NIPD) Management Committee to The Norfolk Islander, 23 January 2016
PRIME MINISTER MALCOLM BLIGH TURNBULL SPEAKS OUT ‘THAT MIGHT IS NOT RIGHT’….
Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of Australia, speaking at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC on 19 January 2016 about China and the islands in the South China Sea, says –
“Let me conclude with Book 5 of Thucydides’ history. There, the independent island of Milos wanted to maintain its neutrality in the war. The ambassadors from Athens were unmoved and when the Mileans appealed to justice, they were met with a sneer as timeless as it is chilling. ‘You know as well as we do’, the ambassadors from Athens said, ‘that justice is to be found only as between equals in power. As for the rest, the strong do as they will and the weak suffer as they must.’
“Now, the international order, the Rule of Law, seeks to ensure that that is not so. That MIGHT IS NOT RIGHT. (Emphasis is NIPD’s) And that is why we will always work with the United States and our other allies and partners to uphold it.,” the Prime Minister said. (Broadcast on ABC News 24)
NIPD wrote to the Prime Minister on 9 January 2016 bringing to his attention how the Australian Parliament was misled during the passage of the Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Bill 2015; how the Parliament ignored the wishes expressed by the majority of the Norfolk Island People in their Petition to the Parliament; how the Parliament ignored the results of the May 2015 Referendum and ignored the Remonstrance Motion of the Norfolk Island Parliament delivered to the Australian Parliament prior to the passage of the Bill.
NIPD has proposed to the Prime Minister that in light of recent events involving Jamie Briggs, MP, an Inquiry into his dealings with Norfolk Island would be welcomed. We are encouraged by the Prime Minister’s belief “MIGHT IS NOT RIGHT” and look forward to his instituting an inquiry to ensure that the Australian Government and the Australian Parliament were not misled in reaching their conclusion that the Norfolk Island Parliament should be abolished and Self-Government removed.
NIPD has sought a meeting with the Prime Minister while at the same time encouraging him to accompany Minister Fletcher on his visit 28/29 January.
In conversation with Minister Fletcher’s electorate office on Monday, NIPD was advised that the Minister has received the invitation from NIPD for him to meet with the Management Committee next week and that the request is with his ministerial adviser Mr Nick Hannan. We were led to understand that we will receive a response shortly.
THANK YOU ‘NORFOLKERS – BOTH ON AND OFF ISLAND - FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT!
From the NIPD Management Committee, 21 January 2016.