NOT HAPPY MINISTER

I have some admiration for Minister Jim Lloyd. He did have the courage to come here and face up to this community when he made the announcement about the Commonwealth Government's plans to strip Norfolk Island of self-government, and rule us from Canberra.
Moreover, he stayed for four whole days, and met people, even met with some individuals and groups, attended a number of functions, which were no doubt pleasant and informative.
He seems a reasonably genial man, and is no doubt fairly well-liked. He may even have some very fair and reasonable private views about Norfolk Island, which are not necessarily his government's line.
I suspect he went back to Canberra quite happy with his visit. I suspect he heard what he wanted to hear.
The visit certainly gave him the opportunity to develop skills as a master of spin.
The visit was extremely well orchestrated. I suspect that even the Cabinet leak prior to his visit may have been planned, so that when we did get to hear the announcements, couched in vague and honeyed terms, on the radio, the initial reaction was "Oh, that is not so bad really."
That was how I reacted. Then that night, I woke up suddenly, sat up in bed, and thought "How dare they!" when I realised that the issue was not in the detail of the proposals, which had been couched in vague terms and were to be followed by a "consultation process." The issue is that the Australian government should unilaterally decide to strip us of something that had been established by the Norfolk Island Act 26-7 years ago, and which was meant to allow Norfolk people to decide their destiny for themselves.
Wherever the Minister went, he was friendly and personable. He said what a special place Norfolk Island was and spoke of how this move was designed to keep us as a strong and vibrant community. He made a number of promises, depending on who he was speaking to.......a better health service at the hospital, student allowances at the school, an Aged Care Unit when addressing the Senior citizens. Unashamed bribery really. He was also careful to say what a great reception he had at the venues he had been visiting previously. This was intimidating for anyone who had thought about presenting a negative view.
The minister should realise that Norfolk people are, for the most part, very respectful and polite. They will speak up if they have something to say to you that you will like or find positive. They will not use a pleasant social occasion..and there were plenty of those...to bring up difficult and unpleasant issues.
So he really only got input from those who said want he wanted to hear. Although I know he got a different message from our government. But he dealt with that in his own mind. He told us, at a gathering which I attended, that our own government ministers were not getting out and listening to people like he was.
Which is not only unfair and unethical, it is rubbish. All our MLA's are only a phone call or an email or a short drive away. And many of them we mix with in the community all the time. And if they have not yet had a chance to listen to all the varying views of the community about these proposed changes to our economy and governance, it is because they were dropped like a bombshell less than a week ago.
We have had a number of referenda which have made it quite clear how this community feels about Australian interference. But Canberra ignores and discredits the results.
I would be quite prepared to accept it if a new poll showed an increased acceptance of the idea of being part of Australia. But it appears the Commonwealth Government's stand is non-negotiable, and there are no plans to seek our approval or permission.
Yes, the Minister may be happy, on the basis of some anecdotal evidence, but he can not begin to imagine some of the anger, hurt and sense of betrayal he has left behind.