GOVERNMENT BY THE DISGRUNTLED

In the interests of fairness and balance, I have been spending time re-reading the 2003 report of the Inquiry into Governance into Norfolk Island. This is the report that is basically responsible for the stand now being taken by the Commonwealth Government that Norfolk Island is not capable of governing itself.
The report is titled, somewhat cryptically, Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? or "Who is to guard the guards themselves?"
If you read nothing else, make sure you read the extremely defensive opening paragraphs where the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ross Lightfoot, says:

"There will be a vocal self-interested minority that will criticise the Committee's efforts and attempt to stifle considered debate on our recommendations."

Well, I do not really think I am part of a minority. And I am only self-interested in that I live here, this is my home, and what the Australian Government imposes on this island impacts on me, my daily life, my family, my home, my business, my livelihood, my lifestyle, my heritage.
I encourage considered debate on these issues, but they must be considered from a point of view that goes beyond the framework of the Commonwealth's pre-determined agenda. I am definitely prepared to be vocal.
I do not dispute the fact that our Government, like any other Government, must continuously face the challenge of reform and change, and of doing things better. But I say again

Let's do things better....our way!

One of the fascinating, but frightening features of the Joint Standing Committee's report is the extent to which it relies heavily on submissions and statements by individuals to justify its stance and recommendations.

The Appendices list a total of 33 Norfolk individual residents who tendered submissions or spoke at Public hearings. Of these, 13 were unnamed and confidential. A further name is given as submitting exhibits, plus 8 confidential exhibits, which may or may or may not be submitted by people from the group making submissions.

The N.I. Government and the N.I. Public Service Association also made submissions. All other submissions were from outside groups, organisations and individuals. Now there are some names on the list of people who have never made any secret about their desire to see Norfolk have a closer relationship with and dependence on Australia, and I respect their views.

What is disturbing is that the JSC has made decisions based on evidence from fewer than 40 island residents, and of the 22 who are named, I personally know there are several who would be strongly opposed to the Committee's recommendations. At the same time, the Committee has strongly criticised and discarded as valueless the results of any island-wide petitions, polls or referenda! Not to mention the views of our own democratically elected Legislative Assembly!

One can only assume that the anecdotal evidence and complaints - however valid those complaints -of a handful of disenchanted or disgruntled individuals carry more weight than the silent majority (I say that with a fair degree of confidence), who see no need to stand before the Committee because they are either happy with the Status Quo, or consider these matters to be none of Australia's business!

To make matters worse, the writers of this report continually quote ill-considered comments from the discredited Nimmo Report of 1975-6:

Nimmo concluded it would be "exceedingly difficult for this small faction-riddled and confined communityto evolve for the island policies that are likely to receive general acceptance in major matters"

They have even been cynical...and desperate.... enough to head chapter2 with a quote from a report by Magistrate Henry Wilkinson in 1885!

"Here, the whole system and everything arising from it is rotten. And unless an immediate stop is put to this sort of thing, the consequences will be most disastrous..."

Good try.

It is suggested we could try to discredit members of the JSC Committee. Don't bother.... its chairman Senator Lightfoot has already done that for himself. His actions in the gun/cash affair in Iraq hardly brought him credit.

This same person also accused the island people of protecting one of their own in the Janelle Patten murder affair.

Who, indeed, is to guard the guards themselves?