LIKE IT OR LUMP IT

Those who have taken the trouble to contact the Commonwealth Department responsible for Norfolk Island will probably have been receiving replies and acknowledgements to their emails, letters and submissions.
When I began this 'blog', I submitted the web address to the Minister's office, and was hopeful that it would be read.
Today I received an acknowledgement from Mr Richard Magor, the Secretary of the Norfolk Island and Northern Territory Section of the Territories Branch of DOTARS (Department of Transport and Regional Services.) When you think about it, we are way down the ladder in terms of relative importance in matters of government over there, and one wonders if the Minister will actually lose much sleep over our problem in the scheme of things.
Although Mr Magor's reply to me was over a page, and was quite courteous,
and I was thanked for "contributing to the wider debate on the proposed changes" there was no assurance that my views were being conveyed to the Minister himself. One can only hope.
Basically the letter went over the same old ground about the TWO posible models of future governance arrangements, and the wish for community input during the process of developing the detail etc. etc. etc.
Many of us are being reminded of the days when we were told by our parents
"You can eat your vegetables or you can stay in your room....now you choose."
No compromise or alternative or real right of choice on our part. In other words, like it or lump it.

When will the Commonwealth get the message?
We do not want either of the models!
We do not believe you have a right, moral or otherwise, to force them on us against our will!
We do not believe that either will be beneficial to us or solve our current difficulties!
We believe that if either model is adopted, regardless of the detail, we will lose far more than we may gain!

We should be very clear on this.
Do not be encouraged by statements about consultation with the Norfolk Island Government and community. Canberra intends to be totally in control of the agenda for these discussions and consultations. By all means speak up about your concerns, but unless this community is heard with a very loud voice, we will need to explore other avenues to assert our right to decide these matters for ourselves.
Meanwhile, Mr Magor has said in his email:

"General questions and answers about issues on which the Australian Government has developed an approach will be posted on the Department's website in the near future at
http://www.dotars.gov.au/terr/norfolk/governance_arrangements.aspx
(There is an underscore between "governance" and "arrangements")

It is to be hoped that we are able to demonstrate to the Commonwealth Grants Commission, which is currently conducting an inquiry into the island's financial capacity, that constitutional changes are not what we need to improve our economic well-being. And let them know that we have the will, the skills and resources, with a little bit of help, to continue on the self-government road.
The Grants Commission is holding a public meeting tomorrow evening (Thursday) at 6 p.m. downstairs at the South Pacific Hotel.