WE HAD OUR SAY

It is just over a month since Minister Jim Lloyd made his announcement about plans to change the governance arrangements for Norfolk Island. The first of a long list of investigative inquiries has come and gone. We have just about recovered from our initial stunned shell-shock.

Now we are talking. And planning. And taking action.

The Norfolk Action Group met again this evening. One purpose of the meeting was to consider the responses to the Have Your Say forum. All these responses have been recorded and summarised. They make interesting reading.
Overwhelmingly, the people of Norfolk Island seemed to be saying: "We love this island and our way of life. We feel very fortunate to live in a place like this. We may need to make some changes, but we want to be the ones making the decisions, and we don't want to risk the good things we now enjoy by allowing Ausralia to control us."

Someone at the meeting suggested we need to produce a bumper sticker. Perhaps

We can do it better....our way!

The second purpose of this evening's meeting was to meet with Legislative Assembly members, hear their views and plans, and to see how we can work together.

For the most part, the gathering was productive, fruitful and encouraging. We are starting to clear the path, so to speak......a path that will eventually bring us to the point where we make a firm stand on the issue of retaining the right to self-determination. We have our mission. None of us is certain of what "taking a stand" will involve in the long run. But we do mean to be well-prepared for it. Meanwhile we intend to support our government in their firm resolve to get us back on track economically.

The most encouraging thing about the meeting was the wide cross-section of people there. There were old and young. There were relative newcomers to the island, and there were some "old hands" who have seen it all before. There were business people, professionals, public servants, retired people, self-employed people, blue collar workers and white collar workers. There were Norfolk Islanders, long-term residents, General Permit holders and Temporary permit holders. You could almost say that "Adversity makes strange bedfellows." But they were all there on an equal footing, and bound by a common desire to keep Norfolk Island a good place to live.

It is obvious that the membership of the Norfolk Action Group is to grow at a rapid pace as people recognise that here is a body that will give them a voice and will work in a positive and cohesive manner to promote the welfare of all the people of the island.

I strongly believe that a very healthy grass-roots movement is starting to make its presence felt, and that it is going to gather momentum. I believe we can teach Australia a great deal about "rights and responsibilities!" We are taking ours very seriously.