BOOM AND BUST...FEAST AND FAMINE

When you talk to the older folks on Norfolk Island, they will tell you about the good old days, and they will tell you that the good old days were often very tough. Yes, there are many very happy memories of wonderful people and gatherings and events, but putting food on the table meant plenty of hard work and resourcefulness and sharing..but they managed.
They will also tell you that the history of Norfolk Island in the last century tends to be one of "boom and bust." Over the years, there have been many industries that were developed to provide a cash flow for the community...whaling, bananas, passionfruit, lemon juice, seed and peel, oranges, bean seed, fish, flower seeds, palm seed, pine seed. Many of these were very successful for a time, and for periods actually attracted numbers of settlers to the island, as in the Banana Boom of the 1920's.
Many other things were also tried for a time, such as avocadoes, flax, broom millet and pumpkin seed, ginger, guavas.
That many of these eventually failed was usually a result of shipping difficulties, changing markets, and even trade embargoes. Nevertheless, the Norfolkers have always been ready to give something else a go. With an equable climate, good soil and a bit of hard work and initiative, anything was possible.
The growth of the Tourist industry, particularly in the 60's, saw a lessening of the dependence on agriculture, and an influx of people to help serve the needs of that industry or to capitalise on the opportunities it provided. Since then we have seen, not so much booms and busts, as peaks and troughs, usually due to changing demographics and factors beyond our control. But once again, Norfolkers have proved adaptable, and have developed new markets, strategies and facilities to keep things going, and in the meantime have tightened their belts a little until things improved.
Now Australia is no stranger to booms and busts. Mining, sugar, wheat, wool, car manufacturing, just to name a few, have had their fluctuations, and have often had to be "propped up" until solutions could be found. Government Revenues in Australia have not been immune either. How many times have we heard about the 96 billion dollars of debt the present government inherited from the previous Labour Government. Inflation, deficits, recessions....they are all part of the cycle of life, of business, of government.
So why is it that when Norfolk confronts a difficult time financially, suddenly our system of governance is unsustainable????
A commercial airline fails, the travel market undergoes some changes..these are factors beyond our control, but we have responded to these changes.
We have needed to undergo a learning and adapting process with our government accounting and revenue-raising. What government of any other country has not had to do that from time to time?
Can we be blamed for cynically suspecting that Australia has chosen this time to edge in when they think we are on our knees, and then place more obstacles in our path so we fall flat on our faces?
Norfolkers are resilient and adaptable. We have weathered downturns before. We are happy to make changes.
Meanwhile, we have not lost the willingness and the skills to put food on our tables. We still know about growing things for ourselves, pooling resources, sharing, bartering and bargaining.
We know how to improvise, how to budget, and how to help one another. These are qualities and skills that have largely been lost in the more welfare dependent communities in Australia.
Moreover, we still live in a very beautiful and peaceful and stable island, our soil is fertile and our climate is favourable.
We know we can see the good times again. It would be nice if Australia, as a friend and neighbour, could see their way to helping us on the path. It may need nothing more than a bit of time, and relaxing of some of the bureaucratic obstacles and red tape they put in our way.
Our island is rich in both its natural and human resources. Let us be positive about steering our future...the NORFOLK WAY.