CREDIBILITY AT STAKE

From time to time there arises a situation where our success and well-being depends on the decisions and actions of someone else. It may be a doctor, or a lawyer, or a politician. When this happens, we need to trust and hope that the person concerned not only has our best interests at heart, but they are able to act with skill, with wisdom, and with integrity.
Which is why the membership of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories is a bit of a worry. Now we all know that to a large extent, the findings of this committee are the justification and the rationale for much of the recent decision-making from Canberra on the future of Norfolk Island.
I have been re-visiting the transcript of the programme that was aired on Channel Nine in 2004, in which several people were interviewed about the Janelle Patton murder. Two of our esteemed JSC members allowed themselves to be interviewed for this programme...Senator Lightfoot, the chairman of the Committee and Senator Hogg. I find myself scratching my head about what they thought they could contribute to the issue, but nevertheless they were quite happy to be quoted on the subject.

As I read through the script, I read the following from Ross Lightfoot:
"People on the island know who murdered Janelle....No question that they know. It's very, very hard to penetrate that husk of silence that surrounds Norfolk Islanders when they want to protect their own."
"The committee's report published last Christmas was largely ignored on the mainland but it's a scathing indictment of how federal parliamentarians see life operating on Norfolk under the peaceful veneer."
"There's a lack of respect for outside authority. That includes the seconded AFP police officers, who are fine men, and includes a lack of respect for this committee."

And from John Hogg:
"There is an atmosphere of threat and violence and fear permeating throughout the island."
"In the environment they live in, they (i.e. possible informants) really fear for their lives. And their families."

I must say that I simply do not recognise the island and islanders I know and love after 40 years in these statements and the rest of the transcript.
But I do recognise sour grapes, and worse- venom, spleen, paranoia, and incredible prejudice that borders on racial hatred.
We all know that now these two men are left with a good dose of egg on their faces.
Their credibility is seriously damaged.
But they are still on the Joint Standing Committee, and still trusted by Canberra to carry out the role of investigating and reporting on Norfolk Island affairs....hopefully with fairness and justice!!
This leaves serious and worrying questions in my mind.
How about you?
You can read the transcript for yourself at
http://www.sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/cover_stories/transcript_1586.asp