HERE'S HOPING

Sometimes people ask me about the time I spend on "AngelsandEagles." I must admit I occasionally ask myself if it is not somewhat risky making such a personal investment of time, and more particularly of emotional and creative energy when it may end in disappointment.
But I will "keep on keeping on".
That is partly because I choose to be positive and optimistic. I simply cannot believe that members of the Australian Government, who have been brought up with principles of fairness, democracy and equal rights for all people, would really follow through with the plans they have signalled that they have for this community. I mean, it is simply not just to impose a regime on a people when they have had no say in whether they wish to adopt it or not.
I am sure that many of our Canberra politicians and bureaucrats really think they have our best interests at heart. They are not all like some of the DOTARS officers who have regarded us as a somewhat tiresome anomaly for many years, or some members of the Joint Standing Committee whose cynical and sarcastic outpourings seem to indicate they do not even like us very much.
Yes, Australian Government may be proud of its standing in the world, and what it has achieved for Australia and Australians in a little over two centuries. And rightly so. And some of them think it would be good for Norfolk Island and Norfolkers to share in all that.
But they are mistaken if they think that what is good for Australia and Australians is automatically right for us. We have the right to choose for ourselves what is good and right for this community, this people.
Maybe, as someone said, Australia will do the right thing by people here. Maybe there are some benefits it would be nice to enjoy...although few of us believe that Australians in Australia have a better way of life than we already enjoy here.
But that is not the point...........because they simply cannot guarantee that all their decisions in relation to the government and management of this island will be appropriate, beneficial or productive, or that they will protect our unique cultural and social heritage, let alone improve our self-reliance or the health of our economy.
Any reading of our history reveals a long saga of ups and downs for this island. Much of it has been governed by external factors, but much of it can also be attributed to the competence, goodwill and perceptiveness of incumbent Administrators, Canberra governments and Ministers, and Territories departmental personnel. There have been Administrators in the past who have done a great deal for the island, encouraging and fostering local industry and enterprise. Some have been good listeners and shown diplomatic and caring sensitivity to local feelings. On the other hand, there have been others whose competence left much to be desired, or who operated on a value system which was foreign to that of the community. The same could be said of Canberra ministers responsible for the territory of Norfolk Island...they have varied in the degree of goodwill, competence and understanding they displayed to the island and its people.
Do we really want our future to be in the hands of people whose heritage, value system and way of life is different from our own? Do we really need to be at the mercy of the everchanging whims and levels of competence of the everchanging Canberra representatives and ministers?
We need our own rights as citizens of Norfolk Island set in concrete, and not able to be changed by anyone from outside. We need some certainty. That may include a degree of mutual co-operation with Australia, but we need to know that the next politician or bureaucrat who comes along will not think he can change it or improve it.
We thought our future had been decided once and for all 27 years ago, but we know now that anything we say can be overridden, promises broken and commitments axed.
Canberra's big backflip has left us in a state of uncertainty, disappointment, and the feeling that they will never manage it to get it right when they deal with Norfolk Island.
Ultimately, it should be up to us to decide what is good and right for us. And I, for one will "keep on keeping on" to ensure that is what happens.