CRUCIAL TALKS

Most people would agree that during this whole process of exploring changes to Norfolk's governance, it is the Commonwealth Government that has always had the upper hand. Not only have they assumed the legal and constitutional "right" to take these actions, but ever since the Minister's announcement on February 20th, they are the ones who have set the agenda with the announcements, the pamphlets, the reports and the visits. The terms and the timing have been theirs, and they have had the added advantage of a process of planning and departmental and governmental deliberations that have been going on much longer than most of us realise.
The only "choice" we have been offered is a contribution to the debate on which of the two models of governance would finally be imposed on this island. Canberra has offered no message of hope for our ability to depart from this narrow path.
Nevertheless, there was a slight element of optimism -temperd by a great deal of cautiousness and realism - as our four Government Ministers travelled to Canberra for serious talks ...talks that should have taken place long ago. The reason our expectations were raised, ever so slightly, was that they went armed with the Econtech Report. This was an independent economic report commissioned by our Government, to look at our economic and financial position and prospects.
Not only has Econtech presented a very different picture to that of the Acumen Report, which the Commonwealth had used as the rationale for assuming greater control of our affairs, but to a degree it discredits Acumen. It would seem that if all the principles and models used by Acumen were applied to Federal Finances, they too would appear to be in deep water, and sinking rather than swimming! Moreover, Econtech is a highly reputable organisation, whose economic modelling has been used by the Commonwealth Government itself on occasions.
It was with some alarm that we heard the initial media reports of the Canberra meeting early this morning. It would appear that once again our Canberra friends had wanted to get in first, and put their own view and version as a foregone conclusion.
However, when our own Chief Minister spoke with the island's people, prior to speaking with the media, we learned that while the discussions had been positive and productive, things were not cut and dried, and deliberations were to continue in the near future.
Not only does our Government need to convince Canberra of our ability to achieve economic sustainability, but it is important to retain our control over Immigration, Customs and Quarantine. Loss of control of those areas would not only bring us irrevocably within Australia's borders, but it would threaten our identity and much of what underpins our viability as a separate and unique community.
Meanwhile, I believe that the Commonwealth's economic arguments are appearing progressively weaker. We are working positively through our present and temporary economic difficulties. This is in spite of Canberra's continuing attempts to obstruct our own government's measures to stimulate our economy and increase our revenues.
It is time for Canberra to go back to the drawing board. And it is also time to allow us control over the decisions that determine our future.
Help us, but don't try to do it for us.
Because it is our wellbeing and welfare, our heritage and future, that are at stake, and we want to continue to show that even a smallcommunity such as ours can be strong and proud.

THE NORFOLK PUZZLE

PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER
I will be the first to admit that the Commonwealth Government has had a well-thought out game plan for the process of changing governance arrangements for Norfolk Island. In fact, it has been very difficult to persuade them to take the slightest detour from their plan of action, or even to pause a while in order to allow any of us to catch our breath or take stock.
Relentlessly, the Inquiries and Commissions and Studies and Surveys have come and gone. Each of them have had their strict instructions and terms of reference, and there has been no leeway to depart from these in any way.
That is not to say that valuable information has not been collected. It would seem that we have been remarkably helpful and co-operative in providing this data and information. I cannot help being reminded of the prisoner who was asked to build his own gallows, or dig his own grave. But we remain ever optimistic that we can use much of this data to assist in our own aspirations for good governance on Norfolk Island, which is not necessarily what the Commonwealth has in mind.
DOTARS, the JSC, the ABS, the Grants Commission, the Minister, the Administrator's Office on Norfolk Island, the Norfolk Island Government, and those responsible for various economic reports (including the recent Economic Impact Assessment) have all had input.
The problem is that these little piles of data are all like little pieces of a puzzle. Someone has to put them together in a meaningful way.
Who is going to put this information together and make sense of it? Who is going to make the decisions and policies? Who is going to decide on the "big picture"? What if one or more pieces of the puzzle are wrong...do they realise that this will affect all the rest? What about missing pieces, the things they have overlooked or refused to acknowledge?
We can pour our hearts out all we like to the fact-finders commissioned by the Commonwealth Government. But these things are out of their hands. Unfortunately, the views of those of us who are actually "in the picture" do not seem to carry the same weight as those of the fact-finders and number crunchers who are sent over here.
I can only hope that our own Government members, arriving in Canberra this weekend, can present our case strongly and clearly, not only to the Minister, but to those other Australian Government members who will, after all, have the final say.

SPEAKING UP

Something visitors find a little unusual about Norfolk Island is the relative lack of vocal protest or even group discussion of Norfolk's political future and proposed changes. Some may interpret as support for the changes, resignation, or perhaps even apathy. No doubt those feelings are out there among some folk. But I believe the real reasons for the relative silence can be found elsewhere. The fact is that discussion of these issues is extremely unsettling and divisive, and we do need to get on with our lives. We need to preserve a feeling of harmony and friendship with those we live and work and socialise with. The Norfolker's spirit of courtesy and good manners comes to the fore, and we do not want to put at risk the cohesiveness and stability of our community. Our government too must get on with governing this community as they were elected to do, and dealing with this issues that have been thrust upon them by Australia has increased their workload enormously. Not only that, but they too face the same uncertainties as the rest of us, and finding which is the path that the people of this island wish them to follow is not an easy task.
In the light of all this, it was very welcome to have the opportuntity on Tuesday to hear three people, leaders of community groups, speak out clearly about their aspirations for this island, and the path they feel we need to follow. This took place at a meeting organised by the Norfolk Island Action Group at Rawson Hall.
The Chief Minister David Buffett, speaking for the Norfolk Island Government, said that we should not be focussing on how far away we are from meeting our commitments, but how close we have come, given the difficulties of the past year or two. Comparisons were made with local government in NSW, which, it is reported, cannot meet its infrastructure needs. The Norfolk Government fully intends to make a strong case for the island's sustainability to Ministyer Lloyd, with the help of an independently commissioned report. David encouraged his listeners to remain positive and united, believing that continued self-government was achievable and negotiable.
Andre Nobbs then addressed the meeting on behalf of the Norfolk Action Group. This group also believes that the Acumen Report into Norfolk's finances was based on poor research and false assumptions, and NAG has put many hours into describing a more accurate picture of our present and future needs and spending priorities. Andre also urged us to feel positive by what this island has achieved..."amazed by contemporary Norfolk Island" were the words he used. In concluding he challenged us
"Don't let us be the generation who is blamed for losing what is our right!"
The third speaker was Lyndsay Tooley, speaking on behalf of the Accommodation and Tourism Association. While Lyndsay did not address the self-government issue, he did speak of the fairness and equity issues we need to address in order to assist the stakeholders in the Tourism sectors.
It is to be hoped that future meetings will see other community groups- such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Norfolk Business Group and the Public Service Association - have a say, and let us know their views and how the issues affect the memers of their respective groups. We badly need calm and reasonable communication and a frank exchange of ideas and concerns. Only then can we pull together to produce the best outcome for Norfolk Island.

SINCERE INTENTIONS OR EMPTY WORDS?

The Joint Standing Committee has been visiting again, and I understand they have been seeking to "build bridges". They certainly need to take responsibility for much of the mistrust and poor communication we have with the Commonwealth. This has arisen partly from the heavy bias and lack of balance in their successive reports into island affairs, but their credibility has also suffered from the thoughtless and hurtful comments made by their chairman and another member in relation to the Janelle Patton murder investigation.
In a speech delivered during his time here, Senator Lightfoot and his colleagues parrot the oft-repeated platitudes concerning the issue of looking after Australians and their interests.
Now I will be the first to admit that Australia would a good place to live in, and its profile on human rights and the welfare of its citizens would be reasonably well-regarded in the eyes of the world.
I have no intention of getting into the argument about whether Norfolk Island is part of Australia at this time, but I have serious doubts about whether the Joint Standing Committee and the Commonwealth Government are, in fact, genuinely concerned about the rights of those who live here, who are Australian citizens by choice, or because they happened to be born here. I have even graver concerns for the Norfolk Island people living here who do not hold Australian citizenship, and who have become second class citizens in recent years by being denied full participation in the electoral process.
If you asked any Australian what he values most about living in that country, he will probably speak about his freedoms and democratic rights as exercised through Australia's Constitution. He elects governments and representatives at three levels, and these people are accountable to the electorate on a regular basis, as happens here. If the Government of the day wishes to make a change to the Constitution and method of government, then they must go to the people with a referendum, and the people will make the decision.
In hindsight, it was probably a mistake not to insist on having a Constitution for Norfolk Island (as usual, we were too trusting), and the Norfolk Island Act is probably the nearest thing we have to it. But are we going to be allowed to exercise a democratic choice in the changes? NO!!
We frequently hear PM Howard and members of the Federal Government speak about "Australian values", and the words mateship, understanding, respect and tolerance, historic rights, heritage, cultural freedoms get regular airings. But for some reason, Norfolk Island misses out on these privileges.
Our historic rights are being ignored and denied, and our very real differences are not acknowledged. As for the island's culture...well, grants for oral histories, family banners, museums and recording the Norfolk dialect are fine. But isn't it time that they recognised that this island's culture and heritage is very much tied up with the way we deal with each other, make decisions about our community and meet the needs of our island and its people?
What Australia wants to do with this island goes right to the heart of our identity, our historic values, and our sense of who we are and where we come from. I cannot think of a single ethnic group or minority within Australia's borders who would be expected to put up with this sort of treatment.
Senator Carr, a member of the JSC, is quoted as saying

"..this Committee shares a commitment to ensure the equality of opportunity for Australian citizens."

If they are sincere, can we ask the Joint Standing Committee to recommend to the Australian Government that they cease discriminating against the people of Norfolk Island and

(1)show proper respect and acknowledgement of their historic rights and cultural heritage and values

(2)allow the people of Norfolk Island to make a democratic choice about changes to their system of government.

(3) acknowledge that the forbears of the people in this Norfolk Island community exercised a free and proud system of democracy and equal opportunity decades before the forbears of our Australian counterparts even dreamed of such possibilities!