C IS FOR CELEBRATION

Today I am posting my 100th message on Angelsandeagles.

Today it is with great delight that I report that the Australian Government has abandoned its plans to make its changes to the way Norfolk Island is governed.

The Norfolk flags have been flying and there is an enormous feeling of joy, relief, hope and vindication.

People who have quietly got on with their lives all this year, hoping deep down that this island was not going to lose those things that made it special, are openly celebrating, hugging each other, and declaring that this will be the best Christmas ever.

I will give Minister Jim Lloyd his due. Last week, Cabinet rejected his proposals for governance changes to Norfolk Island. This week, he came to the island and in an open, direct and gracious manner, gave us the good news. I know you need to be thick-skinned in politics, but that must have taken some pluck and courage.

I do not know why Federal Cabinet decided not to proceed, any more than I know why they ever decided they wanted to take away our self-government in the first place. But I do know that we have been needlessly subjected to nearly a year of doubt, fear, suspicion and anxiety, when we should have been able to celebrate our Sesqui-centenary freely with joy and pride. It was all so unnecessary.

But Norfolkers stood very tall and proud today. We felt like the mouse that roared. We resisted the push, but kept our dignity and integrity.

The events of this year have taken a great toll on the time and resources of our government, at a time when they needed to deal with some difficult local issues and problems. But I cannot begin to imagine how much the Federal Government has expended on this exercise. Even the Minister's announcement today involved an overnight trip in a Lear Jet with at least 6 other officials and relatives. No doubt it will all go into the ledger as Commonwealth expenditure on Norfolk Island. Nothing changes.

Looking on the positive side, our experience this year has taught us to value and cherish those intangible things that make this community and its people so special. That so often happens when you are faced with the prospect of losing something. There has been a tremendous feeling of solidarity and pulling together, with some unlikely people finding common ground, and quietly contributing in their own way to fight the threat we were facing.

There is a hard road ahead. We are not out of the woods with our economic difficulties. I could not help feeling I detected a slight note of petulance on the part of Canberra's representatives, a suggestion that if we wanted to go it alone, they would quite enjoy seeing us fall flat on our faces.

We must not let that happen. We must be determined to keep our government honest and accountable, and keep the lines of communication clear and open. We need to give them positive and constructive support, and embrace reform and progress where it is necessary to keep us sustainable in this modern world. Norfolkers must become more proactive and vocal about policies and decisions that affect this community.

Meanwhile, I believe that we must be extremely vigilant in our relationship with Canberra. It would be so easy for them to achieve by stealth those things they have failed to achieve in their Campaign of 2006. We should recognise that they have slowly and insidiously moved to Australianise this community, and dilute its special identity, over many years, and will probably try to continue that process.

It is my dream that we should develop a Constitution for Norfolk Island, and from that, advance the concept of a Norfolk Island citizenship.

But for now, we will be very grateful for our good news, for this wonderful climax to a difficult year, for the fact that we can celebrate this Christmas season with a feeling of peace and hope and joy.