WE ARE THE ANGELS AND EAGLES
The Prime Minister has said that dealing with the global financial crisis is "taking up truckloads of the government's time."
We know just what he means.
Dealing with Canberra's unfair takeover threats takes up truckloads of our government's time, money and resources.
It happened in 2006.
It will happen again.
It is almost as if they hope that the "failed state" thing will become a self-fulfilling prophecy as our Government directs time and resources into doing what they know is right and just for the people of this island, at the same time trying to maintain attention to the normal day-to-day issues.
We know Canberra is doing it "because they can," They have all the resources of big government and the public service behind them. They can spend big dollars, and they can easily get the attention of the media.
Yes, it is heavily weighted on Canberra's side.
But we have something they do not have. We are very proud to be Norfolkers, and part of a people who have built a thriving, productive and resourceful community out of inauspicious beginnings, on a small remote island.
We have something that we are strong and proud to defend, because we have created it ourselves over the years, and we know it works for us, whatever outsiders may think.
The French explorer La Perouse came across this island and considered it was not worth laying claim to, because its rugged remoteness made it fit only for "angels and eagles".
The British at first thought the pines may be useful for masts, and the flax for linen for sails. When that proved unviable, the island was only fit for providing a hell-hole for convicts who would be "out of sight, out of mind." Even that was abandoned eventually.
But it was good enough for the Pitcairners in 1856. It did not matter that it was remote and rugged. It became their much loved home, where, by the work of their hands and with a firm code of values, they developed a society and an economy that is the envy of many. They have been joined by many others who have espoused their values, and also treasure their island home and unique culture and heritage.
We are the "angels" and the "eagles."
We belong here.
It is our home.
We do not want someone from another place, another culture, another background, another way of seeing and doing things to come and change it. Turn it into something that is more like their own environment than ours.
We have love and pride on our side, and we also have fairness and justice, and we will use these as powerful weapons in the battle for the right to decide for ourselves the future of our island.

CANBERRA'S CONTEMPTThis is the 12th Legislative Assembly of Norfolk Island, together with the two clerks.
They are about half way through their term of office.
When they were elected, Norfolk was very much at the crossroads.
The Federal Government had recently abandoned and walked away from its year long exercise to introduce governance change to Norfolk Island. In spite of our joyful relief, we were in a difficult position. Not only had the exercise used an enormous store of the time, finances and resources of our own government, but we had achieved nothing in areas where the Commonwealth could have assisted us in making useful reform and progress.
The elections that followed showed that the people wanted a change.
Old hands, including those who had been most useful in resisting Canberra's push, were voted out.
There was a generational change for a start.
But I believe we elected a government that we wanted to take us forward in a positive manner.
A government that would firmly address the areas that Canberra maintained were a concern, such as economic sustainability.
And a government that would seek to build a good working relationship with the Commonwealth so that we would not have to face the events of 2006 again.
The elected members accepted this mandate. They have been proactive in many areas, especially in planning for a more stable economic future.
There has been a focus on planning for future infrastructure needs, such as a harbour and international standard airport, and the maintenace of an airline, our lifeblood, in difficult times. These are areas for which the current Rudd government has taken the previous Coalition to task for neglecting, saying that they are vital to future economic stability and productivity. I believe they are important to this island too.
The task of building a dialogue with the Commonwealth actually got off to a fairly hopeful start. That is, until the election of the Rudd Labour Government. There were changes in portfolio arrangements, and the island now came under the Minister for Home Affairs Bob Debus.
The Minister has shown a distinct lack of interest in discussion and consultation with the Norfolk Island Government, and has taken almost a year to even visit the island.
There has been plenty of activity at a political level, with visits from Annette Ellis, the member of the Canberra electorate to which Norfolk Island is loosely attached, with voluntary voting rights. There has been the establishment of a Norfolk Island Branch of the Australian Labour Party, who have, "dem tull", been more successful in reaching the Minister's ear than our own Government members.
But on a Government to Government level, we have been shown something that comes close to contempt.
The Minister came to the island on Sunday. The main purpose of his visit was not actually to talk with our Legislative Assembly but to be involved in an International "Islands of Exile" Conference.
No doubt his announcement last week about changes to Norfolk's Governance were timed to conveniently coincide with the visit he was going to make anyway.
But he will not even speak to our Government until today, two days after his arrival. He will already have held many private meetings and discussions with individuals and groups.
Dialogue (??) with our government is low on his list of priorities of appointments.
This is an insult to the people of this island and their elected representatives.

OUT OF THE BLUE.......BENEATH THE RADAR.......

AND BELOW THE BELT

That is how I would describe the tactics of the Federal Government, and the Minister responsible for Norfolk Island, Bob Debus.

His announcement in Federal Parliament on changes to governance on Norfolk Island came like a bombshell. And if I was shocked, how did the members of our own elected Legislative Assembly feel?

It came without warning, without consultation, without even the courtesy of simple communication at a Government level.

Ever since their election, and also since the election of the Rudd Labour Government, our own Ministers have genuinely sought to develop good lines of communication and a working relationship with Canberra and the Minister. They saw it as important to working through issues of mutual concern. They have not tried to "go it alone."

But I know they have found it frustratingly difficult, and Debus' response has been less than encouraging. He obviously had his own agenda.

When the Liberal Government decided to look into Norfolk affairs in 2006, with a view to making changes in Governance, the then Minister Jim Lloyd had the courtesy to give forewarning, and came to the island to make his announcement face to face with us, clearly setting out the steps that would be followed, with inquiries, studies and assessments.

This time all we got was a statement delivered in another jurisdiction, full of tired and outdated assumptions, sweeping generalisations, and a good sprinkling of misinformation. And this is the man who holds our future in his hands!!

Maybe the Minister thought he was sneaking in under the radar with his announcement while the media's attention was focussed on the worsening world financial crisis. Even at the best of times 2000 people on a remote little island have a job having their voice heard.
But we will be heard.
And we will be determined that this same financial crisis will not be used or manipulated by others to bring us to our knees.
The attack on our ability to sustain ourselves was not only beneath the radar - it was below the belt, and the arrogant lack of respect shown to our people and our own elected government is shameful.
The Minister will make his first visit to this island tomorrow - he has had many invitations - and his main purpose is for participation in an Islands of Exile Conference, leaving him very little time for the sort of consultation with our government and people which should have been his priority long before now.
He will find the Norfolk Island people - and our government members - respectful and polite as always. But he should not be fooled.
Many of us are very angry. We are angry that yet another Australian Government is acting in a high -handed manner, threatening our heritage and culture and our economy, and deeming it unimportant to properly communicate or consult with those of us who have so much to lose. It has been happening for over 100 years.
We thought that in that time the world had made much progress in the area of human rights.
Sadly we still need someone to stand up for the rights of the people on Norfolk Island.

BATTLE BREWING

I must admit I have been sensing a threat on the horizon for a little while now, and have even been gathering "ammunition" from what I was reading and hearing. But I had hoped that as we went about our lives in the peaceful and productive way that characterises us here on Norfolk Island, that we would be allowed to continue to enjoy our uniqueness for a little longer before the onslaught.

Today, I chanced to be listening to Federal Parliament on Skynews Active following on from Question Time, when Minister Debus rose to his feet and sought leave to make a Ministerial Statement on Governance on Norfolk Island.

I was stunned, my heart sank, and what followed was even worse than my worst fears.

The long and short of it is that the Austraian Government once again proposes to bring Norfolk Island under its own Taxation and Welfare system, because he regards us as a failed state!!! He believes our model of government does not work.

I am disgusted, because these Canberra politicians, abetted by Canberra bureaucrats, are once again making decisions on our behalf which are based on gross misinformation, and misunderstanding of what goes on here. Even more galling is the fact that they are more prepared to listen to the views of people who I believe have been much discredited.

I mean people such as our former Administrator Grant Tambling. who did not even know when addressing a Senate Committee that Norfolk pensions are higher than those in Australia, and Senator Ross Lightfoot, who is on record as saying that the Norfolk community was hiding and protecting the murderer of Janelle Patton. Both of these men were quoted extensively in Debus' announcement.

I knew that the Norfolk issue was "on the table" and was being toyed with, with some nudging from the Norfolk Island branch of the Labour party (a body who are quite entitled to put forward their views as long as they are balanced against those of us who have no desire to be part of the Australian system.)

But I had hoped that good sense would prevail as Australia realised that not even her own economy enjoyed an ironclad security in the face of global financial issues.

No doubt they will now use the current worldwide economic difficulties to pin us down and "rescue us."

I an bursting with indignation, and will once again use this forum to air my views. They are mine alone, but in our Campaign of 2006, I know I had an enormous army of support from people who shared my feelings, and were glad that I could put them into words for them.

For a while I was not sure if I had the stamina for another battle. But I love this place and its brave and intangible spirit too much, and will not allow it to be subdued or extinguished before I have told the world - or anyone who will listen -that Norfolk Island is the most wonderful place in this world, functions in a unique way that perhaps defies worldly logic, and should be held up in the world's eyes as an example, not of a "failed state", but of how things should be done!