Concern grows as NT visitor numbers continue to slump
JayDee said
10:11 AM Oct 14, 2023
why would not be that visitors are down substantively?
Given that there are certain people in our society who think that they have the given right to control certain tourist sites and other important developments around our land of Australia. I emphasis OUR Land.
The high court judges also have a lot to answer to re granting of permits in favour of the very very few in our great society.
I could go on and on, but all I hope is that the NO has a win today 14th of October 2023.
The following is an extract from the Grey Nomad site and I quote.
Jay&Dee Go the NO.
(The comparatively low number of visitors to the Northern Territory this year is a growing cause of concern for tourism authorities, and government.
Parks Australia data shows just how sluggish visitation to the iconic Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has been in 2023.
The figures, seen by the ABC, show year-to-date visitor numbers at Uluru are 164,678, compared with more than 300,000 in 2017)
Whenarewethere said
10:33 AM Oct 14, 2023
We were in NT in 2019 in the shoulder of the tourist season, which actually extended to our preference, no complaints from that aspect.
It was very quiet which we were happy about from our own perspective. But we did take note of thhe numerous closed roads & tracks.
Would have liked to travel a few more of these areas, but we did respect the endless road closed signs.
Other dirt tracks in the area we took, there were no issues.
Probably the issue is pointless administration. Seems to be getting worse from my experience of admin in the 1970s!
deverall11 said
12:13 PM Oct 14, 2023
JayDee wrote:
....
I could go on and on, but all I hope is that the NO has a win today 14th of October 2023.
.
Jay&Dee Go the NO.
Since you chose to bring this up against warnings from SWMBO, a NO vote is racist, head in the sand, IGNORANCE and most of all
lack of acknowledgment of the original owners of this wonderful land and who still are the owners.
The poms decided to take over and colonise the place just like they did in other lands. The owners of this land
had NO say in the matter.
I thought you lot were smarter, had the ability to see reason and more compassionate and less gullible.
All you NO voters were sucked in and played on your ignorance and inability to do proper research.
The only research in earnest I see here is how bad EVs are.
Shame on you.
-- Edited by deverall11 on Saturday 14th of October 2023 12:16:39 PM
yobarr said
12:50 PM Oct 14, 2023
It'll be interesting to see how Camooweal copes when the money-grabbers complete their fence and gates, presently being built to prevent people accessing the Free Camp.
Claims that this is a "trial" will no doubt be followed by the sudden "re-opening" of the site in a few months, but now with the "Gimme" brigade holding their hands out for "fees" at the new gates.
Meanwhile, since there's not much else to make them want to spend time in Camooweal, tourists will move on to the next free camp, as half a day is enough to see this once-great little town. Even the pub bored me, which is most unusual.
Never mind, the Gummint will sort it. Sad. Cheers
dogbox said
01:11 PM Oct 14, 2023
deverall11 wrote:
JayDee wrote:
....
I could go on and on, but all I hope is that the NO has a win today 14th of October 2023.
.
Jay&Dee Go the NO.
Since you chose to bring this up against warnings from SWMBO, a NO vote is racist, head in the sand, IGNORANCE and most of all
lack of acknowledgment of the original owners of this wonderful land and who still are the owners.
The poms decided to take over and colonise the place just like they did in other lands. The owners of this land
had NO say in the matter.
I thought you lot were smarter, had the ability to see reason and more compassionate and less gullible.
All you NO voters were sucked in and played on your ignorance and inability to do proper research.
The only research in earnest I see here is how bad EVs are.
Shame on you.
-- Edited by deverall11 on Saturday 14th of October 2023 12:16:39 PM
I wonder what this country would look like if it was not for the colonization by the British, history tells us the Japanese where very interested and I wonder what discussions would have taken place ??? do you think they would have negotiated a better deal?
Are We Lost said
01:25 PM Oct 14, 2023
yobarr wrote:
It'll be interesting to see how Camooweal copes when the money-grabbers complete their fence and gates, presently being built to prevent people accessing the Free Camp.
Camooweal billabong is a great place to stay. If it became a donation or small fee I would not have a problem. But apart from the oasis of this lagoon there is nothing that would make Camooweal more than a fuel stop for me.
We stayed at the billabong for a few days and went to the pub a couple of times. Got some basic provisions at the servo but not much choice from memory.
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Saturday 14th of October 2023 02:20:39 PM
So long as the statements made prior to this in this thread are permitted to remain I will add the following analogy.
THE BEAUTIFUL HOUSE
Imagine you had a house. The type of house that felt like a home. It had everything you needed: space for everyone, lots of light, with big windows. It overlooked a beautiful vista, where each morning you looked out to the expansive sky, and land and water as far as the eye could see.
You loved it. You felt restored and peaceful there. You worked hard to keep your house in good condition. You were raising your family there, just as your parents had done.
Babies had been born in the house for generations. Grandparents had died there, surrounded by loved ones; now buried up in the hillside. Youd honour their memories by visiting their gravesides and leaving flowers on important occasions, like birthdays or Christmas.
Your kids spent endless summer days with their cousins running barefoot on the grass and climbing trees. Youd hear them squealing with laughter as theyd race each other down to the river.
The verandah was your place of solace. Vines had grown overhead, providing shade through summer and light in the winter. Inside, you knew just how to keep the blinds angled so the living areas would catch the morning sun, but cool the house down by the afternoon. And you could smell the rain before it came, just like your Dad had taught you.
The house had been handed on, extended and updated over time, with memories of family generations sprinkled everywhere.
Of course, times werent always rosy in the house - the occasional injury, an illness, a difference of view, or a lively conversation which morphed into a heated disagreement, but youd eventually work it out as a family.
Photos lined the hallways; each one conjuring up memories and stories of years gone by. Childrens artworks were stuck all over the fridge. Above the fireplace hung a framed landscape, painted by your great uncle many years ago. Evenings were spent among extended family sitting around talking, sharing a meal, or watching the field of stars.
Yes, that house was filled with memories and stories and love. You took great care in keeping the house a place to be proud of. You couldnt imagine ever living anywhere else.
Until one day... the world changed.
One day, some intruders broke in. You didnt even see them coming. They had weapons. They showed little care for you - as if you were not living there at all. They looked around the place, grunted in a language you didnt understand, and inspected your goods. But instead of taking everything they wanted and leaving again, they decided the house was a nice place too - and they actually werent going to leave at all. No, these intruders decided they were going to move into the house and stay.
First, they took over the master bedroom with the nice ensuite. The kids were all booted out of their rooms too - and understandably scared about what was happening. You wanted to provide them with comfort, but inside you were just as scared and confused as they were.
One of the big blokes flopped down on the couch in the loungeroom, kicked off his shoes and plonked his feet on the coffee table as he cracked open his beer. Loud, unfamiliar music and tv blared at every hour of the day. There seemed little escape from their presence. Trash was strewn around the floor. The intruders ate everything they wanted in the fridge and discarded any food they didnt recognise or care for.
Family routines were instantly disrupted. The interlopers dominated the day. One morning, you watched one of them take a special plate your grandmother had given you, then carelessly drop it, where it smashed into a thousand tiny pieces. They grunted with minor annoyance. It meant nothing to them, but silently it broke your heart as you saw the destroyed remnants of your grandmothers delicate plate scatter all over the kitchen floor.
You watched helplessly as they repainted the house in dark colours, including the wall with the special pencil markings where you had measured the kids heights every year.
As the days and weeks and months passed by, the house descended further into chaos and disrepair. The vine over the verandah began to wither. The grass died off. Your once peaceful family home - your oasis - was disappearing before your eyes.
You were daunted and intimidated, but also deeply upset. Occasionally you would try to argue or fight back against the intruders, but that resistance always came with consequences. Lots of consequences.
At first you and your family were allowed to huddle all together in the guest room down the back of the house. But soon the intruders expanded in number and you were forced out of the house and into the tin shed down the back of the yard. You had little access to the fridge from there and no laundry or working bathroom.
The creek was drying up and the trees were felled. No longer could you hear the birds of a morning. The animals moved away. Over time, you became sick. Some of your family members died from strange illnesses the intruders brought with them. It became harder and harder to get the supplies you needed to eat and live and look after your family.
Meanwhile, more of them moved into the house.
Some of them noticed your kids looked dirty and unfed and unschooled. They would comment and sneer and judge. But instead of bringing you supplies or communicating kindly with you, they came and took some of the kids away. When you protested, they beat you. They said they would raise them better than you ever could and they were taking them away to teach them the right way to live.
You howled with grief each night. A grief that never went away. You never stopped missing them. Or loving them. You wondered what they were doing and how they were being treated. And if they would remember you.
At times, members of your family would protest the behaviour of the intruders. But this resistance was usually either ignored, ridiculed, or violently defeated.
At one point, one of the intruders offered an option: to sign a contract where you agreed to come and live in the big house with them, as long as you didnt communicate with anyone in the shed, stopped using the family language, and adopted the ways of life of an intruder. It was a tough decision. There seemed no right answer and certainly no answer without lingering consequences. With little hope left, some members of your family decided to take up the offer. You knew they were just trying to find a way through a seemingly impossible situation, but that broke your heart too. And you missed them as well.
As the years passed, you adapted as best you could to life in the shed, but never forgetting where you had come from. You observed the way of life of the intruders. You learnt their language. You took on some of their ways of being out of necessity to survive. Some of your family struggled - they developed significant health issues, or they rebelled and got into more trouble from the intruders, or they died. You couldnt even access the special family burial plot on the hillside when that happened to give them a proper farewell.
As you grew older, some days you were sad, some days you were angry, some days you were defeated, some days you were lonely, some days you were grieving, some days you were lost. And sometimes, you were all of these things all at once.
But while some of the details in your memories had faded with time, your connection to the house remained strong. You never forgot how it used to be. What it could be.
And slowly, very slowly, over time, you also saw some small steps of progress being made. Possibly a window of opportunity. A way to ensure the beauty of the house was not lost forever.
You watched on.
You watched and learnt.
And one day you felt ready.
You knew there was no option to take the house back the same way the intruders had come in. It was far too late for that. You knew there would be broken pieces inside; some things that would never be able to be repaired. But you also knew that if you acted now, it would not be too late - there would still be some things there that could be restored, for you and your children and their children. And maybe, just maybe, you could restore some peace.
And so you thought about what you would do and how you would do it.
You were less in number now. But you remembered how beautiful that house could be and the life that could be still left in it. It drove you to find a way forward.
So instead of blazing in with weapons to seize control like the intruders did, you asked. You asked for your house back. Or at least, part of your house back. For a chance to help restore it to its former glory. That it might not be too late.
You talked about your memories of the house. You offered to share some of the goodness the house brought. You thought you might be able to resuscitate the vine on the verandah; it would take time, of course, but as long as there was still a root or a remnant left, you could make it grow again and the shade would eventually return in the summertime. You knew with your grandads special tool you could fix the broken doorway. And by ensuring there was an annual cleanout of the chimney, probably get the fireplace going again.
You had so much wisdom to share.
And so, you asked.
You knew it was not possible for the intruders to go elsewhere; it was too late for them to go back from wherever theyd come from. Over the years, theyd had their children in the house and this had become their home too.
So, you asked. You wanted a seat at the table to help inform how best to repair the damage, to save some of the special things connected with your familys precious memories, and to share in decisions on the future of the house. So there would be a better future for you and your family. And, in fact, a better future for everyone.
So you asked for a voice at the table. A voice for you and for your family.
You asked for a new arrangement to be put in place to govern the shared use of the house - an agreement - a type of treaty.
And you asked for the truth. For the intruders - or, given the time that had passed, the children of the intruders - to recognise that this house once belonged to someone else. Where it was cared for and loved. That someone else once lived there and it was taken away.
You had lived with unspeakable trauma, your family had suffered unfathomable harm, but you did not come in anger. You were not seeking revenge.
Instead, you came with a document - a statement from your heart - seeking a voice, a treaty, and the truth.
deverall11 said
02:10 PM Oct 14, 2023
dogbox wrote:
...
I wonder what this country would look like if it was not for the colonization by the British, history tells us the Japanese where very interested and I wonder what discussions would have taken place ??? do you think they would have negotiated a better deal?
Good point but not relevant as such because it did not happen and I guess we will never know.
Cuppa,
Very well written and I guess further emphasises the point I was making.
I wonder what it is you NO voters are scared of. Potato head IS scared. He is scared him and his mob will lose control.
As Cuppa so gracefully described, lets not lose sight of the fact that we are all guests in this country.
Also for those who have issues with losing 'tourist' sites, lets not forget that the owners of this land did not read and write.
Therefore unlike the Brits, French, Romans, Jews, Muslims etc their history is written/etched in scared sights. Ours is written
in books - history books. Unless these are destroyed, our history is in print and available to be passed on to generations.
You destroy a sacred site, you potentially cause the loss of some history. Think of the pyramids and hyroglifics associated.
Why do you think climbing Uluru is now banned. Would you trample over history books?
C'mon guys you are and can be better then that.
Are We Lost said
02:16 PM Oct 14, 2023
Too long to read it all but the gist was obvious from the second sentence.
It is pretty obvious you would want the house back. If you got a little bit of headway then you would want more. Don't stop until it is all yours again. Maybe then you should be compensated for all the years/generations spent without it.
Turning it around, would you give up your house as you appear to be recommending others do?
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Saturday 14th of October 2023 02:23:05 PM
Bobdown said
02:26 PM Oct 14, 2023
Cuppa, didn't realize they had Centrelink 65,000 years ago. Don't think they are treated too badly.
deverall11 said
03:13 PM Oct 14, 2023
Bob, Stephen you either missing the point or have been led into falsehoods.
NO BODY is looking at refund, compensation etc. All they are wanting is
the opportunity to have a voice to advice governments how funds can be
better spent as opposed to throwing money and hope it hit target.
"Don't think they are treated too badly." this highlights the ignorance that
is rife.
Not about the money but more about spending it correctly for better outcomes.
Do you not do that now? Did you not guide your inform you kids when they were
young how to best get value out of their monies. Surely it's not that complicated
but the NO campaign mad it so.
Cuppa said
03:14 PM Oct 14, 2023
Are We Lost wrote:
Too long to read it all but the gist was obvious from the second sentence.
It is pretty obvious you would want the house back. If you got a little bit of headway then you would want more. Don't stop until it is all yours again. Maybe then you should be compensated for all the years/generations spent without it.
Turning it around, would you give up your house as you appear to be recommending others do?
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Saturday 14th of October 2023 02:23:05 PM
Perhaps you should read it before commenting as you have rather than jumping to conclusions?
Cassie63 said
03:28 PM Oct 14, 2023
What ever happens today we need an audit of where all the funds have been going and a plan on a way forward to meet their needs. We cant keep doing what we did yesterday.
Gundog said
03:33 PM Oct 14, 2023
In regards to visitor numbers being down, it pretty obovious that the cost of daily needs and fuel, that coupled with the increased fees to stay at a caravan park.
Alas the media didnt help with highlighting the increased crime rates across the NT, a direct result of actions by the state and federal governments failing to listen to what people wanted to keep the grog bans and cashless debit card.
Re todays event whichever way the vote turns out there is one thing that is totally wrong No voters are not racists, if it fails then the sole responsibilty lies with two people Albo for failing to provide simple details of the Voice and Linda Burnie the minister for the portfolio, she couldnt debate their position or answer questions without reading from a preprepared statement, that didnt reply to the question.
Like it or not, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was by far the star performer when debating the referendum, she understands issues because she has the lived experiance.
Cuppa I could not be bothered reading your post and its easy to understand why.
-- Edited by Gundog on Saturday 14th of October 2023 03:34:51 PM
yobarr said
03:50 PM Oct 14, 2023
Cassie63 wrote:
What ever happens today we need an audit of where all the funds have been going and a plan on a way forward to meet their needs. We cant keep doing what we did yesterday.
Never a truer word spoken. History tells that whenever there is war or similar conflict, those who triumph make the rules.
Here we have the vanquished, who we already give $123 million PER DAY now seeking even more, AND to be able to make the rules.
Much of this money is wasted financing "White Indigenous" people to strut around in the city, wasting taxpayers' money and bleating how tough life is for people in the bush, when it's likely that they've never even lived in "The Bush".
Having seen how dozens of houses owned by the Govt have been completely destroyed by these people I have little sympathy.
Floorboards used for firewood, then bedroom floors used as toilets, every window in the house smashed, new Govt funded cars absolutely destroyed and left upside down where they stopped.
And this is just the beginning, but I will say no more at present because if I got properly started I'd be here for hours.
As always, this is just a covert power grab, aimed at relieving the "Gummint" of more of OUR money. NO Cheers here.
Cuppa said
03:53 PM Oct 14, 2023
Gundog wrote:
In regards to visitor numbers being down, it pretty obovious that the cost of daily needs and fuel, that coupled with the increased fees to stay at a caravan park.
Alas the media didnt help with highlighting the increased crime rates across the NT, a direct result of actions by the state and federal governments failing to listen to what people wanted to keep the grog bans and cashless debit card.
Re todays event whichever way the vote turns out there is one thing that is totally wrong No voters are not racists, if it fails then the sole responsibilty lies with two people Albo for failing to provide simple details of the Voice and Linda Burnie the minister for the portfolio, she couldnt debate their position or answer questions without reading from a preprepared statement, that didnt reply to the question.
Like it or not, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was by far the star performer when debating the referendum, she understands issues because she has the lived experiance.
Cuppa I could not be bothered reading your post and its easy to understand why.
-- Edited by Gundog on Saturday 14th of October 2023 03:34:51 PM
Yes very easy to understand why Gundog.
Whenarewethere said
03:56 PM Oct 14, 2023
Are We Lost wrote:
there is nothing that would make Camooweal more than a fuel stop for me.
We parked in an extremely wide quiet back street thinking 45° was ok, for a break before a long drive.
Only saw one person the whole time we were there who told us to park parallel to the gutter. A policeman.
Camooweal's only other redeeming feature is its toilet paper!
& if entering Camoolweal from NT.
Are We Lost said
04:37 PM Oct 14, 2023
deverall11 wrote:
NO BODY is looking at refund, compensation etc. .......
........ Not about the money but more about spending it correctly for better outcomes.
You must not have looked at the content of the other 25 pages that provide the background for the first page of The Uluru Statement. It does not matter whether the statement is 1 page or 26. The additional pages set out more detail of what the goals are. And that includes financial reparations.
Cuppa said
05:13 PM Oct 14, 2023
Are We Lost wrote:
deverall11 wrote:
NO BODY is looking at refund, compensation etc. .......
........ Not about the money but more about spending it correctly for better outcomes.
You must not have looked at the content of the other 25 pages that provide the background for the first page of The Uluru Statement. It does not matter whether the statement is 1 page or 26. The additional pages set out more detail of what the goals are. And that includes financial reparations.
That background document was not for the first page of the Uluru statement from the heart, it was documentation of discussions which occurred in the lead up to the the 'Statement'. The Statement was & is a single page, & it says nothing about reparations. It (the documentation of discussions) has been misused by the No side to suggest it was something it wasn't & you are repeating this. Of course lots of things were included in the prior discussions, but not in the final statement. It would be foolish to think that there wasn't far more discussed than what was finally decided on in terms of inclusion. There will of course still be Aboriginals who think that reparations should be sought, but that was not the view of the majority & thus it didn't make it into the the Statement. Really such accusations say far more about distrust & perceptions of an enemy, & refuse to understand that those who made the statement showed a maturity you fail to give them creedence for, presumably because you cannot understand them saying (& meaning) that thewant to move on together as Australians. Not to 'inflict some sort of revenge'. Those who continue to think that reparations should be made will still be no doubt saying the same regardless of whether the Voice gets up or not, just as many will still be seeking a treaty. If the Voice fails to get up ,it wont change that . The Voice was/is only ever going to be a Voice. There has been so much misinformation & deliberate muddying of the truth. I'm sure whatever the outcome some will continue to make or repeat the sort of claim you have made, but it will never make it true because it isn't.
Anyway I recognise that there are some folk here who will never be open to what I have suggested & whatever the future brings will remain stubbornly where they are at now until the day they die. I say they, because although I am replying to you AWL, you are far from alone. And I fear the chance we (all of us) had today will be lost. I wish I were more confident that it will be otherwise. So I'll leave it there & bow out of this thread before it becomes another pointless bunfight .
dogbox said
05:30 PM Oct 14, 2023
deverall11 wrote:
Bob, Stephen you either missing the point or have been led into falsehoods.
NO BODY is looking at refund, compensation etc. All they are wanting is
the opportunity to have a voice to advice governments how funds can be
better spent as opposed to throwing money and hope it hit target.
"Don't think they are treated too badly." this highlights the ignorance that
is rife.
Not about the money but more about spending it correctly for better outcomes.
Do you not do that now? Did you not guide your inform you kids when they were
young how to best get value out of their monies. Surely it's not that complicated
but the NO campaign mad it so.
if the heritage act in WA was any indication of what could be coming, the ink was not even dry before people were looking for loop holes to exploit. I will quote Thomas Mayo from the advisory committee "IT IS TIME TO START PAYING THE RENT"
i think a can of worms has been opened and i can see trouble which ever way things go!
-- Edited by dogbox on Saturday 14th of October 2023 05:31:08 PM
Aussie1 said
06:30 PM Oct 14, 2023
OK, cool your jets folks, the polls have now closed in some states and not long before the rest will also.
Time to get really excited as the count developes. What an enthralling night for tv viewers, NOT.
As Gundog noted, the Yes failed, but I am sure that is not the end of what is wanted.
Plain Truth, that document is not what was released under freedom of infornation.
Whether the real statement was 1 page or more is irrelevant as those following pages show the intent (despite what Cuppa said). You would think the authors would know and two of them made statements that it was more than one page before it was an issue. The contradictions only came after the FOI release.
The Voice was only going to be the beginning and Makarrata was the real goal. acting as the umpire over negotiations between The Voice and the government. And it makes it quite clear that assimilation is out of the question.
Sadly, I think this referendum has been really damaging to the aboriginal people and has brought racism back more strongly than in the past. Australia is much more divided.
Anyway, I think bringing the discussion on The Voice into this thread was not a good idea. No more from me on that.
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Saturday 14th of October 2023 08:57:40 PM
yobarr said
09:14 PM Oct 14, 2023
Gundog wrote:
NO has won the day.
Yes! We all now can breathe a sigh of relief. Cheers
why would not be that visitors are down substantively?
Given that there are certain people in our society who think that they have the given right to control certain tourist sites and other important developments around our land of Australia. I emphasis OUR Land.
The high court judges also have a lot to answer to re granting of permits in favour of the very very few in our great society.
I could go on and on, but all I hope is that the NO has a win today 14th of October 2023.
The following is an extract from the Grey Nomad site and I quote.
Jay&Dee Go the NO.
(The comparatively low number of visitors to the Northern Territory this year is a growing cause of concern for tourism authorities, and government.
Parks Australia data shows just how sluggish visitation to the iconic Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has been in 2023.
The figures, seen by the ABC, show year-to-date visitor numbers at Uluru are 164,678, compared with more than 300,000 in 2017)
We were in NT in 2019 in the shoulder of the tourist season, which actually extended to our preference, no complaints from that aspect.
It was very quiet which we were happy about from our own perspective. But we did take note of thhe numerous closed roads & tracks.
Would have liked to travel a few more of these areas, but we did respect the endless road closed signs.
Other dirt tracks in the area we took, there were no issues.
Probably the issue is pointless administration. Seems to be getting worse from my experience of admin in the 1970s!
Since you chose to bring this up against warnings from SWMBO, a NO vote is racist, head in the sand, IGNORANCE and most of all
lack of acknowledgment of the original owners of this wonderful land and who still are the owners.
The poms decided to take over and colonise the place just like they did in other lands. The owners of this land
had NO say in the matter.
I thought you lot were smarter, had the ability to see reason and more compassionate and less gullible.
All you NO voters were sucked in and played on your ignorance and inability to do proper research.
The only research in earnest I see here is how bad EVs are.
Shame on you.
-- Edited by deverall11 on Saturday 14th of October 2023 12:16:39 PM
It'll be interesting to see how Camooweal copes when the money-grabbers complete their fence and gates, presently being built to prevent people accessing the Free Camp.
Claims that this is a "trial" will no doubt be followed by the sudden "re-opening" of the site in a few months, but now with the "Gimme" brigade holding their hands out for "fees" at the new gates.
Meanwhile, since there's not much else to make them want to spend time in Camooweal, tourists will move on to the next free camp, as half a day is enough to see this once-great little town. Even the pub bored me, which is most unusual.
Never mind, the Gummint will sort it. Sad. Cheers
I wonder what this country would look like if it was not for the colonization by the British, history tells us the Japanese where very interested and I wonder what discussions would have taken place ??? do you think they would have negotiated a better deal?
Camooweal billabong is a great place to stay. If it became a donation or small fee I would not have a problem. But apart from the oasis of this lagoon there is nothing that would make Camooweal more than a fuel stop for me.
We stayed at the billabong for a few days and went to the pub a couple of times. Got some basic provisions at the servo but not much choice from memory.
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Saturday 14th of October 2023 02:20:39 PM
THE BEAUTIFUL HOUSE
Imagine you had a house. The type of house that felt like a home. It had everything you needed: space for everyone, lots of light, with big windows. It overlooked a beautiful vista, where each morning you looked out to the expansive sky, and land and water as far as the eye could see.
You loved it. You felt restored and peaceful there. You worked hard to keep your house in good condition. You were raising your family there, just as your parents had done.
Babies had been born in the house for generations. Grandparents had died there, surrounded by loved ones; now buried up in the hillside. Youd honour their memories by visiting their gravesides and leaving flowers on important occasions, like birthdays or Christmas.
Your kids spent endless summer days with their cousins running barefoot on the grass and climbing trees. Youd hear them squealing with laughter as theyd race each other down to the river.
The verandah was your place of solace. Vines had grown overhead, providing shade through summer and light in the winter. Inside, you knew just how to keep the blinds angled so the living areas would catch the morning sun, but cool the house down by the afternoon. And you could smell the rain before it came, just like your Dad had taught you.
The house had been handed on, extended and updated over time, with memories of family generations sprinkled everywhere.
Of course, times werent always rosy in the house - the occasional injury, an illness, a difference of view, or a lively conversation which morphed into a heated disagreement, but youd eventually work it out as a family.
Photos lined the hallways; each one conjuring up memories and stories of years gone by. Childrens artworks were stuck all over the fridge. Above the fireplace hung a framed landscape, painted by your great uncle many years ago. Evenings were spent among extended family sitting around talking, sharing a meal, or watching the field of stars.
Yes, that house was filled with memories and stories and love. You took great care in keeping the house a place to be proud of. You couldnt imagine ever living anywhere else.
Until one day... the world changed.
One day, some intruders broke in. You didnt even see them coming. They had weapons. They showed little care for you - as if you were not living there at all. They looked around the place, grunted in a language you didnt understand, and inspected your goods. But instead of taking everything they wanted and leaving again, they decided the house was a nice place too - and they actually werent going to leave at all. No, these intruders decided they were going to move into the house and stay.
First, they took over the master bedroom with the nice ensuite. The kids were all booted out of their rooms too - and understandably scared about what was happening. You wanted to provide them with comfort, but inside you were just as scared and confused as they were.
One of the big blokes flopped down on the couch in the loungeroom, kicked off his shoes and plonked his feet on the coffee table as he cracked open his beer. Loud, unfamiliar music and tv blared at every hour of the day. There seemed little escape from their presence. Trash was strewn around the floor. The intruders ate everything they wanted in the fridge and discarded any food they didnt recognise or care for.
Family routines were instantly disrupted. The interlopers dominated the day. One morning, you watched one of them take a special plate your grandmother had given you, then carelessly drop it, where it smashed into a thousand tiny pieces. They grunted with minor annoyance. It meant nothing to them, but silently it broke your heart as you saw the destroyed remnants of your grandmothers delicate plate scatter all over the kitchen floor.
You watched helplessly as they repainted the house in dark colours, including the wall with the special pencil markings where you had measured the kids heights every year.
As the days and weeks and months passed by, the house descended further into chaos and disrepair. The vine over the verandah began to wither. The grass died off. Your once peaceful family home - your oasis - was disappearing before your eyes.
You were daunted and intimidated, but also deeply upset. Occasionally you would try to argue or fight back against the intruders, but that resistance always came with consequences. Lots of consequences.
At first you and your family were allowed to huddle all together in the guest room down the back of the house. But soon the intruders expanded in number and you were forced out of the house and into the tin shed down the back of the yard. You had little access to the fridge from there and no laundry or working bathroom.
The creek was drying up and the trees were felled. No longer could you hear the birds of a morning. The animals moved away. Over time, you became sick. Some of your family members died from strange illnesses the intruders brought with them. It became harder and harder to get the supplies you needed to eat and live and look after your family.
Meanwhile, more of them moved into the house.
Some of them noticed your kids looked dirty and unfed and unschooled. They would comment and sneer and judge. But instead of bringing you supplies or communicating kindly with you, they came and took some of the kids away. When you protested, they beat you. They said they would raise them better than you ever could and they were taking them away to teach them the right way to live.
You howled with grief each night. A grief that never went away. You never stopped missing them. Or loving them. You wondered what they were doing and how they were being treated. And if they would remember you.
At times, members of your family would protest the behaviour of the intruders. But this resistance was usually either ignored, ridiculed, or violently defeated.
At one point, one of the intruders offered an option: to sign a contract where you agreed to come and live in the big house with them, as long as you didnt communicate with anyone in the shed, stopped using the family language, and adopted the ways of life of an intruder. It was a tough decision. There seemed no right answer and certainly no answer without lingering consequences. With little hope left, some members of your family decided to take up the offer. You knew they were just trying to find a way through a seemingly impossible situation, but that broke your heart too. And you missed them as well.
As the years passed, you adapted as best you could to life in the shed, but never forgetting where you had come from. You observed the way of life of the intruders. You learnt their language. You took on some of their ways of being out of necessity to survive. Some of your family struggled - they developed significant health issues, or they rebelled and got into more trouble from the intruders, or they died. You couldnt even access the special family burial plot on the hillside when that happened to give them a proper farewell.
As you grew older, some days you were sad, some days you were angry, some days you were defeated, some days you were lonely, some days you were grieving, some days you were lost. And sometimes, you were all of these things all at once.
But while some of the details in your memories had faded with time, your connection to the house remained strong. You never forgot how it used to be. What it could be.
And slowly, very slowly, over time, you also saw some small steps of progress being made. Possibly a window of opportunity. A way to ensure the beauty of the house was not lost forever.
You watched on.
You watched and learnt.
And one day you felt ready.
You knew there was no option to take the house back the same way the intruders had come in. It was far too late for that. You knew there would be broken pieces inside; some things that would never be able to be repaired. But you also knew that if you acted now, it would not be too late - there would still be some things there that could be restored, for you and your children and their children. And maybe, just maybe, you could restore some peace.
And so you thought about what you would do and how you would do it.
You were less in number now. But you remembered how beautiful that house could be and the life that could be still left in it. It drove you to find a way forward.
So instead of blazing in with weapons to seize control like the intruders did, you asked. You asked for your house back. Or at least, part of your house back. For a chance to help restore it to its former glory. That it might not be too late.
You talked about your memories of the house. You offered to share some of the goodness the house brought. You thought you might be able to resuscitate the vine on the verandah; it would take time, of course, but as long as there was still a root or a remnant left, you could make it grow again and the shade would eventually return in the summertime. You knew with your grandads special tool you could fix the broken doorway. And by ensuring there was an annual cleanout of the chimney, probably get the fireplace going again.
You had so much wisdom to share.
And so, you asked.
You knew it was not possible for the intruders to go elsewhere; it was too late for them to go back from wherever theyd come from. Over the years, theyd had their children in the house and this had become their home too.
So, you asked. You wanted a seat at the table to help inform how best to repair the damage, to save some of the special things connected with your familys precious memories, and to share in decisions on the future of the house. So there would be a better future for you and your family. And, in fact, a better future for everyone.
So you asked for a voice at the table. A voice for you and for your family.
You asked for a new arrangement to be put in place to govern the shared use of the house - an agreement - a type of treaty.
And you asked for the truth. For the intruders - or, given the time that had passed, the children of the intruders - to recognise that this house once belonged to someone else. Where it was cared for and loved. That someone else once lived there and it was taken away.
You had lived with unspeakable trauma, your family had suffered unfathomable harm, but you did not come in anger. You were not seeking revenge.
Instead, you came with a document - a statement from your heart - seeking a voice, a treaty, and the truth.
Good point but not relevant as such because it did not happen and I guess we will never know.
Cuppa,
Very well written and I guess further emphasises the point I was making.
I wonder what it is you NO voters are scared of. Potato head IS scared. He is scared him and his mob will lose control.
As Cuppa so gracefully described, lets not lose sight of the fact that we are all guests in this country.
Also for those who have issues with losing 'tourist' sites, lets not forget that the owners of this land did not read and write.
Therefore unlike the Brits, French, Romans, Jews, Muslims etc their history is written/etched in scared sights. Ours is written
in books - history books. Unless these are destroyed, our history is in print and available to be passed on to generations.
You destroy a sacred site, you potentially cause the loss of some history. Think of the pyramids and hyroglifics associated.
Why do you think climbing Uluru is now banned. Would you trample over history books?
C'mon guys you are and can be better then that.
Too long to read it all but the gist was obvious from the second sentence.
It is pretty obvious you would want the house back. If you got a little bit of headway then you would want more. Don't stop until it is all yours again. Maybe then you should be compensated for all the years/generations spent without it.
Turning it around, would you give up your house as you appear to be recommending others do?
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Saturday 14th of October 2023 02:23:05 PM
Cuppa, didn't realize they had Centrelink 65,000 years ago. Don't think they are treated too badly.
NO BODY is looking at refund, compensation etc. All they are wanting is
the opportunity to have a voice to advice governments how funds can be
better spent as opposed to throwing money and hope it hit target.
"Don't think they are treated too badly." this highlights the ignorance that
is rife.
Not about the money but more about spending it correctly for better outcomes.
Do you not do that now? Did you not guide your inform you kids when they were
young how to best get value out of their monies. Surely it's not that complicated
but the NO campaign mad it so.
Perhaps you should read it before commenting as you have rather than jumping to conclusions?
In regards to visitor numbers being down, it pretty obovious that the cost of daily needs and fuel, that coupled with the increased fees to stay at a caravan park.
Alas the media didnt help with highlighting the increased crime rates across the NT, a direct result of actions by the state and federal governments failing to listen to what people wanted to keep the grog bans and cashless debit card.
Re todays event whichever way the vote turns out there is one thing that is totally wrong No voters are not racists, if it fails then the sole responsibilty lies with two people Albo for failing to provide simple details of the Voice and Linda Burnie the minister for the portfolio, she couldnt debate their position or answer questions without reading from a preprepared statement, that didnt reply to the question.
Like it or not, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was by far the star performer when debating the referendum, she understands issues because she has the lived experiance.
Cuppa I could not be bothered reading your post and its easy to understand why.
-- Edited by Gundog on Saturday 14th of October 2023 03:34:51 PM
Never a truer word spoken. History tells that whenever there is war or similar conflict, those who triumph make the rules.
Here we have the vanquished, who we already give $123 million PER DAY now seeking even more, AND to be able to make the rules.
Much of this money is wasted financing "White Indigenous" people to strut around in the city, wasting taxpayers' money and bleating how tough life is for people in the bush, when it's likely that they've never even lived in "The Bush".
Having seen how dozens of houses owned by the Govt have been completely destroyed by these people I have little sympathy.
Floorboards used for firewood, then bedroom floors used as toilets, every window in the house smashed, new Govt funded cars absolutely destroyed and left upside down where they stopped.
And this is just the beginning, but I will say no more at present because if I got properly started I'd be here for hours.
As always, this is just a covert power grab, aimed at relieving the "Gummint" of more of OUR money. NO Cheers here.
Yes very easy to understand why Gundog.
We parked in an extremely wide quiet back street thinking 45° was ok, for a break before a long drive.
Only saw one person the whole time we were there who told us to park parallel to the gutter. A policeman.
Camooweal's only other redeeming feature is its toilet paper!
& if entering Camoolweal from NT.
You must not have looked at the content of the other 25 pages that provide the background for the first page of The Uluru Statement. It does not matter whether the statement is 1 page or 26. The additional pages set out more detail of what the goals are. And that includes financial reparations.
That background document was not for the first page of the Uluru statement from the heart, it was documentation of discussions which occurred in the lead up to the the 'Statement'. The Statement was & is a single page, & it says nothing about reparations. It (the documentation of discussions) has been misused by the No side to suggest it was something it wasn't & you are repeating this. Of course lots of things were included in the prior discussions, but not in the final statement. It would be foolish to think that there wasn't far more discussed than what was finally decided on in terms of inclusion. There will of course still be Aboriginals who think that reparations should be sought, but that was not the view of the majority & thus it didn't make it into the the Statement. Really such accusations say far more about distrust & perceptions of an enemy, & refuse to understand that those who made the statement showed a maturity you fail to give them creedence for, presumably because you cannot understand them saying (& meaning) that thewant to move on together as Australians. Not to 'inflict some sort of revenge'. Those who continue to think that reparations should be made will still be no doubt saying the same regardless of whether the Voice gets up or not, just as many will still be seeking a treaty. If the Voice fails to get up ,it wont change that . The Voice was/is only ever going to be a Voice. There has been so much misinformation & deliberate muddying of the truth. I'm sure whatever the outcome some will continue to make or repeat the sort of claim you have made, but it will never make it true because it isn't.
https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/factlab-meta/uluru-statement-from-the-heart-is-one-page
Anyway I recognise that there are some folk here who will never be open to what I have suggested & whatever the future brings will remain stubbornly where they are at now until the day they die. I say they, because although I am replying to you AWL, you are far from alone. And I fear the chance we (all of us) had today will be lost. I wish I were more confident that it will be otherwise. So I'll leave it there & bow out of this thread before it becomes another pointless bunfight .
if the heritage act in WA was any indication of what could be coming, the ink was not even dry before people were looking for loop holes to exploit.
I will quote Thomas Mayo from the advisory committee "IT IS TIME TO START PAYING THE RENT"
i think a can of worms has been opened and i can see trouble which ever way things go!
-- Edited by dogbox on Saturday 14th of October 2023 05:31:08 PM
Time to get really excited as the count developes. What an enthralling night for tv viewers, NOT.
the Uluru Statement
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331164338_The_Uluru_statement
NO has won the day.
As Gundog noted, the Yes failed, but I am sure that is not the end of what is wanted.
Plain Truth, that document is not what was released under freedom of infornation.
Whether the real statement was 1 page or more is irrelevant as those following pages show the intent (despite what Cuppa said). You would think the authors would know and two of them made statements that it was more than one page before it was an issue. The contradictions only came after the FOI release.
The Voice was only going to be the beginning and Makarrata was the real goal. acting as the umpire over negotiations between The Voice and the government. And it makes it quite clear that assimilation is out of the question.
Sadly, I think this referendum has been really damaging to the aboriginal people and has brought racism back more strongly than in the past. Australia is much more divided.
Anyway, I think bringing the discussion on The Voice into this thread was not a good idea. No more from me on that.
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Saturday 14th of October 2023 08:57:40 PM
Yes! We all now can breathe a sigh of relief. Cheers