Talk of a Territory town is an episode in which a woman bopped a man on the head with a bottle of wine at a popular eatery renowned for serving up steak. Guffawing workmates have described the event as the romantic night Meathead met tasty Cab Sav . He has gone on four months’ long service leave from his responsible government job during which time it is expected that a respected phrenologist will read the bumps on his head to see what the future has in store for him.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
PREPARING FOR VARIOUS DISASTERS
Due to its strategic position, Darwin, with medical and military resources, has and will be involved in further disasters, both natural and man-made. The Bali bombings, Aceh, the attempted assassination of Jose Ramos Horta in Timor Leste are examples of events which have involved the Territory. The plight of so many people after earthquakes, cyclones and the tsunami in places like Samoa , American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Manila , Vietnam and Sumatra may well see Darwin involved in relief and medical roles.
Almost unnoticed on our doorstep is Papua New Guinea ,exhibiting the signs of a potential failed state. There were riots there at the recent Australian Prime Minister’s X111 match against the locals. Many government services are stretched to the limit. The recent crash of a plane on the Kokoda run again revealed that the PNG aviation crash investigation office is run on a shoestring . Medical facilities are sorely lacking, as revealed by the current cholera /swine flu outbreak.
An academic who made the call for Australia to draw up contingency plans to deal with a failed state in PNG , population 5,000,000 , received death threats and was forced to leave the country. He came to Darwin for a time . Disenchanted with the Darwin academic scene, he departed . If his fears for PNG eventuate, the NT could find itself involved in a mammoth task .
On the home front , Chief Minister Paul Henderson recently flew to Canberra to learn about the new national emergency warning system (NEWS) , designed to deliver warnings to landlines and mobile phones. As they say, we live in interesting and tough times for so many.
Almost unnoticed on our doorstep is Papua New Guinea ,exhibiting the signs of a potential failed state. There were riots there at the recent Australian Prime Minister’s X111 match against the locals. Many government services are stretched to the limit. The recent crash of a plane on the Kokoda run again revealed that the PNG aviation crash investigation office is run on a shoestring . Medical facilities are sorely lacking, as revealed by the current cholera /swine flu outbreak.
An academic who made the call for Australia to draw up contingency plans to deal with a failed state in PNG , population 5,000,000 , received death threats and was forced to leave the country. He came to Darwin for a time . Disenchanted with the Darwin academic scene, he departed . If his fears for PNG eventuate, the NT could find itself involved in a mammoth task .
On the home front , Chief Minister Paul Henderson recently flew to Canberra to learn about the new national emergency warning system (NEWS) , designed to deliver warnings to landlines and mobile phones. As they say, we live in interesting and tough times for so many.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
TALENTED REBEL HORIZONTAL EDITOR
The name of controversial journalist, publisher and “ spy “ -Maxwell Newton- was unexpectedly raised during a Little Darwin trip down memory lane with a visiting female scribe in a top position. She surprised by revealing that she had once worked for the late Newton, a powerful person in political and financial circles in the l960s .
An unusual interview helped her secure the job with the brilliant and influential publisher who was both a workaholic and an alcoholic. He was stretched out , flat on his back on a table . It was no Hollywood casting couch situation, he was just resting after putting to bed one of his publications, and needed to take a break. She was not hired on the spot , but several people informed her that they had heard she was going to work for Maxwell Newton, he probably having let it slip in places where journos gathered to slake their thirst. And so it came to pass . Working for the Newton dynamo was always lively and interesting . Early in his career he published several profitable country weeklies in Canberra . Well written newsletters with strong political and economic news were another source of income .
As the tireless managing editor of the Fairfax owned Australian Financial Review he built up its circulation, turned it into a daily, and attracted top writers, one being Max Walsh . When the conservative Sydney Morning Herald fell out with Prime Minister Robert Menzies over the l961 credit squeeze it directed Newton, who had written speeches for Dr Evatt, to help the ALP leader Arthur “ Cocky ”“ Calwell in his election campaign. With the SMH backing Labor , the government scraped home with a two seat majority.
Fed up with the Fairfax camp, where he said company policies , made by men not competent, after non- rational consideration , were handed down , like tablets, from one man, he quit. The departure of Newton caused some deep soul searching within the upper echelons of Fairfax and a power struggle. Newton became Murdoch’s founding editor of The Australian , the paper launched on July 15,l964,when it was produced in Canberra to challenge the Fairfax hold on the national capital.
During that demanding period , Murdoch was sometimes seen at Canberra airport in his pyjamas at night trying to get the paper’s matrices on a plane to Sydney and Melbourne , despite fog threatening to close the drome. Newton usually did not get to bed until 2.30am and was reportedly woken at 8.30am by Murdoch telling him what was wrong with the paper. Newton resigned in March l965 because of Murdoch’s complete direction of every aspect of the paper.
Newton obviously knew how to pick women with talent and potential. Apart from our friend who saw him stretched out like a talking cadaver in a morgue, another of his staff , nicknamed Miss Moneypenny of James Bond fame, went on to be on the right hand of PM Billy McMahon and media mogul Kerry Packer.
After some health and financial setbacks, Newton, who joined Alcoholics Anonymous , left the country under a cloud, said to owe taxes , and ended up writing on matters financial for Rupert Murdoch in America as well as running a consultancy. He was refused entry back into Australia because of taxes he owed , and died an exile at the age of 60.
A documentary covering the disappearance of PM Harold Holt in l967 and the resultant jostling for power behind the scenes, stated that Billy McMahon had been blocked from becoming the replacement PM because of strong opposition to him from John “Black Jack “ McEwen , leader of the Country Party. There was talk of McMahon, watched by ASIO, making frequent visits to the residence of Maxwell Newton , branded a spy for Japanese business interests.
NOTE: Anyone interested in wanting to learn more about Newton should read his biography by his daughter, Sarah Newton, published by Fremantle Arts Centre Press, l993.
An unusual interview helped her secure the job with the brilliant and influential publisher who was both a workaholic and an alcoholic. He was stretched out , flat on his back on a table . It was no Hollywood casting couch situation, he was just resting after putting to bed one of his publications, and needed to take a break. She was not hired on the spot , but several people informed her that they had heard she was going to work for Maxwell Newton, he probably having let it slip in places where journos gathered to slake their thirst. And so it came to pass . Working for the Newton dynamo was always lively and interesting . Early in his career he published several profitable country weeklies in Canberra . Well written newsletters with strong political and economic news were another source of income .
As the tireless managing editor of the Fairfax owned Australian Financial Review he built up its circulation, turned it into a daily, and attracted top writers, one being Max Walsh . When the conservative Sydney Morning Herald fell out with Prime Minister Robert Menzies over the l961 credit squeeze it directed Newton, who had written speeches for Dr Evatt, to help the ALP leader Arthur “ Cocky ”“ Calwell in his election campaign. With the SMH backing Labor , the government scraped home with a two seat majority.
Fed up with the Fairfax camp, where he said company policies , made by men not competent, after non- rational consideration , were handed down , like tablets, from one man, he quit. The departure of Newton caused some deep soul searching within the upper echelons of Fairfax and a power struggle. Newton became Murdoch’s founding editor of The Australian , the paper launched on July 15,l964,when it was produced in Canberra to challenge the Fairfax hold on the national capital.
During that demanding period , Murdoch was sometimes seen at Canberra airport in his pyjamas at night trying to get the paper’s matrices on a plane to Sydney and Melbourne , despite fog threatening to close the drome. Newton usually did not get to bed until 2.30am and was reportedly woken at 8.30am by Murdoch telling him what was wrong with the paper. Newton resigned in March l965 because of Murdoch’s complete direction of every aspect of the paper.
Newton obviously knew how to pick women with talent and potential. Apart from our friend who saw him stretched out like a talking cadaver in a morgue, another of his staff , nicknamed Miss Moneypenny of James Bond fame, went on to be on the right hand of PM Billy McMahon and media mogul Kerry Packer.
After some health and financial setbacks, Newton, who joined Alcoholics Anonymous , left the country under a cloud, said to owe taxes , and ended up writing on matters financial for Rupert Murdoch in America as well as running a consultancy. He was refused entry back into Australia because of taxes he owed , and died an exile at the age of 60.
A documentary covering the disappearance of PM Harold Holt in l967 and the resultant jostling for power behind the scenes, stated that Billy McMahon had been blocked from becoming the replacement PM because of strong opposition to him from John “Black Jack “ McEwen , leader of the Country Party. There was talk of McMahon, watched by ASIO, making frequent visits to the residence of Maxwell Newton , branded a spy for Japanese business interests.
NOTE: Anyone interested in wanting to learn more about Newton should read his biography by his daughter, Sarah Newton, published by Fremantle Arts Centre Press, l993.
Monday, September 28, 2009
SPECIALIST DOCTOR OUTLINES NT CONCERNS; WAITING FOR INCOMING MAIL
The latest letter from gynaecological oncologist Professor Margaret Davy to her NT private patients speaks of reports from inquiries into NT obstetrics and gynaecology sitting on shelves “ gathering dust. " She says that for almost a decade , none of the specialist jobs in obstetrics and gynaecology had been advertised and made available to Australian trained specialists. While saying she had nothing against overseas trained doctors , the problem was that the selection process was not transparent. This situation impacted on the wife of Darwin Hospital oncologist , Dr Mathew George , who wanted to complete training in obstetrics and gynaecology, but has been denied that opportunity in Darwin. Professor Davy tells her patients that many of them would undoubtedly be “dismayed” to learn that Dr Mathew George will be leaving on November 1.
“I most definitely did not want to make this issue a political slanging match , as I was hoping that common fair play would prevail , but there continues to be an ongoing problem at RDH (Royal Darwin Hospital) with governance and accountability to give people of (the) NT access to the best trained doctors who are appointed on an open process.”
In the letter , dated September 17, Professor Davy says she has been humbled by various responses to bring into the open various decisions affecting women’s health in the NT. Then she sets out a “ factual record” of events experienced since her previous letter in early August.
In the company of Dr Jenny Mitchell , she had called on Health Minister Kon Vatskalis and his adviser to discuss various aspects of his reply to Alison Anderson’s question in parliament about her “dismissal” by RDH. The minister had told her she had not been “sacked”. In reply, “ I then showed a letter signed by Charles Kilburn, Maternal and Child Health, Len Notaras ,General Manager , Henry Cho, Obstetrics and Gynaecology , stating that my services were no longer required.”
The matter of culturally appropriate provision of services to indigenous women had been raised and the minister had agreed this was important. Dr Mitchell raised the issue that the male gynaecologists who were coming from Brisbane under the new contract were not going to provide a service for private patients.
“I most definitely did not want to make this issue a political slanging match , as I was hoping that common fair play would prevail , but there continues to be an ongoing problem at RDH (Royal Darwin Hospital) with governance and accountability to give people of (the) NT access to the best trained doctors who are appointed on an open process.”
In the letter , dated September 17, Professor Davy says she has been humbled by various responses to bring into the open various decisions affecting women’s health in the NT. Then she sets out a “ factual record” of events experienced since her previous letter in early August.
In the company of Dr Jenny Mitchell , she had called on Health Minister Kon Vatskalis and his adviser to discuss various aspects of his reply to Alison Anderson’s question in parliament about her “dismissal” by RDH. The minister had told her she had not been “sacked”. In reply, “ I then showed a letter signed by Charles Kilburn, Maternal and Child Health, Len Notaras ,General Manager , Henry Cho, Obstetrics and Gynaecology , stating that my services were no longer required.”
The matter of culturally appropriate provision of services to indigenous women had been raised and the minister had agreed this was important. Dr Mitchell raised the issue that the male gynaecologists who were coming from Brisbane under the new contract were not going to provide a service for private patients.
Professor Davy also pointed out the exceptionally high incidence of vulva cancer in East Arnhem women , at a much younger age. Reference had been made to several scientific papers .”We had also set up a national collaboration with Menzies, Royal Women’s, Melbourne, and Professor Margaret Stanley, from Cambridge, UK, the world authority , to try to elicit answers to questions about causality.” The minister had been given copies of these papers , and he was asked for extra resources to screen these young and vulnerable women .
She said a Queensland group was offering “academic and clinical services “ in respect of this matter . "NT Health are aware of the collaborative research we have been doing , but have not taken consequence of the results published in peer reviewed journals to direct resources to fill a demonstrated need for extra surveillance for East Arnhem women,where we have demonstrated an exceptionally high incidence of vulvar cancer at the young age 20-30.”
At the end of the discussion with the minister he had assured her he would make contact in the near future to organise further visits by her this year. Since her return to Adelaide on August 25 , there had been no communication. However , she had received notification from the NT Medical Board saying her registration was due for renewal. The minister had been faxed asking for information from his department about her future arrangements , as there was no point renewing registration she might not need. At the time of writing her letter, there had been no response.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
MORE CIGAR TROUBLE FOR CLINTON
Former US president Bill Clinton is the centre of a security alert involving cigars. The FBI says it has received strong advice that a fanatical Australian political organisation is planning to send him a box of exploding cigars because he said Prime Minister Rudd is the reincarnation of Albert Einstein , a highly intelligent dude , with the IQ of a herd of elephants.
The comment caused members of the shadowy Ranting Coalition Brotherhood to issue a jihad against Clinton. A wild-eyed member of the born to rule squad ,one of the few women in the Brotherhood allowed to wear lipstick, carry a handbag and abuse the infidel lefty media, said she wished Clinton would zip up his , um, mouth and stop praising Rudd. Little Darwin understands Clinton has been warned not to talk to any Australian interns and to dodge a large man claiming to be the new Australian ambassador to America who sports a cigar and looks like one of the Marx Brothers . There is an ASIO file on this man back in Australia which says his alias is "Bomber" and close friends call him the Mad Monk because of his odd collection of Russion religious icons.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
BIFF--SOCK--KAPOW--WHAM!!! NT HEALTH DEPARTMENT HIRES BRUTAL ENFORCER
In a brilliant deal worked out in a cone of silence at Royal Darwin Hospital , Boosh , the notorious , battle- scarred boxing kangaroo , has been given a lucrative contract to rub out the wallabies at the Tindal RAAF base. Boosh, fresh from appearing as a ruthless enforcer in the latest Channel 9 Underbelly series, will be flown to Katherine in an executive jet and immediately begin bouncing the bothersome bounders.
Boosh has had so many fights he is terrible to behold , with cauliflower ears, a squashed nose like a Pekinese , paws as big as Xmas hams and a rock hard tail which he uses like a Maori club in a brutal , one-sided clash between the All Blacks and the Wallabies .
Little Darwin can reveal that the NT Minister for Marsupial Birth Control , the Honourable , Ron Scissorfingers , VC and Scar , ordered the department to bring in Boosh to rub out the horde of Tindal wallabies which have disrupted aero medical flights. The sensitive minister insisted that Boosh be instructed to only bash the wallabies according to the Marquis of Queensbury rules, no punching below the pouch. At first, standover kanga Boosh was reluctant to abide by this injunction. He favours a quick smack in the chops followed by a ritual disembowelment with his sharp claws.
Little Darwin can reveal that the NT Minister for Marsupial Birth Control , the Honourable , Ron Scissorfingers , VC and Scar , ordered the department to bring in Boosh to rub out the horde of Tindal wallabies which have disrupted aero medical flights. The sensitive minister insisted that Boosh be instructed to only bash the wallabies according to the Marquis of Queensbury rules, no punching below the pouch. At first, standover kanga Boosh was reluctant to abide by this injunction. He favours a quick smack in the chops followed by a ritual disembowelment with his sharp claws.
Not only would this decimate the wallabies , their fur could then be used to start a new Katherine cottage industry making toy koala bear souvenirs for unsuspecting tourists . Any RAAF officers who have heads on them like wallabies have been warned to stay indoors when Boosh is going the knuckle on the base.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
RICH NZ POLITICAL PICKINGS
Sunken treasure and priceless politicians were among topics discussed when Little Darwin supped one evening with a visiting octogenarian from New Zealand . In discussing his family’s involvement with boatbuilding , he revealed that he knew a diver who helped retrieve 8 tons of gold bullion from RMS Niagara which sank after hitting a German mine off NZ in WW11.
On the subject of NZ prime ministers , we swapped anecdotes. He recalled the eloquent David Longe, in early days, corpulent, scruffy, with long hair . During branch meetings Lange would seeming fall asleep, his arms folded on his stomach, eyes closed. Then when the debate seemed to have ended , he would “wake up ”and comment on every point raised during his supposed snooze. Weight was always a problem for him and at one stage he weighed 165 kilos. A stomach reduction operation reduced his bulk . During his time as Labor PM he banned nuclear powered or nuclear armed vessels from entering NZ, which out him offside with America. A lawyer who represented people for a small fee , he had toiled in meatworks as a young man . Possessed of a quick wit and a great debater , he told a pro-nuclear interjector, " I can smell the uranium on your breath." The French bombed the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland when he was the PM because of the campaign against nuclear tests being carried out on Mururoa Atoll. Lange quipped that NZ was run like a Polish shipyard.
This Little Darwin writer attended a conference in the l960s when National PM , Sir Keith Holyoake , a former hops farmer, with a “plummy” voice, addressed the gathering . He went into great, almost orgasmic, detail about the impressive surroundings, even the heavy damask drapes, in a swank London venue where visiting colonial leaders were duchessed. Sir Keith complained that a nasty element had crept into NZ politics when “ offensive matter ”was deposited, not once but several times, in the drive- way of his Wellington home. It was not made clear if this offending matter came from some of the many sheep that are found in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Little Darwin happens to know that Sir Keith gave a glowing reference to an Australian journalist who used it to get a job on a Pacific island, but was asked to leave after he became a bit too friendly with the female locals.
The visitor from NZ with whom we had the entertaining evening asked if there was a “bump ” in the Darwin Airport tarmac because his Qantas flight had come down with a thump . We told him a Qantas plane had sustained a damaged undercarriage after it “ bounced “ when landing on March 28, 2008.
On the subject of NZ prime ministers , we swapped anecdotes. He recalled the eloquent David Longe, in early days, corpulent, scruffy, with long hair . During branch meetings Lange would seeming fall asleep, his arms folded on his stomach, eyes closed. Then when the debate seemed to have ended , he would “wake up ”and comment on every point raised during his supposed snooze. Weight was always a problem for him and at one stage he weighed 165 kilos. A stomach reduction operation reduced his bulk . During his time as Labor PM he banned nuclear powered or nuclear armed vessels from entering NZ, which out him offside with America. A lawyer who represented people for a small fee , he had toiled in meatworks as a young man . Possessed of a quick wit and a great debater , he told a pro-nuclear interjector, " I can smell the uranium on your breath." The French bombed the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland when he was the PM because of the campaign against nuclear tests being carried out on Mururoa Atoll. Lange quipped that NZ was run like a Polish shipyard.
This Little Darwin writer attended a conference in the l960s when National PM , Sir Keith Holyoake , a former hops farmer, with a “plummy” voice, addressed the gathering . He went into great, almost orgasmic, detail about the impressive surroundings, even the heavy damask drapes, in a swank London venue where visiting colonial leaders were duchessed. Sir Keith complained that a nasty element had crept into NZ politics when “ offensive matter ”was deposited, not once but several times, in the drive- way of his Wellington home. It was not made clear if this offending matter came from some of the many sheep that are found in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Little Darwin happens to know that Sir Keith gave a glowing reference to an Australian journalist who used it to get a job on a Pacific island, but was asked to leave after he became a bit too friendly with the female locals.
The visitor from NZ with whom we had the entertaining evening asked if there was a “bump ” in the Darwin Airport tarmac because his Qantas flight had come down with a thump . We told him a Qantas plane had sustained a damaged undercarriage after it “ bounced “ when landing on March 28, 2008.
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