CHAPLAIN : PENALISED FOR ATTENDING MEMORIAL SERVICE ON DAY OF FUNERAL

Are the Howard Government days of overseas trained security guards in balaclavas with snarling rottweilers likely to return to the Australian waterfront if the Coalition wins the election? It would seem so going on the hardline action taken by a stevedoring giant against members of the Maritime Union who walked off the job and held nationwide memorial services to coincide with the funeral of a member, Stephen Piper, 41, father of two children , who was crushed to death at Melbourne’s Appleton Dock, on July 14. He was the third person killed on the waterfront in the past five months.

P & O Automotive and General Stevedoring (POAGS) , chairman of which is Chris Corrigan , former managing director of Patrick Corporation , issued please explain letters, with an implied punitive threat, to those who participated in the services. The letters, sent to MUA members throughout the nation , including here in Darwin , demanded a response within a short span of time.

NSW Premier Kristina Keneally attended one of the memorial services , also held in Melbourne, Brisbane, Fremantle,Adelaide, Hobart , Port Kembla,Townsville , Newcastle , Darwin and Devonport. It seems no member of the NT Government attended the memorial service held at Stokes Hill Wharf. In Tasmania , Chaplain John McMath , spoke out about the heartlessness of POAGS and the lack of feeling expressed by wanting to punish those who attended memorial services .

He pointed out that the nation had rightly honoured a soldier who had been killed in Afghan during July , his mates attending the funeral service . However, in the case of deceased waterfront worker , Stephen Piper, the comparison had been stark and confronting, his colleagues penalised for supporting the dead.


MUA national secretary, Paddy Crumlin, was reported as saying the walk off on the day of the memorial service was not a strike. He said there was a yawning gap and inadequacies in state and federal safety legislation covering the nation's wharves, especially in bulk and general operations, after years of neglect and deregulation under the Howard Government years. "We're not copping inaction," he said. "The industry's safety record is appalling. We need national legislation. We need regulation that establishes a robust compliance and enforcement regime, supported by guidance material covering the full range of stevedoring hazards. We need the Federal Government to intervene."

Since the previous two deaths, the union had held national stevedoring conferences of workers to examine the safety issues and lobbied the government for national regulations.

TIMOR LESTE BORDER CONCERNS

From a reliable source, Little Darwin recently received a tip that men in TNI uniforms had crossed into the Timor Leste enclave of Oe-Cusse and burnt down three buildings. The incident, we were told, had taken place about a month ago . Straddling the border between the Indonesian part of the island and Oe-Cusse is a manganese deposit which is being mined in a wildcat fashion . Today comes confirmation that there is indeed a potentially explosive situation in the area.

****** Naktuka residents call for increasing numbers of police*Suara Timor Loro Sa’e, July 27, 2010 .- Local residents of Naktuka border have called on the Government to increase numbers of the Timorese Border Police Unit (BPU), so that it could protect them in the border area, as they have many times been intimidated. During a meeting with the state secretary for defense and the F-FDTL chief of staffs , a local resident, Joaquim Ninas , called on the Government to recruit more police officers to increase number of security in the border area. Another resident, Joao Mauno ,who had been many times intimidated by TNI soldiers called on the Government to set up security post in that area, so that they could remain calm.

Furthermore, here is a television report about the episode which is an issue causing growing concern in Darwin's large Timorese community and has not been reported in the Northern Territory.

*Naktuka residents call on F-FDTL soldiers’ deployment* Televizaun Timor-Leste, July 27, 2010 . -Following the recent threat by the Indonesia’s TNI soldiers, Naktuka local residents have called on the Government to deploy the Timorese Defense Force (F-FDTL) soldiers to provide them security in the border. The local residents made the call after meeting with State Secretary for Defense, Julio Thomas Pinto , and the F-FDTL Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Lere Anan Timur, in the area. State Secretary, Pinto said the Government had made policy on the deployment of the F-FDTL in Naktuka border, yet would take a longer time, as it would be discussed at the Council of Ministers’ meeting. Pinto stressed that the deployment of the defense soldiers would be in Oe-Cusse, not in Naktuka. Pinto called on Indonesia’s TNI soldiers not to make trouble in the border, as the border demarcation issue ought to be resolved amicably. F-FDTL’s Lere also called on the Nakatuka local residents to keep building good relationships with the local residents of the neighbouring country, because the border issue was the resonsibility of the two country’s governments to resolve.

Another report which highlights the seriousness of the situation is as follows :

*Nakatuka case, Horta blames Govt and condemns TNI* Diario Nacional, July 27, 2010 . President Jose Ramos Horta has blamed the Timorese Government, mainly the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Ministry of Agriculture, as they constructed infrastructure in the area which is still under dispute. Horta said the Timorese Government had made fault, yet Indonesia’s TNI soldiers should not use force in the border. “If there is any problem we can talk to each other, the armed force should not enter the country, no reason for this. Although Timor- Leste is guilty, as any ministry does not coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, yet is not reasonable the TNI uses force to destroy these houses. This should be about state relations, diplomacy ,not doing this,” Horta said. Horta also condemned the TNI soldiers that had used force to destroy social houses constructed [recently made the Government] in Naktuka area. Meanwhile, State Secretary for Defense, Julio Thomas, has called on the Indonesia authorities to investigate the TNI soldiers who had created a problem in the border.

THREE MEN IN A (LEAKY) BOAT

A veteran activist who often made the headlines in Darwin has driven into town pulling a Caribbean pirate’s ship disguised as an innocent fishing smack with more stickers on the hull for worthy causes and appeals for justice than barnacles on the Queen Mary. The skipper is Dr John Tomlinson, former Senior Lecturer-Social Policy, School of Humanities and Human Services, Queensland University of Technology . On arrival back in his old hunting ground, he promptly fired a broadside , via a letter to the NT News editor, at the “ rich and powerful ” over the pollution of NT waterways and plans for development of Darwin Harbour which includes blasting the bottom three times a day for 14 months to clear the way for super tankers.

From Brazil to Bobonaro , Borroloola , Bagot , Berrimah , the bush and beyond , Dr Tomlinson has campaigned long and hard for oppressed people and against the entrenched arrogance and blindness of institutions, governments, politicians and big business . Many of his Territory campaigns were carried out in company with another well known Darwin activist , Rob Wesley-Smith.

In fact , the two were arrested by Customs when attempting to run medical supplies by boat to East Timor. Another amazing episode - their move to set up the NT Council of Civil Liberties – so upset the police that the gendarmes stacked the first meeting , elected most of the interim office bearers , and thought they had stymied those annoying twosome. What transpired is now unclear because of the passage of time and varying recollections. However, along came Cyclone Tracy, and in the chaos which ensued , a strategic advert appeared saying there would be another meeting of the NT Council of Civil Liberties in Brown’s Mart , which went unnoticed by the police. Not so John and Wes , who forced entry to the building with supporters and voted in a new committee . The present NT Administrator was somehow involved in the amusing caper .


The man-o-war which Dr Tomlinson brought to Darwin is currently careened in the leafy Wesley-Smith rural estate , waiting for the wind to drop to enable a fishing trip to the Peron Islands.

This one-eyed writer had the pleasure of a salty session with Dr Tomlinson and the recently doctored Wesley-Smith during which an inspection was made of the doc’s vessel,called the White Knight , which conjures up the image of a dashing crusader who , with a theatrical flourish, gallantly picks up a damsel’s stray garter from the cobblestones .

Alas and alack , there is no such honourable story behind the boat’s entry in Lloyd’s Registry of Shipping. Originally , the boat was merely painted white . Dr Tomlinson’s previous boat bore the unusual name, Yellow Peril , because it was painted in that hue. A military alert went out each time he returned from a Top End fishing trip and over the radio announced , “ This is Yellow Peril about to enter Darwin Harbour. ”

A feminist , who obviously delights in cutting sea-going males down to size, suggests the current vessel name is too chauvinist . As John tows the White Knight with a Toyota Troop Carrier , she maintains she should be entitled to announce , “Here comes Droopy , driving his Troopie , dragging his White Nighty.”

* Part 2 of this sea shanty shall appear before the doldrums arrive and residents begin voluntarily walking the plank. It will include details of Dr Tomlinson’s paper recently delivered to an international organisation in Brazil to advance the living conditions of a large part of the world , Darwin newspaper anecdotes , assorted Wesley-Smith inventions and the story behind the hat with a hole in the crown.

CARTOONIST PREDICTS FUTURE

The many skills of artist Royle Salt were praised when we unveiled Little Darwin's new home page with the above striking drawing of our editorial luminaries. At the time of launching the blog front we did not realise that Salt can also predict the future . We wondered why he included candles in the cartoon , now we know - he could see the Casuarina substation Roman candle exploding during the election debate . We are negotiating a table for the artist at the Nightcliff Sunday market so that he can corner the fortune telling market and we will only deduct 25 per cent commission .

WEB OF POLITICAL INTRIGUE

Darwin man breaks into hysterics each time he sees the pop-eyed , anxious spider who can never catch the blowfly in the fabulous French Miniscule TV series . Why? Because the sad looking spider reminds him of a certain Territory politician who shall remain nameless . The latest, too short episode involving the thwarted arachnid , the smart blowfly and camembert cheese reduced the couch potato to a giggling loon.

DARWIN RELAUNCH WOWS NIPPON

Like the Northern Territory News , Little Darwin has undergone a major revamp which has made it the darling of Japanese anime fans. Pictured above are the two key literary giants on our staff- the tree climbing , banana eating editor and our foreign correspondent who was brought back to Earth and banished to the Top End after an examination of his bloated expense accounts revealed an enormous amount of expenditure on Mars Bars. Incidently, our editor's mother took one look at him when he was born, and immediately sold him to the Barnum and Bailey Circus . A lavish relaunch party was held at the rendezvous for Beautiful People and child prodigies -the swank Sky Tower penthouse - attended by members of Darwin's AAA list, firefighters, police , nurses , teachers, ambulance officers and a one -legged nurseryman from Humpty Doo who was fed to a giant inflatable crocodile by the fun seeking celebrities.

Our talented cartoonist, Royle Salt, is aptly named as he is paid peanuts considering his undoubted skills and will regularly grace this blog with superb artwork. Numerous offbeat graphics , unusual features and a condensed book have been lined up . Of course, the usual satire and spoof , our commentary on a mad, mad mad (exasperating ) world , will continue with contributions from a growing list of local and distant observers.

EVIL COALITION CREMATORIUM RAIDED

In a shock dawn raid, Victorian police have swooped on a suspected illegal crematorium operated by a ruthless gang planning to take over Australia.

Police have been informed the coalition of crooks allegedly incinerated some of its members, piles of embarrassing documents and gangland policies . Police also raided the Wollstonecraft, NSW, home of a former godfather of the bloodthirsty group who has been proudly photographed with an urn said to contain the ashes of the notorious London gangsters , the Kray Brothers. This same person wears a bulletproof vest and a box since a rival gang of cricket bat - wielding hit men threatened to rub him out at scenic Silly Point , not far from Kirribilli.

CSI forensic experts examining bones in the crematorium , made to look like a harmless bottle tree, believe they could be the remains of a former gang leader whose strange disappearance during a clam bake in a beach party has never been solved. Initial sifting of ashes has turned up the eye and wooden leg of a missing naval identity and the charred remains of a Republican flag .

Stunned neighbours told Little Darwin’s police roundsman , Elliott Ness, the bottle tree has been belching smoke like an old powerhouse running on clean green coal in the last week. As a result, some residents had wanted it turned into a religious shrine , a memorial to the Spanish Inquisition. Police working round the clock on the spooky true blue crematorium site will be paid triple time, receive dirt money , provided with a large bag of roasting marshmallows and other workers' benefits .