WHILE TAR MELTED ON THE DECK OF THE SHIP OF STATE TRAPPED IN THE DOLDRUMS , CATHY SAVED COOKING CURLEWS , CAUSED CRANKY BISHOP TO BOIL

Evil cartoonist  David Rowe , soon to be  flogged  by  Coalition  Funk Bunker  enforcers   for constantly   taking  liberties  with  the Ship  Of  Fools ; Corby shown rowing away  from  the  sinking ,  ratty  hulk . 

 

During the  current  heat wave  in North Queensland and the  meltdown in the Canberra   Coalition , the   MHR  for  Herbert, Cathy O'Toole ,   helped  cool down   gasping  Curlews  and  caused  the  tap dancing Foreign Minister , Julie Bishop , to  get her  nickers in a knot  (again )  and  boil  over .

When nesting  Curlews were  seen panting   in  the heat ,  a sandwich  board made out of  Cathy's election  corflutes  was  retrieved   and  placed over  a  distressed bird  sitting on  two eggs .  Not  only  did the  makeshift tent  (a  structure much favoured  by  the  Liberal  Party , Red  Indians on the warpath ,  Boy Scouts  and  kids on  church  picnics  )  shield   birds  from  the  blazing  sun  at high noon ,  it  stopped  a  large   palm  frond   from   falling on  top  of  one  sitter . 

During the  week , Ms Bishop  lost  her cool  during Question Time and shrieked  that  O'Toole and   two  other  Labor  politicians    had   been elected because of   One Nation preferences , trying  to hose down the fact  that the Liberals in WA  had   put  One Nation  ahead of the Nationals. Then  she  went  on  about  the  Labor Party  making  vile  deals with the  unholy Greens , forgetting that  the Coalition had recently relied on the  same  Greens  to  pass  a  few  bills . The  twitterpated   Christopher  Pyne   also  trumpeted   that   the Member for  Herbert  and  two other  ALP members  had  been elected because of    One  Nation  preferences.  

The manager of  Opposition Business  ,Tony Burke ,  pointed out that all three ALP members had  put One  Nation last on  their how to  vote  cards  ,  vital  information  which the Coalition   refused  to  have  tabled   and  included  in Hansard .  Let's not have the  facts ... the  crumbling  Coalition  crew  has  the  repetitive alternative  facts from  the Donald Trump  Handbook on how   to  hoodwink, to use  a  now fashionable  expression , hard  working  Australians .

AUSTRALIAN JUNK DEALER IN IRISH UPRISINGS

Former Melbourne and  Adelaide  antique dealer , Alan Jones , second from left in  back row , with hand  on  Irish wife  Pat, both armed with  a deadly weapon  , regularly takes  part  in  battles  reliving the   upheavals  of 1798 and  1916, which requires a   change in  dress  and weaponry  .  In  an  email to  this blog , Alan , who ran  the high class shop, The  Junkery ,  in  the  Golden  Mile  at seaside Largs , Adelaide , said the  day before this  photo was taken  they  had a battle with  the  Redcoats  at  Bunratty Castle  (" we  won "). Alan and  Pat  bought and restored  a   former  nunnery  at  Enniscorthy .

MISSING SACRED HOUSE MYSTERY

Darwin activist Robert  Wesley-Smith  is on  an  unusual , relentless  mission-to track down Uma Lulik , a  Timorese sacred house ,  built on his  property at  Howard  Springs    and  displayed in  Canberra  and   Sydney, where it  disappeared  after  going on  show at the  Powerhouse Museum  .   Even though  a Timorese project ,  Wesley-Smith , a  supporter of  the East Timor  struggle , as far back as   1975,  put  a lot of   effort  into   construction  of the   sacred building  and  dearly  wants to  know  what  happened  to it . 

 He produced these  1996  photographs   showing  Uma Lulik  in various  stages of  construction  on  his   rural  block,  named   Kdalalak  , coming together of the waters,  from  a  line in a  poem  by Timorese musician and  poet , Francisco Borja da Costa, killed by invading Indonesians in 1975.   Wes's  contribution to  the project  included  providing  materials,  tools,  food , accommodation  and  he supervised   placing  it  into  a  shipping  container  to  be  sent  south .   

Recent research   has revealed   the sacred  house was put back in  the container  after being  displayed at  the Powerhouse  Museum  and placed in a council storage area . After that , the trail goes  cold. However, Wes   says he was  told that  there was a   fire in the  council area  and  the  container  could have  been   caught  up  in  the  blaze. He cannot get  answers  as  to the whereabouts of the  container, if  anybody  looked  inside  it  after the   fire . He  wonders  if  somebody  has  the sacred  house  in their   exotic  garden  somewhere  in   Sydney .  

As an indication of  Wesley-Smith's deep involvement with the Timorese, he has been invited to speak  at   a  special function  in two days  time at the Northern Territory Centre for Contemporary Art  for the launch of  the above   publication ,involving The Cross Art Projects , Sydney ,   showcasing   artwork  of  Timorese , some living in Darwin . The  building of the   sacred  house  is included in the  publication  and  one  of  the artists  featured   is  Victor De Sousa  who  produced  a  video  on  Uma  Lulik . 

 

This blog has been made privy to  a most  unusual  art  object Wesley-Smith  made that  he will  take along  to  the  evening , which will be revealed   after  the  event .   

GREAT CONTENT IN NORTHERN TERRITORY PUBLICATION

An  outline  of  the  action  packed  life of  a New Zealand  born  man   who in  1895 built the Commercial Hotel  in the early days of the Kalgoorlie, WA, goldfield , then ran  hotels  at  Wyndham  ,   Cossack  and  Roebourne  in  the boom days of the pearling industry, arriving in  Darwin  in 1915  to manage the   famous  Victoria Hotel , deeply  involved  in   union  , political and   town  council  affairs ...A  letter reacting to criticism of   Xavier Herbert's  novel  about the Territory, Capricornia , which  won  the  1938  Sesqui-Centenary  Award  for   Australian literature ... A   fund  which   raised   money  to  send  an ailing,  elderly  Chinese  man  back  to his  homeland after  50  years  in  the Territory .

These   are   just  some of  the  interesting   subjects  covered  in  the latest edition of  Progenitor , quarterly journal of  the Genealogical Society of the Northern  Territory .    

In  dealing with  the  history of the Darwin Town  Council , the journal  has  an extensively researched  article   about  New Zealander   Patrick Brennan  ( 1869-1940) , the  person mentioned in the  intro   , once described in  a  WA newspaper  as a man  who always  wore a  boiled shirt ,  no collar and  a boater.


In yet another   dramatic moment  in  the history of Darwin , Brennan was in a deputation  which  called   at  Government House  on October  14,  1919  and demanded  that three top people, the Government  Director   H. E. Carey , Judge   Bevan   and      the Government Secretary  R. J. Evans  resign and leave on  the  next ship  in the  interest of  community peace , which   they   did . 

Earlier that  year, in what  was  described as the Darwin Rebellion ,  the Administrator , Dr Gilruth ,  had been forced to  leave   on the gunboat HMAS Encounter.     

The journal coverage of Brennan   includes  the Capricornia  letter , run in the union owned  Northern Standard ,  which  seems to  have been written by him , signed  P. Brennan , although  it is suggested  it could have  been  penned by his son .  In  it ,   the writer   said  he  got the greatest  of  pleasure out  of  reading  the  book and  dismissed the claim  it contained  the  filthiest of language  as pure hyperbole . It was a robust book for  robust  people , the squeamish should not read it ..."It isn't  to be seen  at  a Darwin cocktail party ." In congratulating  Xavier  Herbert  on the publication   of  this powerful and realistic   saga of  the Territory , he  trusted that  his next  novel  would be even more robust  and true  to life  than his first ...    

Brennan  subscribed  to  a  fund  in  1931  to  help  send  a  miner , Mee Wah , back  to  China.

LOCKWOOD BOOK REVIVES FABULOUS CROCODILE DUNDEE TERRITORY

The  first  book by  prominent  Melbourne Herald   journalist  Douglas Lockwood -Crocodiles  and  Other People -published  by  Cassell , 1959 , is about to  be republished in  an  updated  version by Westprint  Lockwood , a  Nhill , Victoria , based outback  retailer and  Kim Lockwood , the author's  son.  The end of each  chapter carries information on what happened to the people mentioned within  .  It will be published in  a  quarter  leather  bound edition  and  also a  soft  quality  version  to  suit  book lovers with  different pockets. Our copy ,  above ,   published  by   Rigby , 1963, the  dust  jacket designed  by  Gloria Brown .  

 Depending on the success of  this launch , Kim says  most of  the  other popular  books  his father  wrote   may   also  be   published.   Kim points out  that  Doug's   Australia's  Pearl  Harbour  , mentioned recently in  this blog  in  connection with the  looming  75th  anniversary of the  bombing of  Darwin by the Japanese , is still selling moderately well under the title  Australia Under  Attack , published by New Holland , which  also  produces  I, the Aboriginal .  

 

Lockwood   was  in  Darwin  the  day of  the  Japanese  attack and  while based there he travelled  far and wide   in the  Northern  Territory  , just one of his excellent  stories  winning  the  London Evening News  1250 pound  prize for the  World's  Strangest Story .

CAPE YORK TEMPEST

Lockhart  River .   Abra  Photograph 

POLICE BLOTTER REPORTING AND INVISIBLE INK ; MEDIA COVERAGE IN NORTH QUEENSLAND

When  brave Captain Cook sailed along the  Australian coast an island caused  his  primitive  compass  to gyrate, so he called it Magnetical Isle , now known  as Magnetic Island , off   Townsville . In the case of  Townsville's  modern media, with all  its  electronic  devices   and  networks ,  Magnetic  Island  seems to  be  off  or  under  its  radar .

What media  coverage there is  of  Magnetic Island   leaves a lot to be  desired .   In  the case of the Murdoch owned Townsville  Bulletin  it  does   give  occasional   space to  typical  real  estate  articles  at   holiday periods  and gave front page treatment   to  a yarn about    Tiger Sharks  caught  off  the island  ;  not much can  be  said  about  the  Townsville TV stations .  Channel 7 ends  its  daily  broadcast with a  round up of fuel prices in the  viewer  area  which  never  includes   the  much  higher  prices on   Magnetic  Island, a  subject which  needs  investigation , as  does  the   fuel  price  impact on the cost of  living  and  building materials  on  Palm  Island .    

There  is  a  weekly  publication, Community News , which claims to be Magnetic Island's   local  newspaper  since 1989 that  contains a  regular  column  headed POLICE REPORT   in which crime  reports  give the impression of  being  highly  sanitised .   You  have to wonder  who compiles  the  column  as  it   is  obviously  not  written  by   an  inquiring reporter. Apart  from regularly opening with  a   statement   saying  it has been a busy week for  police , it  usually  then runs  extremely  brief   paragraphs  about   incidents,  hence  the  feeling  that it  has  been  compiled  from  a  New York  police  charge sheet of  yesteryear  . Some examples :

* Over the recent  festive  season  the  community  sheet  dutifully recorded that  police had  on December  29  "attended a  sudden  death  in Nelly  Bay "  and a report was being prepared for the coroner . No  name , no age , no  gender  - a local ? a  holidaying  southerner ?   No   follow up.  Not  picked up  by   Townsville  media . 

 

However,  while  the  death  on the island   may  have been  sudden ,  the  word is it was  not  detected  for  some  time .  Holidaymakers   complained  about  a  terrible  smell  and   were  told it  was a   problem   with   the  sewerage  system . From  time  to  time in  national  media there are  reports about  how  shocking  it is  that  somebody  died  alone  and  nobody knew  for  ages , this could have been a similar  situation .   

* Numerous  people  assaulted  on the roadway  near  old helipad  between  1am-1.30am  January  22 , another  small  island  item .   Surprisingly , no  follow up, no  further details.    Not  picked up  by Townsville  media .  Imagine  if  " numerous  people " were  assaulted  somewhere  in  Townsville,  Cairns , Sydney,  Brisbane , Washington , Bourke  there  would be  extensive  media  coverage , follow  ups . What  is  the  story  here ??????

*  At a time when  domestic  violence is receiving much attention throughout the nation , there are  not  infrequent ,  brief  mentions of  such events on the  island in  the police reports .  Not published  anywhere   was  the  recent   episode  where  a  woman , carrying a six weeks old  baby ,  another  young  child  alongside  her , ran  screaming  down  a street  calling for  somebody to call  the police .  Another  hearsay  report of  a man  regularly seen  "punching the shit out  of  a woman"in  a  residence.  A former editor of the Townsville Bulletin   was made  a member of  a  Queensland   domestic  violence advisory panel so you would think  that the paper would  have an interest in the  island situation , the facilities  and  services , if any , for women the victims of violence  on  the  island .  

* Not  covered   in  any  way was an episode  in which  an area was   rocked by shouting , screaming , and  a  person emerged  from a house  armed with a star picket  and  was  seen running down a street   shouting  at  a   man  that  he  only came  round  for  a  bong . Nearby residents were  told  by police following  day  to  lock  their  houses   like  fortresses  because  of  thefts , people  roaming about .

*Island  talk  is about  ice dealers ,  concerns that children are being exposed to drugs , trespassing on  properties ,  shoplifting , gas  bottles   being stolen , CCTV  being   installed  in   houses and  business premises , a vehicle fire bombed, a  couple leaving the  island  in  fear   over  an alleged  drug involvement , a  house  widely  regarded   as   containing  a  large number of  " druggies ."
 

 *  While police   carry out  what are   described as   "drug raids " in   the  Townsville  area   and  elsewhere,  sometimes with TV  coverage  and  full details ,  an  event such as  this  is  likely to be  described  in the  brief   island  publication  style  as  police  executed  a search  warrant on a house  and  people  were  charged  with   being  in   possession  of  dangerous  drugs .  

 

*  During a  break and  enter , a  snake was  stolen from an  enclosure. Not  picked up  by  mainland  media .  Imagine what the Northern Territory  News  in  Darwin , another Murdoch publication ,  would have done with  this  story...SNAKENAPPER  ON   ISLAND ! 

 

What is abundantly clear is that  the  Townsville  media  does not  read  the   Magnetic Island  Community News  otherwise  it would find   a  constant  stream   of   interesting   and   important  community  stories  to  flesh   out .