Comments on: Whitewash! Territory’s black budget underspend coverup

By: Edward James

Edward James — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

From where I am what I read from Mr Graham Ring from National Indigenous Darwin, and other sources I believe I perceive an unacceptable form of aparthide flowing down from the way our senior politicians are prepared to interpret the facts we are all well aware of.

By: Grace

Grace — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Perhaps Bill Cushing needs to attend another basic Australian Public Finance 101 course - so that he can learn about CGC calculation of disabilities as well as Indigenous Specific Funding.

Spending the Indigenous specific funds on anything but Indigenous people has a long history in the NT and the ALP Government is carrying on the tradition.

The difference between the ALP and the CLP is that the ALP relied on the Indigenous vote for its very existence, particularly during the wilderness years.

Senator Trish Crossin should be ashamed of her role in producing this sham cover-up.

By: Bill Cushing

Bill Cushing — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

The premise of this article, in relation to the Commonwealth Grants Commission, is just plain wrong.

The job of the Commonwealth Grants Commssion, since 1931, is fiscal equalisation. It recommends how Canberra's general purpose grants should be adjusted to enable -- not compel -- the States (and nowadays Territories) to deliver services at an average standard nationwide.

It recommends nothing about how much a Government should spend on this or that service; nor does it recommend any specific funds allocations for specific services.

This is basic Australian Public Finance 101.

Which none of those mentioned in the article, and its author, seem to have studied.

Taking on board the (recommended) CGC general purpose grants adjustments, it is up to State & Territory Governments to raise revenues and allocate spending according to their priorities and to be accountable to their respective electorates for these decisions.

Nowadays, all State & Territory Governments publish their budgetary information to a uniform standard, to facilitate that accountability. Published Departmental reports provide voluminous finer detail.

The possibility that the NT Government may be spending less in some service areas than seems desirable (in the view of some people) is fully open to debate on the basis of a wealth of financial information.

It is a pity that such an ill-informed debate is occurring in Darwin -- as this article plainly shows.

By: Edward James

Edward James — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

From where I am what I read from Mr Graham Ring from National Indigenous Darwin, and other sources I believe I perceive an unacceptable for of aparthide flowing down from the way senior politicians are prepared to interpret the facts.

By: Graeme L

Graeme L — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

The pity is that the NT Govt does get huge funding advantages because of the indigenous factor in our population spread, and yet in the last seven years, the NT Govt has been a combination of profligate in its spending priorities (as made clear in the minority reports of the Senate Committee) and totally unable to address the issues that finally had to be tackled with the intervention. Verging on incompetent!

Barry Hansen is so right when he observes that Labor solidarity is alive and well, and the profligacy of both Govts must be addressed as cheques continue to be sent out (to the selected few), inefficient industries get massive subsidies, corrupt neighbour countries get huge “loans” and genuine issues in remote communities get lip service.

By: fay

fay — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

For what it’s worth… even tho I’ve traveled widely and had six children who I raised as single working parent, I’m still trying to understand all things political, climate change, terrorists et al. I do know that even as a conservative I’m learning more from Crikey and Andrew Bolt than ever before. Go figure… Luv ya both and luv to disagree/agree with both. Especially love Moon Dogs.
As far as the ‘Intervention’ goes, I feel that this government may, considering all other problems, may put a lot of stuff, with the Intervention, on the back burner. This can’t happen. Surely we have to keep up the Intervention momentum or we will be, forever, the cruel nasty ‘stolen children’ bastards as being promoted OS via US/FR/UK et al, by a film.
More importantly, we have to look after our own whether they’re indigenous, colonists, migrants or refugees… this lucky country has this obligation.