Saturday Morning Rolls Around Again

Well here it is, Saturday morning has rolled around again and through the window it looks like the first day of Spring will be a fine one. Which, on the one hand is great I can go outside in the garden, but not so good without rain as far as the drought goes. I have been collecting rain running off the roof of my garage and the barrells that store the water are not much more that half full. Melbourne looks like it is going to have a bad summer, with little rain again this year.

I have just finished feeding my four legged and feathered friends and am just passing the time waiting to go grocery shopping.

What's happening in the news - The opposition leader Kevin Rudd has criticised George Bush for interfering in domestic politics for not agreeing with the ALP wishing to withdraw troops from Iraq. With all the Asia Pacific leaders including George in Sydney next week, the demonstraters and political activists have arrived in force and have already hit the streets. Meanwhile, our little leader John Howard has stated that he might expand the intervention into the indigenous community in the Northern Territory. According to the ABC website - ...during the week Mr Howard promised an extra 66 Australian Federal Police will be sent to the Territory.

Mr Howard has told NT Stateline, the Commonwealth is in the Territory for the long term, not just until the election.

"We will be making further statements about ongoing financial commitments, but it's a bit rich for the Northern Territory Government to be suggesting that this is just an election stunt," he said.

"That really is trivialising it and at any event I thought the Labor Party federally was in favour of it."

While the Prime Minister maintains his health check teams as part of the intervention will significantly improve the lives of Indigenous children, the list of NT doctors opposing them is growing.

The health checks for Indigenous children under the age of 16 are a key component of the Commonwealth's response to the Little Children are Sacred report.

The Federal Government says the checks identify significant health issues and plan follow-up treatments.

But the director of Northern Territory Renal Services, Paul Lawton, disagrees.

"We don't see any ongoing care coming out of that package," he said.

Maningrida doctor Paul Burgess is another who has spoken publicly against the checks this week.

Both men say the territory's doctors would rather see more money being spent on providing sustainable resources for doctors who are experienced in Indigenous health.

Meanwhile, Mr Howard has defended a plan to punish school truants in the central Australian community of Yuendumu community by making them pick up rubbish...


Somebody should tell Howard about giving Aboriginals axe heads, blankets and mirrors why not it's worked before and Howard just loves the old ways of doing things.

Anyway enough of this, I better go shopping.

Bye until next time.