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Thursday, 01 November 2007
Alcohol prohibition - Part 2
It has since become apparent that our Police Commissioner, Karl O’Callaghan, has not been fully candid with us. He made out that the shift of people out of Fitzroy Crossing to other towns like Broome had been very minimal. If fact it has been quite noticeable and it is a trend that is expected to increase.
A local newspaper has reported
“Tough liquor restrictions in a nearby town have shifted its alcohol problem to the West Australian tourist centre of Broome, where drunks are having sex and defecating in the streets, authorities say.
Shire of Broome chief executive Ian Bodill says there has been a noticeable increase in visitors disturbing the centre of the tourist town since an alcohol ban was implemented earlier this month in Fitzroy Crossing, 400km away.
"There has been a lot of public drunkenness and there has been sexual activity in the middle of town reported to us," Mr Bodill told ABC Radio in Perth.
"There's been defecating in front of the shops, every morning some business are reporting having to hose down last night's mess, picking up the rubbish. It's just unacceptable.”
The local police have also reported a significant increase in car stealing, burglaries, domestic violence and anti social behaviour in Broome since the alcohol ban started at Fitzroy Crossing.
This is a good example of social engineering using a very simplistic approach like alcohol prohibition. It will be interesting to see what it evolves into. It will be interesting to see what the government do as now there are whole new set of pressures on them. Broome is a high profile tourist resort, where the rich play and build their holiday homes. From a tourism point of view it is important to the state of Western Australia. There are many businesses and hotels there and many people have jobs there as a consequence of the tourism.
At this time many of the very tragic social problems of Fitzroy Crossing are currently marching in the front door of the town of Broome. That is certainly not good for tourism and could end up costing a lot of jobs and ruin its reputation as this idyllic place to holiday. The longer the government keeps the Fitzroy Crossing alcohol ban in place the longer these new inhabitants of Broome are going to get settled there. So even if they do eventually lift the Fitzroy Crossing ban on alcohol the new residents of Broome may not move back! The longer they are there the more likely other members of their families will follow them to Broome as well. The government can’t make them move back so the longer the alcohol ban is in polace the worse it is for Broome and its tourism industry. From a pure voter point of view it is better for the government to have a functional Broome than a functional Fitzroy Crossing. Even as terrible as that sounds.
Graffiti
13:40 Permalink | Comments (27) | Email this
Comments
It never fails to amaze me how people can just pretend that a serious problem like that will just go away simply because someone says so. If I were a business owner in Broome, I would consider getting together with my fellows to file a class action lawsuit against the government for ruining the tourist industry. What are those people supposed to do now for income? And yet the drinking continues. Brilliant!!
Posted by: Lynn | Thursday, 01 November 2007
I agree Lynn. People seem to see the "easy" solution, which really does not look at the whole picture. As Tony said in his last blog, people are not just going to stop drinking. They will use something else, or go somewhere else to get their booze. American found that out during prohibition and I don't understand why the Australian government thinks they are any better or smarter with their solution. Tried. Didn't work. Think of something else. Don't just keep making the same mistakes.
So there!!!!
I just get totally sick of ignorant people who usually seem to end up in government.
My rant for today.
Posted by: Madeleine | Thursday, 01 November 2007
Lynn & Madeleine,
It is that whole way of thinking
"If you make something law then sooner or later it will work"
Is just a nonsense, especially when you start legislating about human relationships and basic human motivations. The law is rarely effective in such circumstances and you have to deal with it in other ways.
Tony
Posted by: Tony | Thursday, 01 November 2007
I guess there's a part of me that still believes that politicians and government should actually have some brains !! Not that there's much to confirm that belief in our society today.
Posted by: Madeleine | Thursday, 01 November 2007
Hi all,
Havent really gotten much to say, but just wanted to check in and say hi to you all for some reason.
I enjoy reading what you all have to say in the comments of each post. You are all good people.
xx.
Posted by: kahless | Friday, 02 November 2007
Tony,
I was doing some further reading into what you have been saying and found this...
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070621/australia_ban_070621/20070621?hub=TopStories
It is from June (takes a few secs to load but bear with it) and the title is
"Australia to ban alcohol, porn for Aborigines"
Do you have different laws in Oz depending on your ethnic origin???????
Bloody hell.
Posted by: kahless | Friday, 02 November 2007
Jeez, sounds like the Broome of the good old days.
Good comment Kahless about the duality of the law. In some cases australian judges will incorporate into sentencing some aboriginal offenders the fact that tribal law requires that the offender must get speared through the leg. This still happens in certain crimes.
kenoath
Posted by: kenoath | Friday, 02 November 2007
Welcome to the British Colony of Australia Kahless.
The white man since they landed here 200 years ago, has been doing good things for the aborigines. Nine times out of ten the aborigines end up worse off than before the good thing was done to them.
This is so typical of what has happened throughout history:
1. Government orders expensive investigation into tragic plight of aboriginals
2. Investigation done and recommendations made
3. Politics and various interest groups get involved
4. Course of action begun
5. Long term outcome is the aboriginals end up worse off than before the original investigation was ordered!!
It has just been a downward trend for the past 200 years. I think aboriginal current life expectancy is 20 years less than the rest of the population. If this latest venture into prohibition shows that not much has changed at all in dealing with aboriginal Australians.
Thanks for dropping by.
Tony
Posted by: Tony | Friday, 02 November 2007
http://www.boxxet.com/Winnie-the-Pooh/Graffiti_s_script.1705pd.d
Found you here. Thought you would like to know. It links back to here. Kewl hey? You are becoming famous.
Posted by: Madeleine | Friday, 02 November 2007
Hi Ken,
Speared through the leg? Does the defendant have to agree to be judged by tribal law?
Hi Tony,
if you were the prime minister, how would you tackle these social issues?
Actually, do you feel they need tackling ?
Posted by: kahless | Friday, 02 November 2007
Holley Molley Madeleine,
It is amazing sometimes what you find on the internet.
Thanks for that
I will keep a watch on it
Graffiti
Posted by: Tony | Friday, 02 November 2007
My take on these social issues Kahless,
It seems to me that one would have to say some non-politically correct things and that might get me into a bit of trouble.
Even though doing the politically correct things with some of the aboriginal social issues has clearly been of no use. That is why they are where they are now to at least some extent.
Tony
Posted by: Tony | Friday, 02 November 2007
Tribal law is tribal law Kahless, however it does tend to opperate mainly in current tribal living areas, ie in the remote and fringe areas of the country.
The main issue with outback communities is the high incidence of child sexual abuse. There is an alarming connection between this kind of abuse and alcohol apparently. Something must be done in relation to the abuse sooner than later.
kenoath
Posted by: kenoath | Friday, 02 November 2007
Hi Tony,
Now I would love to hear what non-pc things you would have to say. Guess youre not going to blog them though. Shame. Maybe tell me after we have had that conker fight.
Hi Ken,
Are they saying that alcohol abuse leads to sexual abuse? Thats a big leap dont you think? Would it not be a case of comorbidity? Do you agree?
Why do you think there may be higher incidence in aboriginals? Or is that something again best not for comments?
Posted by: kahless | Saturday, 03 November 2007
Was posting something - and it disappeared. Oh well, just hope I did not press send half way through and now look a prize pratt. If I do, enjoy the laugh hehehe
Posted by: Queen Vixen | Saturday, 03 November 2007
That is the connection they are making Kahless. The aboriginal communities are terribly inflicted with alcohol abuse, thats just the way they live. Unfornately sexual abuse in these communities has been prevelent for many years. Alcohol doesn't make things any better. It doesn't seem that the community aboriginal elders have done anything to rectify their peoples plight and they are also wrangled in allegations of sexual abuse. So in their case alcohol and sexual abuse is a concern, whichever way you might look at it.
Rectifying the situation has always been a long term "treatment" plan in the eyes of the government, its just now that they are wanting to "stop the rot" in view of global humanitarian perspectives. And the aboriginal outback communities reacted by claiming the govts recent increased attempts to implement changes as a witch hunt. They referred to the government in terms of the Stolen Children era of the 40's and 50's. In those days the govt took many aboriginal children from their mothers because in govts eyes they were not living in acceptable circumstances. The children went to orphans and biletted out intto working environments.
There has been lots of issues and its a complicated affair where aboriginals communities have been stricken with petrol sniffing children, alcohol and sexual abuse. Did you know they have outlawed petrol from most of these communities because of the way children were becoming brain damaged from sniffing unleaded fuels?
kenoath
Posted by: kenoath | Saturday, 03 November 2007
It's one of those problems that everyone thinks they know the answer, ban spray paint, ban alcohol, remove the children. I believe it is a very deep issue, possibly cultural scripting. For that, there is no easy solution.
Posted by: Madeleine | Saturday, 03 November 2007
I agree Mad's. In psychological and cultural terms isolated communities of Aborigines tend to roll over continuing helpless victim status while govt steps in to do the parental thing and then it all backfires with on going rebelious behaviours. "the early white settlers took our identity away and we are going to be angry for evermore yer bastards."
or the Aust Govt "you have to live within respectable limits of our society or else" and "we are sick of throwing money at you"
It takes generations to heal cultural scripts or they never heal.
kenoath
Posted by: kenoath | Saturday, 03 November 2007
And I guess the problem is that no one can agree as to what these people want. Even the Aborigines don't agree. It needs a long term solution to a long term problem.
Posted by: Madeleine | Saturday, 03 November 2007
Hi,
Interesting comments. I think it comes back to an earlier comment of Tony's.
Us bloody British have a lot to answer for around the world. We seem to have messed around with too many countries and left a legacy of devastation in our empire build. My forefathers have a lot to answer for.
Sorry.
Kahless.
Posted by: kahless | Saturday, 03 November 2007
Most colonising countries do have a lot to answer for, Kahless. If it wasn't the war mongers, it was the missionaries. Two issues that have caused much hearache throughout the ages. I want you land so I will fight you and take it; what my beliefs are the only right ones and I will fight you till you believe what I believe.
Posted by: Madeleine | Saturday, 03 November 2007
Absolutely Madeleine.
I had better not start on the religion one though! (Particularly on catholicism.)
And we are still meddling in other countries affairs and creating further more complex problems for centuries to come. We just dont learn.
And when I talk of my forefathers, actually my paternal grandfather fought in the Boer war - he was a professional soldier.
Hope you are having a good weekend.
Posted by: kahless | Saturday, 03 November 2007
Hello Queen Vixen,
It seems that we did not get your original post.
And it was?
Graffiti
Posted by: Tony | Saturday, 03 November 2007
I was interested in your statement of 'sorry' Kahless,
A few years ago here in Australia we had the "sorry book" where school children could sign at school. There was one in my kids school. This caused temendous debate and emotion throughout Australia.
The kids could sign a book saying sorry to the aboriginals for what the white man had done. Some/ many said they had not done anything to the aboriginals so they had nothing to say sorry for. They were not responsible for what the white person did 100 years ago. An unresolved argument it seems
Are you responsible for your fore fathers's actions?
tony
Posted by: Tony | Saturday, 03 November 2007
Hi Tony,
Thinking about it, my adult would say no, I am not responsible.
Guess the comment came from the part of me that is feeling low at the moment.
ps I did type sorry again, but just deleted it!
Posted by: kahless | Saturday, 03 November 2007
Kahless you made me chuckle,
(About deleting 'sorry' again)
I have been wondering about your mood lately, hope all is going well now.
The other side argued that people were not saying sorry for what they had done personally, but more of a philosophical gesture of acknowledging what had happened over the past 200 years.
But the overall outcome of the sorry book?
Just more division over aboriginals and people getting emotive about it.
Maybe there is just not a solution?
Graffiti
Posted by: Tony | Saturday, 03 November 2007
I am glad I made you chuckle Graffiti; I like making people chuckle.
Though I used to like the phrase "every problem contains its own solution" maybe there isnt always a solution.
My mood continues to be very low. But I know what I need to do and that is something. Though doing something for the first time isnt as easy nor attractive as the phrase can seem to make it sound.
Kahless.
Posted by: kahless | Saturday, 03 November 2007
The comments are closed.