Dear reader, another scintillating insight from the one they call ‘Frank’. In this one, he tells us what a boon the criminalisation of the entire male indigenous population by the criminal justice system and private enterprise has been for the NT economy. One may then pause to reflect on the shocking consequence of the fall of Kabul, the curtailment of free enterprise, (multi-national corporates) in siphoning rivers of gold from the governments represented by the “Coalition of the willing”. Hopefully they too may find opportunities for their staff and shareholders in the further opening up of the NT, (another place of occupation) to the wisdom of corrective and coercive actions in CIVILISING subject peoples. We live in hope. In a departure from our hands-off editorial position we include details of how to purchase Frank’s compelling tome.
Frank writes;
Amigos,
¿Y a mi que? (‘See if I care’ or the new generation’s ‘Whatever’)
My Yuendumu Story has slipped down a notch in Red Kangaroo Books’ best seller list. Mustn’t complain, it is still amongst the top five, way beyond my expectations.
Signed copies are still available from me:
F. Baarda ANZ Alice Springs-
BSB 015881 AC 550272713
$40 incl. postage (Please advise postal address)
Am told it is a great lockdown read (won’t argue with that)
Vincent Namatjira’s illustrated children’s book ‘Albert Namatjira’, the story of his great-grandfather, is one of the books that are selling better than mine.
Ever since I saw this (which featured in a previous Dispatch):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xeh380qdqZU
I became a Vincent Namatjira fan and don’t begrudge him in the least streaking ahead of My Yuendumu Story.
Another writer/performer I was a huge fan of was Spike of Wooloomooloo. Who could forget the Black Piston of Afrika in Puckoon?
I saw an interview with Spike once in which he told of his adventures in liberated France at the end of WWII. He’d been assigned as driver to a British officer and they found themselves at the advancing frontline when they came upon a squad of German soldiers with their hands up. “What do they want Milligan?” “I think they want to surrender Sir” “Tell them we have no facilities” So there he was waving them away saying “Shoo shoo!”
Not long ago I accompanied a friend to the Alice Springs Gaol where she was delivering some clothes to a prisoner who’d been slated for early release. All parking spots outside the gaol were taken up by prison staff, construction workers and visitors. The gaol was full and next to the Youth Detention facility they were constructing a huge $24 million additional facility.
It looks like they’re triaging early release to make room for the next intake of prisoners.
Incarceration in the Northern Territory has almost overtaken construction of facilities. When it does, they’ll have public servants standing out front of the gaol waving at the constabulary bringing in their latest catch- “Shoo, shoo, we have no facilities”
…They won’t build no schools any more, they won’t build no hospital, all they’ll build will be prison prison….
We sincerely hope the Taliban can enthusiastically find public partnerships and multi national agencies to further grow Afghan prisons after the withdrawal of western powers. One can only hope the integrity of “world’s best practise” prisons may be maintained and improved on a per annum basis to consolidate ‘public safety’ post intervention in the N.T.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z3sVa9SJkI Lucky Dube- Prisoner
Adios,
Frank