G’day from sunny Yuendumu,

Just an update on the latest developments flowing from the dark event that took place almost six weeks ago in Yuendumu.   Yesterday I went to a well attended barbeque at the Yuendumu basketball court. People had gathered to discuss their proposed vigil outside the Alice Springs court house where tomorrow a judge will decide if legal proceedings of the murder trial will take place in Alice Springs (as requested by the Yuendumu community) or in Darwin.
Dark clouds indeed have silver linings. Just as bushfires are drawing communities together all over Australia, so too the Yuendumu community is united in grief and anger. Young and old, men and women, we all stand together. We have many friends all around the world who stand with us and this is greatly appreciated. Adversity as social glue is an expression of our common humanity. On the other hand the subtle and not so subtle misunderstanding and misreporting by the media and members of the public alike continues unabated. Despite these provocations the Yuendumu community is displaying a calm dignity which is awe inspiring.

Attached is an Arena Magazine article which is the best article about the Yuendumu events so far seen. It goes beyond scratching the surface and I highly recommend it.  The authors have been here and are friends of Yuendumu and have kindly given permission for me to attach the article. (Linked HERE)  If you have a few bob and a bit of time to spare you won’t regret taking out a subscription to Arena Magazine https://arena.org.au/subscribe/

I also have permission to reproduce an email I received recently from a friend. To protect the guilty I shall assign anonymity to this friend. Some of you will know who he is.

Subject: Fuck me Dead

I just heard on the news that Shane Stone was appointed to head up the federal government’s response to the drought. He and his gang of loony CLP pollies couldn’t run the NT. What bullshit, another example of the cunts in Canberra doing something stupid, that will cost a shitload of money, all just to appear to being doing something. We are governed by idiots that have no principles at all. Nothing new here folks, all things normal. BOHICAA (Bend Over, Here It Comes Again Australia), Fubar and Snafu time!

Nothing, nothing at all from this cluster fuck will hit the ground to assist those affected by the drought, which is pretty much everybody.

I despair.

Fuck me dead or stone the crows indeed! I had hoped to hear the last of ‘our’ Shane Stone who was the Northern Territory’s Chief Minister before he quit in 1999. He ‘went south’ and became the President of the Liberal Party of Australia. It is almost certain that he was Prime Minister John Howard’s tutor in dog whistling, fear and loathing electoral campaigns and playing the race card.

So what flummoxed my anonymous friend? An early December news report:

Former Northern Territory chief minister Shane Stone will lead the federal government’s response to the drought…. The agency, which was renamed National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency, will remain in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

A glutton for punishment I am- Twice now I’ve listened to a 10 minute segment on the ABC’s RN radio programme…

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/helping-farmers-in-the-big-dry/11782934

When Hamish Macdonald asked Shane Stone what his thoughts were on climate change Shane replied that the climate was always changing and whether he believed in climate change or not had nothing to do with his position viz drought relief and he then accused Hamish of having set up a “gotcha” moment…. Fuck me dead!

Bob Dylan- Rainy Day Women #12 & 35…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm-po_FUmvM
Everybody must get stoned….

Happy Christmas y’all