GRAB BYTES MARCH 2025

Fishing and studying

How wonderful it would be if a university student with a HECS debt could catch the $1 million fish and expunge what is owed or will be owed to the CDU  for study courses being undertaken.  So many students graduate with degrees on one hand and many thousands of dollars owed – to the extent they face a burden of debt that will saddle them for years and years. HECS Debt is an albatross around their necks.

CDU again

I don’t sheet responsibility for the city campus development at the feet of Professor Bowman because he inherited all that planning and development from his predecessor and the project was on the way before his appointment. The whole focus of the Darwin City Plan was in place by then and he has had to wear some of the outfall. What is problematic is the over-focus on Darwin’s CBD and the desire of our city council and the previous government to build the place out like Topsy, hoping all that would help revitalise the city centre.

Security firm to provide corrections staff

Letting this contract makes sense in the short term at least. Corrections staff numbers needed urgrent bolstering and an infusion of security trained staff is certainly needed. 

Judge Charlesworth is a top drawer legal adjudicator

Judge Charlesworth is very worthy for mine. She cuts through the verbal fog and gets to the nub of issues. She is an expert at separating fact from myth in her determinations.

Port Darwin ownership

Maybe the finance for the Port of Darwin sale—or lease rescinding by Landbridge—could be raised with the former Chief Minister Adam Giles and former Treasurer David Tollner, who oversaw the lease of Port Darwin when it happened. At the very least, they could be asked for advice about what should be done these years later in 2025.

Obesity is a danger confronting us all

My Mother always counselled me on this issue  back in the days of yore with the words, “Yum, yum in tum, puts weight on bum”.

Mick Fanning injured in surfing mishap 

Reminds me of the saying “fools rush in where angels fear to tread”

Lee Point Fiasco

On again and off again. When if ever, will this development be completed? The whole issue has become shambolic in terms of oversight and management. We do not need this major hiccups to development.

2024 Most Powerful list

Well, as a long-time observer of the NT’s destinies and developments, I think this is a great list that accurately reflects the power, contribution, and influence of those named as the top 120 for 2024.

Knockers away

How about some perspective on this? Criticism of current CM Lia Finnochario is unwarranted and unjust. When the sale happened, she was a junior player on the then-CLP Government’s backbench. When the CLP went down in the 2016 election, Ms Finnochario retained her seat—one of only two left of the CLP’s massacre at the polls—and has spent the intervening years helping to rebuild the party. She has done much more for the NT than habitual knockers ever do.