The following is the original letter I wrote to The Northern Territory News. It was never published. Hardly surprising, in retrospect, given the unprecedented stance the NT News has taken against the new CLP Territory Government and Chief Minister Terry Mills. Of course, I realise the political difficulties of implementing such policies. However it seems to me that Terry Mills is copping a ridiculous amount of political flack, yet failing to seize the opportunity to carry out real, and very necessary reform.


Also at the end of the letter, I have included the same list of ideas, but sent to all ministers, including the Chief Minister, and with a different covering introduction. Someone from Terry Mills' office acknowledged receipt of the letter, as did someone from Peter Chandler's office.

So, if interested: please read-on after this letter.

Dear Editor,

Now that Chief Minister Terry Mills has commenced reducing the massive Martin-Henderson Labor debt, I thought it would be a good idea to offer some additional cost-saving and revenue-raising measures, as well as suggesting some valuable structural changes he may wish to consider.

Hopefully, these proposals will be able to seriously reduce the NT’s crippling debt burden and set the NT up for the future prosperity it deserves.

Arts and Entertainment – Publish full details of expenditure in this area over the past 5 years. Hold a referendum and let the public decide if they want such expenditure to continue. If not those involved would need to seek corporate sponsorship, or heaven-forbid, borrow the funds and hope to make a profit from their production – like the rest of us.

Container Deposit Scheme – Abolish this scheme. It simply places an additional cost burden on Territorians and achieves nothing. We already have a re-cycling system in place by way of our existing garbage collection regime.

Climate Change – Abolish all departments, agencies, subsidies and anything else to do with the theory of man-caused-climate-change. The NT is only responsible for 2.4% of Australia’s miniscule 1.5% of world CO2 emissions, and since Gillard’s Carbon Tax is not going to stop “warming” why should we further damage our disastrous financial position by wasting money on such useless nonsense?

Electricity- Privatise (by public float) or sell off PAWA, either as an entire entity or in sections. Use the funds to pay off as much debt as possible. Fully open the NT electricity market to all players – thereby ensuring real marketplace competition.

Education- Issue Education Vouchers to all NT parents for use in the school of their choice. This would have at least two advantages: encourage competition and therefore better performance amongst government-run schools; and encourage the establishment of more private schools. The massive education bureaucracy, of course, needs to be heavily culled. I suggest advertising worldwide for Education Administrator – with a proven track record of delivering education at the coal-face at the lowest possible cost. Public-Service types need not apply – only private sector people. Such a person would be employed on a performance-based contract for 3 years, negotiable after that period subject to results.

Government Printing Office- Sell the Government Printing Office, or if I buyer cannot be found, simply close it down and sell the assets. Printing, like most government requirements can be contracted out as required. There is no need for the government to own a printing office, especially these days when all documents are available on-line.

Health Department – Drastically reduce the size of the massively wasteful health bureaucracy. This could be done, ideally, by advertising worldwide for a Chief Executive with an impeccable record of efficiency and good management in health administration. Public-service types need not apply - only private sector people. A performance-based contract would be offered for a period of 3 years, re-negotiable by both parties at the end of that period.

Insurance- Privatise (by public float) or sell off TIO. There is no valid reason for the NT Government to be in the insurance business.

Institute of Sport- Privatise this costly and increasingly bureaucratic body. Sporting clubs that believe in its existence could possibly become the main shareholders of some kind of Institute of Sport Co-operative.

Liquor Commission- Abolish the Liquor Commission. There is no need for a body to determine who can sell liquor and under what conditions. Let the market work as it should without unnecessary constraints. Police would come down heavily, using existing laws, on any bad behaviour by patrons.

Police – Advertise worldwide for a new Police Commissioner – initially for a 3 year contract. The contract would also be performance –based and include a number of targets, such as a measurable reduction in crime and verifiable cost savings by increased management efficiency. If after 3 years all the targets were reached and all parties were in agreement, then a new contract would be drawn up along similar lines.

Ports- Privatise (by public float) or sell off East Arm Port either in parts, by tender or as a single entity. There is no reason for government to own a port. A privatised port or ports would encourage far greater productivity – possibly going close to making the dream of an efficient “Asian Gateway Port” a reality.

Prisons- It seems we are locked into a contract to build a very expensive new prison. We must therefore accept that the taxpayer will be responsible for the eventual cost. However, there is no reason, after the prison is built, that worldwide tenders could not be called to operate it. There is no reason for a government department (correctional services) with a large bureaucracy and workforce to run prisons if a private operator can do it more cheaply.

Roads- Investigate the possibility of selling off some roads to private investors – thereby raising more funds to repay debt, and avoiding future maintenance costs. Tolls charged by the owners would ideally be set at a level that would be profitable for the operators and yet not too burdensome on motorists. If it did not stack up, forget it. But at least check it out.

Transport- Privatise as much as is possible of the government-owned bus services, if not all. Issue transport vouchers to pensioners and others who may qualify for taxpayer- subsidised transport. The remaining people would then pay a market-based fare.

WorkSafe- Privatise the services provided by this expensive over-manned bureaucracy. And then open up the safety inspection industry to the marketplace. There is no reason for the government to be involved in work-site safety inspections. Builders could even self-certify the safety on their sites – in a similar way that plumbers and electricians self-certify their work.

The above are just some basic ideas to help improve the productivity of the NT and in so doing make this wonderful place even better with a higher standard of living and a far better quality of life.

Big Government only “works” for a relatively short time. Eventually the money runs out - as has happened in every former Labor state in Australia, in Greece, Spain and Portugal, and of course is happening before our eyes under the debt-laden Rudd-Gillard Labor government.

Yours truly,

Dave Wane

25^th November, 2012

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Dear Country Liberal Members of the Legislative Assembly,

It was a feeling of great despair that hit me when I learnt of the way this new government is dealing with the financial catastrophe left by Labor.

In my view, this Labor-Created-Mess was a golden opportunity for you people, the members of the new government, to really bite the bullet and set the NT up as the nation’s only small government, with: low taxes and charges, minimum regulation of business and individuals, a pro-free-enterprise attitude and a place where the hard-working and enterprising could flourish.

Instead it seems Terry Mills and much of his cabinet have apparently opted for plenty of political pain, but very little economic and structural gain by opting for the usual measures of increased power, water and sewerage charges and car registration increases.

Surely if one has to suffer political pain (as clearly one must –given the repair job required) one must strive to rectify as much as possible and of course do it as quickly as possible as well.

Why suffer all this current hate from so many quarters, yet achieve very little, if any, real structural reform to the very bloated and extremely inefficient NT Government administration you have inherited?

With this in mind, and although the mini-budget has now been handed down, I thought I would put forward a few ideas for creating a far better, debt-free, low- tax, low-regulation, prosperous, enterprising and more free Northern Territory.

In my view, the period from Self-Government in 1978 and up until the mid to late 1980,s was, the best years for the NT.

Since then, government, and all the unnecessary nonsense that governments create, has stifled the proper realisation of the NT’s true potential. And of course, as Big Government always does; has placed the NT in serious debt.

 

 

Whilst the Gillard Socialist Labor Wreckers continue to destroy our nation’s finances, wasting ever more money on totally unnecessary nonsense, it is crucial that we get our books and our structure in order to help us withstand the economic meltdown that will inevitably result from their totally incompetent management.

 

Please read my ideas; and at least consider a very different Northern Territory; a far better Territory - a Territory where the dead hand of government and all that comes with it, is kept lean and mean – and thereby allows all freedom-loving, enterprising Territorians to go forward and help make this wonderful place realise the future it deserves.

Regards,

Dave Wane

12^th December, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Editor,

Now that Chief Minister Terry Mills has commenced reducing the massive Martin-Henderson Labor debt, I thought it would be a good idea to offer some additional cost-saving and revenue-raising measures, as well as suggesting some valuable structural changes he may wish to consider.

Hopefully, these proposals will be able to seriously reduce the NT’s crippling debt burden and set the NT up for the future prosperity it deserves.

Arts and Entertainment – Publish full details of expenditure in this area over the past 5 years. Hold a referendum and let the public decide if they want such expenditure to continue. If not those involved would need to seek corporate sponsorship, or heaven-forbid, borrow the funds and hope to make a profit from their production – like the rest of us.

Container Deposit Scheme – Abolish this scheme. It simply places an additional cost burden on Territorians and achieves nothing. We already have a re-cycling system in place by way of our existing garbage collection regime.

Climate Change – Abolish all departments, agencies, subsidies and anything else to do with the theory of man-caused-climate-change. The NT is only responsible for 2.4% of Australia’s miniscule 1.5% of world CO2 emissions, and since Gillard’s Carbon Tax is not going to stop “warming” why should we further damage our disastrous financial position by wasting money on such useless nonsense?

Electricity- Privatise (by public float) or sell off PAWA, either as an entire entity or in sections. Use the funds to pay off as much debt as possible. Fully open the NT electricity market to all players – thereby ensuring real marketplace competition.

Education- Issue Education Vouchers to all NT parents for use in the school of their choice. This would have at least two advantages: encourage competition and therefore better performance amongst government-run schools; and encourage the establishment of more private schools. The massive education bureaucracy, of course, needs to be heavily culled. I suggest advertising worldwide for Education Administrator – with a proven track record of delivering education at the coal-face at the lowest possible cost. Public-Service types need not apply – only private sector people. Such a person would be employed on a performance-based contract for 3 years, negotiable after that period subject to results.

Government Printing Office- Sell the Government Printing Office, or if I buyer cannot be found, simply close it down and sell the assets. Printing, like most government requirements can be contracted out as required. There is no need for the government to own a printing office, especially these days when all documents are available on-line.

Health Department – Drastically reduce the size of the massively wasteful health bureaucracy. This could be done, ideally, by advertising worldwide for a Chief Executive with an impeccable record of efficiency and good management in health administration. Public-service types need not apply - only private sector people. A performance-based contract would be offered for a period of 3 years, re-negotiable by both parties at the end of that period.

Insurance- Privatise (by public float) or sell off TIO. There is no valid reason for the NT Government to be in the insurance business.

Institute of Sport- Privatise this costly and increasingly bureaucratic body. Sporting clubs that believe in its existence could possibly become the main shareholders of some kind of Institute of Sport Co-operative.

Liquor Commission- Abolish the Liquor Commission. There is no need for a body to determine who can sell liquor and under what conditions. Let the market work as it should without unnecessary constraints. Police would come down heavily, using existing laws, on any bad behaviour by patrons.

Police – Advertise worldwide for a new Police Commissioner – initially for a 3 year contract. The contract would also be performance –based and include a number of targets, such as a measurable reduction in crime and verifiable cost savings by increased management efficiency. If after 3 years all the targets were reached and all parties were in agreement, then a new contract would be drawn up along similar lines.

Ports- Privatise (by public float) or sell off East Arm Port either in parts, by tender or as a single entity. There is no reason for government to own a port. A privatised port or ports would encourage far greater productivity – possibly going close to making the dream of an efficient “Asian Gateway Port” a reality.

Prisons- It seems we are locked into a contract to build a very expensive new prison. We must therefore accept that the taxpayer will be responsible for the eventual cost. However, there is no reason, after the prison is built, that worldwide tenders could not be called to operate it. There is no reason for a government department (correctional services) with a large bureaucracy and workforce to run prisons if a private operator can do it more cheaply.

Roads- Investigate the possibility of selling off some roads to private investors – thereby raising more funds to repay debt, and avoiding future maintenance costs. Tolls charged by the owners would ideally be set at a level that would be profitable for the operators and yet not too burdensome on motorists. If it did not stack up, forget it. But at least check it out.

Transport- Privatise as much as is possible of the government-owned bus services, if not all. Issue transport vouchers to pensioners and others who may qualify for taxpayer- subsidised transport. The remaining people would then pay a market-based fare.

WorkSafe- Privatise the services provided by this expensive over-manned bureaucracy. And then open up the safety inspection industry to the marketplace. There is no reason for the government to be involved in work-site safety inspections. Builders could even self-certify the safety on their sites – in a similar way that plumbers and electricians self-certify their work.

The above are just some basic ideas to help improve the productivity of the NT and in so doing make this wonderful place even better with a higher standard of living and a far better quality of life.

Big Government only “works” for a relatively short time. Eventually the money runs out - as has happened in every former Labor state in Australia, in Greece, Spain and Portugal, and of course is happening before our eyes under the debt-laden Rudd-Gillard Labor government.

Yours truly,

Dave Wane

25^th November, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Editor,






Andrew Tupper (NT News Letters 7th November, 2011) apparently believes in the theory that human-induced-climate-change presents some kind of future catastrophic threat to life on this planet.






At the end of his letter he even provides a website where readers can check out some of the dire predictions of the World Meteorological Organisation.






Andrew says in his letter: “Proper debate associated with the peer-review process is our best way of avoiding bullying, conspiracy, funding rorts and so on.”






Who could disagree with such a statement?






Although it seems to me that all the bullying, conspiracy and funding rorts clearly involve those who endorse (or pretend to endorse) and promote the theory and affects of man-induced-climate-change.






Those of us who do not accept the theory, generally, do not engage in any of the above.




Andrew would of course be well aware that there are thousands of eminent scientists all around the world – and many here in Australia who do not share his views.




However, forgetting the arguments for and against the theory of man-induced-catastrophic-climate-change, my main problem is as follows:



*Most Australians did not vote for a Carbon Dioxide Tax when they voted at the last election. Indeed Prime Minister Gillard told us there would not be a Carbon Tax under the government she led. She stole the election by telling a lie!






*The Carbon Dioxide Tax, now passed by the Senate, and when implemented will not reduce Australia’s Carbon Dioxide emissions. In fact they will increase. The Government’s own figures tell us so. Those companies that emit high volumes of Carbon Dioxide, such as power-generation companies will be forced to buy so-called carbon credits from shonky overseas countries just to stay in business – whilst at the same time increasing power costs to the consumer. This crazy nonsense will send billions upon billions of Australian dollars to overseas schemers who could not care less about Australia or the theory of human-induced-climate-change. The only beneficiaries, apart from these fraudsters, will be China, India – and in fact every other country that has not imposed such unnecessary constraints on their industries.






*Australia produces less than 1.4% of world Carbon Dioxide Emissions. If, one day, the theory of man-induced- catastrophic-climate-change is found to be true, Australia’s efforts would have had no affect whatsoever. Even if we shut the entire country down the affect on the world’s climate would not be measurable.














*The effect of this totally useless, yet dangerously destructive Carbon Dioxide Tax threatens the future prosperity of all Australians.










*Recently the Minerals Council of Australia has calculated that: “Australia’s GDP will be a cumulative $180 billion lower in 2020 rather than $32 billion lower suggested by the Treasury analysis.”










*The Carbon Dioxide Tax is Socialism by stealth; a climate-change Trojan Horse aimed at producing a massive tax grab for a hopelessly wasteful and breathtakingly incompetent government - with a bit of good old socialist wealth re-distribution thrown in as a sweetener.






*Whether one believes in the theory of man-caused-catastrophic-climate-change or not, we must stop this destructive tax.







Yours truly,



Dave Wane

Gillard and her Socialist Wreckers must go.

Dear Editor,


The election of Kevin Rudd in 2007 and then the eventual emergence of the minority Gillard Labor Government last year have in my view been major disasters for our nation.




As I see it Rudd and Gillard have in three and a half years destroyed all of the good work of the Howard/Costello Government – arguably Australia’s best government ever.




Nothing the Rudd-Gillard Labor Government has done has been of any value whatsoever to Australia or Australians.




In fact everything the Rudd-Gillard Government has done has been totally unnecessary and in all cases, disastrously expensive.




But this nonsensical tax on carbon dioxide emissions is without doubt the most unnecessary and destructive of all of their crazy schemes.




It will destroy our economy at a time when we need more than ever for it to remain strong -- as the world faces more dark financial clouds with Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal all verging on bankruptcy.




Fortunately, as current polls suggest, Australians have at last come to their senses and wised up to this incompetent government.



We now need an election as soon as possible to dispatch Gillard and her socialist allies to the dust bin of history.

Indonesian Cruelty To Australian Cattle.

Like all Australians I hate to see any animal suffer a frightening and horribly long death.



The cattle producers of Northern Australia are probably even more horrified at this totally unnecessary cruelty - having bred and produced such beautiful animals for export.


The cattle are in excellent condition when they arrive at the yards for shipment; are transported in purpose-built ships and arrive in peak condition - often putting on weight during the journey.


We are therefore doing everything correctly.


Some Indonesians clearly are not.


And to be brutally honest (as much as I like Indonesians) Indonesians (and Asians in general) do not have anywhere near the same concerns for animals that Australians have. Animal cruelty is all too common in Indonesia, and in many parts of Asia.


So what are the solutions?


Stop live exports - and rob decent cattle producers and Australia of an export income? Not very fair! Of course the cattle producers have already stopped shipment after seeing what happens to their beautifully produced animals - but in the long term?


Personally, given the amount of money paid to the Meat and Livestock Corporation by the producers to try and educate the Indonesians about basic killing techniques, I think those responsible for not knowing about these disgusting practices should be sacked immediately, and serious hard-working people who know Indonesia and know cattle - be employed in their place.


Of course, having spent a lot of time in Indonesia, I fully realise that whatever we do there will always be some sad and horrible deaths for some of our beautiful cattle. This is simply because once they arrive, they are often on-sold to people in small villages who are pretty much unconcerned about animal cruelty. This is the reality of a third world country.


I want live cattle exports to continue. But I also want better monitoring of Indonesian slaughtering practices.


But of course at the end of the day - The Indonesians do own the cattle once they arrive.


The only other solution, other than more effective monitoring would be to have Indonesian -staffed abbatoirs (with lower wages, and wages based on productivity) in Darwin and Wyndham - but with our strict killing protocols in place. Still Halal, but in a decent humane way.


Obviously the Unions would disagree.But everyone knows that it was because of union greed that Live Cattle Exports became such a huge business. Remember Mudginberri?

Less Government EQUALS Higher Prosperity

Ted Dunstan (NT News 19th May, 2011) correctly points out that small business in the NT and indeed right across Australia is hurting. Ted then goes on to tell us that in his opinion the NT and Federal Labor governments have done nothing for small business in their recent budgets.


I do not know what Ted would suggest they could have done, but clearly spending and borrowing more and more money, as both governments have done, is having a detrimental, not a positive effect on the small businesses of our nation.


Most thinking Australians would agree that Australia’s best years were during the period 1996 – 2007.


In those years the Howard/Costello government managed to pay back $96 Billion of Labor debt and at the same time provide significant tax cuts to all Australians in most of the eleven years of that government.


This tells me that smaller, low-taxing, low-regulating, well-managed government is the only way to achieve greater prosperity for the entire community and therefore small business as well.


The Big-Spending, Big-Government approach of the disastrous Rudd-Gillard Labor government and here in the NT the similarly wasteful regime of the Martin-Henderson Labor government only ever achieves tears and economic ruination in the long run.

Government should be lean and mean and hardly ever seen.

Marine Supply Base? Another union rort?

Dear Editor,

In principle I support the concept of establishment of an area at East Arm as a Marine Supply Base – to service the Territory’s growing oil and gas industry. It seems like a reasonable idea.

However one wonders what criteria the Henderson Labor Government will use when assessing
the three consortiums tendering to establish and operate the Marine Supply Base?

Could it be Henderson and his union mates will insist that this Marine Supply Base must be owned and operated by a company that has provided an undertaking to employ only union labour?

If this is to be yet another union rort there should be no taxpayer’s funds ($5 million in this years budget) going towards the project whatsoever.

A better, far more transparent way to help with the establishment of a Marine Supply Base would be for the government to call worldwide tenders from companies interested in purchasing parcels of land at East Arm on which to establish and operate a Marine Supply Base. Covenants would obviously apply, but even if a number of companies ended up operating Marine Supply Bases at East Arm, surely that would be better than one heavily unionized “government-selected” operator?

Penni is missing something and so am I

Dear Editor,


It is not surprising that well respected and successful businesswoman Penni Tastula is wondering whether she is “missing something” about the proposal by the Henderson Labor Government to introduce a Container-Deposit-Scheme here in the NT.


Well I am also confused and like Penni, also “missing something” when it comes to the need for such a scheme.


Recycling, if that is what the aim of the legislation is; is already happening in most NT towns. Two bins are provided – one for rubbish, the other for recyclables. The bins are picked up at set intervals by efficient contractors, and the cost is included in everyone’s rates. What is better than that?


Why then the need to introduce a Container-Deposit-Scheme? A scheme that will impose an additional cost burden on Territorians and force them to drive across town (surely increasing those emissions we hear so much about) with bags full of cans and bottles. Of course, that is assuming they choose to recover their deposit.


Why? What additional benefits will this proposed scheme provide? I suggest none. Actually, it is extremely likely this scheme will be a retrograde move.


But let’s look at the main “litterers”…..:


Will the people who litter most in the NT; those who can be found at various places in most Territory towns lying around with bottles, cans, wine casks, soiled clothing, used nappies and a whole lot more, suddenly make their way to the local recycling depot to return their packaging and receive their deposit back? We all know the answer to that.


Forget this latest crazy scheme Paul Henderson. It is unwarranted and total madness! And you probably know it!


Yours truly,


Dave Wane


9th February, 2011