The Best of the
Northern Territory
02 February 2000
TERRITORIAN INSTITUTIONS UNDER THREAT
Territorians have long had a reputation for being the Australians most likely to be paralytic from excesses in alcohol, drive while drunk, smoke compulsively, become obese, shoot anything that moves, drown cats and do deals with politicians.
But it appears as though these institutions are under severe threat.
Page 1 of the Northern Territory News - 'Territory: grog capital, but falling'
Page 2 - 'Petrol, beer, smokes, rates all up today'
Page 5 - 'Smokers give fags the flick'
Per capita pure alcohol consumption declined from 17.8L/year to 14.55L from 1991 to 1996. This compared to a national average of 7.55L/year. But now in 2000,only Aboriginal Territorians continue to wave the flag with consumption 1.97 times the Australia average while other Territorians have slumped to 1.43 times the average.
And with prices going up, more interest hikes, is it any wonder that smokers are losing their will as well. Will Darwin see a successful non-smoking bar yet? Apparently there were 200 phone calls from Territorians trying to quit smoking between 28 December and 31 January. Shame Shame Shame.
Our Chief Minister has even announced that the Palmerston health unit will happen over the next 12 months. Lets not be cynical about a forthcoming election.
But the decline into civilisation is worrying. We have a candidate for Lord Mayor that likes cats. Can this really be true. Johnny has taken away our guns and some of the community wants accountability in government.
And to top it off - the NT Government is thinking of introducing a demerit system for motorists.
SHAME SHAME SHAME