Category: Letters from Alice

Mbantua Festival was a real treat …. traditional dancers rarely seen from mobs all over territory, spear throwing …. art and craft, including on classic bush canvases …. car bonnet lids, discussion groups, good tucker and two great concerts including Missy Higgins, Jessica Mauboy, Warren Williams and bands …. Back to work really makes me…

Opening night at Mbantua Festival with first performance of the “Bungalow Song”…. story of the “half caste” children taken away from parents around the Central Desert to live at the old telegraph station …. a wonderful performance …. beautiful lighting using the verandah of the old building, its forecourt and surrounding desert to tell the…

Another week of varied activity in Alice with “Circus Oz”, an afternoon of great fiddle playing (with unusual “humour”) and local country singer sitting in the bush setting at “Olive Pink’, all male cabaret, poetry night, usual art house cinema at Araluen, Desert Mob Art festival, etc etc … plus local footy final of course……

Great “Bush Bash” Saturday with bands from the bush in town for a big gig sat night … highlight were the “Desert Divas” … young women with amazing voices and range of styles … Felt sad and angry reading the local paper last week with the comments by some locals and new immigrants when a…

“Was this a fundraising event for a bus?  A chance for CAAC and CASSE to promote themselves and get media exposure?   Or just another talkfest going no-where?”   Hi Judy Lots on last week with Festival …. on Tuesday night an Aboriginal friend and I made the effort to get to a forum in town…

Hi Judy Sad last debrief over a drink with an astute, honorable and very valuable mental health professional (Social Worker) leaving the N.T after some years …. traumatised by the dire situation for the children … but compounded by the lack of professional integrity (and competence) she encountered in so many of the “professionals” she…

Wonderful last night of the Desert Festival (Opening parade last wednesday with the giant caterpillar was great fun …. the kids from Mutijulu in from the bush doing a great circus gig, …. Aboriginal children enthusiastically playing the drums …. local kids with their decorated bikes sure brought back memories of my own home town…

Hi Judy  Yes I know it can be hard to believe what I reported about forensic testing of sexual assault victims…..you may find this interview I did on local ABC radio helps understands what is going on…..  As a result of this interview I got a letter from a solicitor saying he had been instructed…

 Hi Judy  (See Introduction) Well you will be pleased to see I have finally listened and decided to let you know how things really work out here in the Central Desert….it is a tough gig for any professional but particularly if you take a Code of Ethics and Practice Standards seriously….  Since first coming out…