Torres news 2014 01 20

FAX: 1300 STRAIT (1300 787 248)

PHONE: 1300 TORRES (1300 867 737)

TORRES NEWS

News & events of the Kaurareg homeland of Kaiwalagal, the Torres Strait homeland, and Cape York homelands of the Anggamuthi, Atambaya, Wuthathi, Yadhaykenu and Gudang Peoples

20 - 26 January 2014 • Thursday Island • www.torresnews.com.au • editor@torresnews.com.au • Edition No. 1099 • $2.00 inc. GST

Having a whale of a time!

Should the Star of the Sea Home be moved?

AFTER Federal MP Warren Entsch suggested moving the Star of the Sea Aged Care facility from the back of Rosehill to closer to the community on Thursday Island, Queensland Member for Cook David Kempton said has said he is “more than happy” to look into the relocation of the Star of the Sea. Torres News asks members of the community their opinion.

What they had to say: Page 2 >>

The last flying pastor

By AARON SMITH

Photos by DON WHAP. John Dako was whale spotting near Thursday Island. Photographer Don Whap said he was tempted to jump in and have a swim with the pod of Pilot Whales earlier this month.

THE Flying Pastor, Darren Peakall (right), is the last of his kind, and he lives on Thursday Island with his wife.

The 42-year-old Seven Day Adventist Minister, originally from Perth, is now in his third year in the Torres Strait, and it was serendipity that landed him here.

"The previous generation of Ministers had many of

them as pilots as it was the best away to get around to isolated Missions, but now things have changed and I am the last flying Pastor," Darren said.

Continued Page 5>>

Pirates in the Torres Strait?

By AARON SMITH TALK of pirates robbing our reefs may make a good yarn for newspapers down south, but Australian Fisheries Management Authority’s (AFMA) General Manager of Operations John Davis says: “Effectively, we’ve cleared them all off the reefs and the message to illegal fishers is if you come across the line, you are going to lose your boats.”

Mr Davis says that, despite the beat up some southern newspapers are reporting, Torres Strait Islanders are not “up in arms or about to take matters into their own hands. We have the situation well under control.”

According to Mr Davis, it’s all quiet for buccaneers on the high seas of the Torres Straits, largely due to one of the largest-ever stings conducted in a multi-agency operation in November, 2013, involving Australian Customs, the Navy, AMSA and other agencies.

A total 60 illegal fishers were apprehended and seven fishing vessels seized and nearly a 1000 kg of sea cucumbers were returned to the reef.

Continued Page 3 >>

An illegal foreign fishing boat from PNG apprehended in October 2013 for illegally fishing for Beche de Mer on Warrior Reef. Copyright Australian Fisheries Management Authority.

NEWS YES: 2 NO: 5 UNDECIDED: 1

Should the Star of the Sea Home be moved? << From Page 1

of hard work to move it.

Susan Millett

“I look forward to talking to Mr Entsch, the local council and other stakeholders to work towards an outcome that suits everyone,” Member of Cook David Kempton said to the suggestion the Star of the Sea should be moved to a location closer to the community.

Torres News hit the street and asked members of their community their opinion.

YES I think the residents are a bit neglected there, so I think moving them closer to town is a good idea.

Elsie Seriat

NO There’s a lot of traffic and noise as well as drunks and vandals at the new spot.

Anonymous

YES I think it’s a good idea, it would be better for the old people.

Joy Lallopi NOT SURE Georgia Dimjeda

NO I don’t see why it should be moved, it’s in a good spot now and it would take a lot

NO The land is too small at the new site, plus

that is a busy beach.

How would they take their wheelchairs to the beach?

It would be better if the built a boardwalk around the rocks at the existing site, then they could access the waterfront and even do a bit of fishing.

Anonymous

NO It’s a bad idea.

I think where they are now is perfect.

They are away from noise and tucked away from development in that area, its very secluded and peaceful.

They have a view of the water, which negates that reason for moving them.

Also the new site is an industrial area, the only good thing is that they would be closer to town.

Don Whap

NO It’s a terrible idea, where they are now is much more private.

Wouldn’t it be better to use that money to fix up the existing site, add more beds and facilities.

Aged Care is a growing business in our community and it’s crucial we improve this now.

Ivy Trevellan

Free wireless internet hotspot We cater for any occasion – private & corporate functions

The only regular passenger service to all outer islands

For the first week of 2014 we are open Tuesday, January 21 to Sunday, January 26 from 9am to 2pm for Breakfast and Lunch.

Then we are back to our normal opening hours as below.

NEW OPENING HOURS Closed Monday Tue to Sun for Breaky and Lunch from 7.30am - 2.30pm Wed to Sat for Dinner from 6pm - 8.30pm BYO Sunday Breaky from 9am - 1pm

• Aircraft available for charter

To book phone:

• Airconditioned cabins

1300 WEST WING

• Turbo prop aircraft giving unprecedented engine reliability

www.facebook.com/ IlanCafeAtGabTituiCulturalCentre

OPENING HOURS

(1300 937 894) Or visit:

westwing.com.au NOW flying the Torres Strait Islands

admin@islandcafe.com.au

To all the lovely old and new customers, we hope you had a Great Christmas and a Big New Year! We are all ready to start 2014 at Ilan Cafe to give you a large range of healthy choices from around the globe.

Servicing 12 island communities

• Aircraft fleet maintained to superior ‘Civil Aviation Safety Authority CLASS A’ safety standards

PHONE (07) 4069 2990

at Gab Titui

Gab Titui Cultural Centre Ph: 4069 0888

Calling for Entries 2014 Gab Titui Indigenous Art Award Ailan Legends Open to all Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal artists, secondary school aged or older, living in the Torres Strait and NPA.

First Prize $7,000 Entries close 5pm, 28 March 2013 Contact us for an application form or visit www.gabtitui.com.au

www.gabtitui.com.au Trading Hours: 10am - 3pm, Monday - Saturday Office Hours: 9am - 5pm, Monday - Friday

Page 2 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

ENTRY IS FREE! info@gabtitui.com.au

NEWS

“

We are and will be maintaining this presence and intend to apprehend any offenders in the Torres Strait and in particular Warrior Reef.

“

<< From Page 1 “Back in October/ November, 2013, the level of incursions detected increased and we saw a number of vessels working across Warrior Reef. In response to that Border Protection Command launched a significant joint, multiagency enforcement effort,” Mr Davis said.

Six of the seven vessels seized have since been forfeited and 34 of the fishers have been charged and fined by PNG authorities, seven more have warrants out for their arrest after failing to appear at court and a further ten cases have been adjourned until a later date.

Mr Davis said the AFMA have been very impressed with PNG fisheries and Justice response. PNG border patrol have even put a vessel on their side of the border to try and deter people right from the outset. “ We b e l i e v e t h e operation sent a strong message to the offenders accessing Warrior Reef, and we have had no further significant sightings in the area, other than a small scattering of traditional fishers that are legally allowed to fish the region for their own use.

“What is really putting some pain into the illegal operators is the loss of their boats, that’s a significant blow economically for these people and all the people in their communities who rely on these vessels for everything.

“That’s one of the biggest impacts, as word has spread around the region,” Mr Davis said.

However MP Warren Entsch believes, “we should not rest on our laurels.”

“It’s only been two months since the big bust, plus seasonality and other things need to be considered.

“Just the fact that this activity existed when the sting occurred, shows we really need to do more so this activity does not build up again,” Mr Entsch said.

“I think its critical we engage boats on both sides of the border because any illegal activity impacts both the Torres Strait and the Western Provence villages. I’ve heard stories of boats coming in and basically vacuuming the reef clean of all resources.

“For people living within the protected zone of the Western Provence, that is their food and life blood and when that goes they don’t have any social security system to fall back on, so its very important that we protect their interests as well as our own.

“We need to protect the resource that’s there and make sure its managed sustainably,” Mr Entsch said.

As it only takes two to three hours for vessels to reach Warrior Reef from the PNG mainland, Australian response needs to be well organised.

Mr Davis said that as well as their standard surveillance flights, they have also put on

Pirates in the Torres Strait?

additional flights, particularly at very low tides when it is more likely for offenders to attempt to fish Warrior Reef.

“There is also the Torres Strait Response Vessel up there and its presence is being maintained around the clock to take action if we need to. We will investigate all the vessels in the area and we can pretty easily determine quickly if they are traditional fishers or not,” Mr Davis said.

As well as focusing on bipartisan support with the PNG government and more specifically with the villages in the Western Province, Mr Enstch thinks we need to can tie in the existing Ranger programs.

“By giving them the authority, which we intend to do, they will be able to do their job better from a policing perspective and by tying that in with people working in the Western Province, it will broaden the impact and influence and be a lot more effective,” Mr Enstch said.

Mr Entsch will be tabling this when parliament resumes in February.

“I am hoping to get Julie Bishop (Minister of Foreign Affairs) up to the Torres Strait and will also be talking to Greg Hunt (Minister of Environment) about it too,” he said.

“Although we will soon be legislating laws that will give those much

needed powers to our land and sea rangers, we must not rest on our laurels as it is an area that is clearly very, very vulnerable,” Mr Entsch said.

Mr Davis thinks the fishers targeting Sea Cucumbers in the Warrior Reef were distributing the product through to Indonesia via West Papua and onwards to South East Asia.

“We are currently investigating what these connections with Indonesia are. It seems the Papuan fishers take the product to Merauki where it then makes it’s way into Asian markets,” Mr Davis said.

“From a government perspective, we’re aware of all this and we have put a significant surveillance presence in the area to deter it, which has appeared to have worked very well, but we are not sitting back thinking the job is all done.

“We are and will

be maintaining this presence and intend to apprehend any offenders

in the Torres Strait and in particular Warrior Reef,” Mr Davis said.

ABOVE: AMFA General Operations Manager John Davis.

Community Nominations for the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) The Department of Education is seeking nominations from communities who are interested in having HIPPY delivered in their community from 2015. The Department of Education is expanding this programme to a further 25 new communities, with an emphasis on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focussed communities.

HIPPY is a two-year home-based programme that works with parents and children from the year before the child commences school. It gives parents and carers the confidence to be their child’s first teacher and be engaged in their child’s learning.

If you would like more information on having HIPPY in your community, please visit the department’s website at www.education.gov.au/hippy or call (02) 6240 7308 for nomination details.

Community Nominations should be submitted to the department and received by 14 February 2014.

AG80298

THERE WHEN YOU NEED US Sea Swift has been providing shipping services to remote areas for over 25 years. There is no doubt that the biggest reason for our success has been a total and never ending commitment to the regions we operate in.

reliable shipping services are for all regional communities.

CE

L

We will do our part to support community organisations, to encourage enterprise, to create As we continue to grow and expand throughout employment and to be there when you need us. northern Australia, rest assured this philosophy will always be a priority. We know just how important Sea Swift, delivering for over 25 years.

EB

R AT I NG

Cairns Office P: (07) 4035 1234 F: (07) 4035 1249 Email: admin@seaswift.com.au

Seisia Office P: (07) 4069 3933 F: (07) 4069 3488 E: seisia.depot@seaswift.com.au

Thursday Island Office P: (07) 4069 1085 F: (07) 4069 3813 E: ti.depot@seaswift.com.au

Horn Island Office P: (07) 4069 2009 F: (07) 4069 2010 E: hi.depot@seaswift.com.au

www.seaswift.com.au

Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 3

NEWS

Search and Rescues with happy endings . . .

By AARON SMITH TWO search and rescues last week both ended with all people safe and well.

The first occurred in the NPA, 40 minutes after midnight on the early hours of Sunday, January 12, when a 6m Red Hooker was reported missing by a concerned wife of the skipper.

The four men had left at 2pm on the Saturday, January 11, from the Jacki Jacki boat ramp heading for Chundogoo Point to go fishing.

When the vessel failed to return at intended time of 7pm,

the wife of the skipper alerted authorities, saying he had never been late before and that his vessel was very reliable.

The skipper was a local and very experienced on this river.

Both Seisia Coast Guard and Bamaga Police launched search vessels and the Helicopter R700 was placed on standby, however the party was found safe at 5:20am in Jacky Jacky Creek.

The vessel was registered with all safety gear in date and on board, but they did not activate their EPRIB. Their boat having broken down, they were

paddling back to the jetty.

The second incident occurred 11pm on Sunday, January 12, when a young man in a white 5m “Cyclone” dinghy with a 90hp mercury outboard failed to arrive at Warraber (Sue Island) at 7pm.

Having departed Iama Island (Yam Island) at 6pm, the 30km trip should have been completed in under an hour.

The weather had been clear with only about five knots of wind from the south.

Police were notified at 11pm and three local boats, skippered by the

. . . but with a fine for one

TORRES STRAIT ISLAND

REGIONAL COUNCIL

BY-ELECTION DIVISION 10

man’s friends and family, went out searching for him.

With the Net Water Movement obtained from Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) in Canberra and the datum buoy movements in this area contradicting each other, Water Police, after lengthy discussions with locals on scene and RCC, agreed on a first light search area.

Thursday Island Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) departed Thursday Island at 2am and were on scene at Watson Cay, in the centre of the search area, by first light as a surface response for R700.

Australian Helicopters’ Rescue 700 had returned to base with mechanical issues at 8:45am on Monday, January 13, and was grounded, as was the

(WARRABER ISLAND) The by-election for the Torres Strait Island Regional Council Division 10 (Warraber Island) will be held on Saturday 1 March 2014.

Electors are reminded that the close of roll for the by-election is Friday 31 January 2014 at 5pm. The Commission encourages all eligible electors in the division to enrol and have their say. Enrolment forms and information regarding enrolment are available through the website www.ecq.qld.gov.au or call 1300 881 665 (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday).

Nominations are now open and will close Thursday (12noon) 6 February 2014.

Nomination forms are available at the Commission’s website www.ecq.qld.gov.au or from the Returning Officer. Nominations need to be lodged with the Returning Officer, located at Level 3 111 Grafton Street, Cairns, on or before the closing date, Thursday (12 noon) 6 February 2014. For further information or assistance with nominations please contact the Returning Officer on 0419 320 616 Postal/Electoral Visit applications are now open and will close Wednesday (6pm) 26 February 2014. Applications are available at www.ecq.qld.gov.au or by calling 1300 881 665 during office hours.

Pre-Poll voting will be conducted at the Returning Officer’s office, located at Level 3 111 Grafton Street, Cairns, and commences Monday 17 February 2014 and will close Friday (6pm) 28 February 2014. Opening times will be advertised on the Commission’s website closer to the commencement of pre-poll voting.

Mobile polling is anticipated to be offered on Thursday Island at the Council Office and the Hospital for a number of hours on Tuesday 25 February 2014.

VOTING IS COMPULSORY FOR ALL ELIGIBLE ELECTORS. Please call the Returning Officer or ECQ if you require assistance.

BECQ4162_TSN

Polling Day is Saturday 1 March 2014 keeping in mind that voting in the Division will be conducted by mobile polling in the week before polling day on a day and time to be advised. Voting will not be available on Saturday 1 March on Warraber Island.

• CARS • UTES • VANS • 4WDS www.westcomotors.com.au CLICK USED 2010 MAzDA BT-50

23,990

$

#84356

4X4, Manual, T/Diesel Alloy Dropside, Cruise Control

2008 HoLDEN CoLoRADo

11,990

$

Single Cab, Petrol, Manual, Alloy dropside tray, AUX

#84354

10,990

$

2009 NISSAN XTRAIL

19,990

$

#84338

#84349

2008 HoLDEN CoLoRADo

21,990

$

#84339

4x4, T/Diesel, B/Bar, Tow Bar, Steel Dropside Tray

Snr Con. Craig Cormie, from Thursday Island Water Police, said: “We had all the in-

USED CARS

2010 MITSuBISHI TRIToN Manual, Alloy Dropside tray, Petrol, Only 17,774klms

Dornier search aircraft from Cairns was also had mechanical issues.

Also Horn Island airport was closed to all air traffic due to bad weather and restricted visibility.

CVT Auto, T/Diesel, AWD, Nudge Bar, Spotties, Tow Bar

21,990

$

#84334

It had run out of fuel about 1km from it’s destination and drifted between Sue, Saddle and Bet Islands.

As the vessel had no safety equipment, the skipper will be issued with a Marine Infringement Notice.

Sgt Randall Gawne, from Thursday Island Water Police, said: “Many incidents like these could be avoided if people would plan better for their trips, take plenty of fuel and make sure they carry all the correct safety equipment.

“Then if something goes wrong, we are able to find people much more quickly, which is much less stressful for families and loved ones, and saves having to deploy valuable rescue resources for long periods of time”.

• No-deposit finance available • Freight available • Trade-ins welcome – CASH FOR CARS • Huge range online – CLICK USED 347-359 Mulgrave Road Cairns • Ph: (07) 4044 4111 2013 NISSAN PATHFINDER

39,990

$

#84321

2008 HoLDEN CoMMoDoRE SSv Auto, Leather, Sat Nav, Tow Bar, Reverse Sensors

gredients for something to go wrong, the missing boat had no safety equipment or EPIRB, search and rescue aircraft with mechanical issues, bad weather limiting air traffic and making it very difficult for the VMR to search the area, luckily there was no tragedy “The VMR were excellent, they have really good response times and a re a real value to the community,” Snr Con Cormie said.

RCC Canberra attempted to task a Dornier search aircraft from Darwin and the QPV Conroy was tasked to the search area with fresh crew on board.

At about 11.50am the missing boat was located at Saddle Island by one of the private search vessels from Warraber Island.

Manual, T/ Diesel, 7 Seater, Side Steps, Bluetooth, Demo – 017klms

2006 ToyoTA L/CRuISER

29,990

$

#84301

2012 NISSAN XTRAIL STL

22,990

$

#84307

CVT Auto, Leather, Cruise Control, Bluetooth, AWD

100 Series 4.2L, Manual, Diesel, 4X4

2009 FoRD FALCoN

10,990

$

#84271

FoR ALL youR 4WD oFFRoAD & TouRING NEEDS www.westcomotors.com.au CLICK uSED Page 4 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

Auto, 3 Seater, Alloy Dropside Tray

The last flying pastor in the Torres Strait << From Page 1

Thursday Island

$2 DEALS IN STORE NOW

91 Douglas Street • Ph: 4069 1548

DOUBLE HELIX science quiz www.csiro.au

Quiz questions 1. Pearls, sea shells and egg shells all contain which calcium compound as their main component?

2. Which has the greater mass – Earth or Earth’s atmosphere?

had seen his DVD about his trip to Mt Augustus.

"I was later encouraged to put an expression of interest in do take the job as minister up here, and to my surprise they gave it to me.

"I managed to get my coxswain's ticket before we arrived to Thursday Island, so I could drive the church's boat, which was the only way ministers could get to the outer islands."

Darren used the boat extensively for the first 18 months, but then started thinking if he could use his time and

the church's resources more efficiently.

"Considering a trip to Saibai is 11 hours return and uses some $800 in fuel, I thought there has to be a better way.

"I was only getting to Saibai every six weeks, every couple of weeks to Kubin, I then found a guy agreed to rent out his old 1958 Cessna.

“I thought, it's ugly but it will fly."

This is the first model of Cessna built and it actually holds the world record of longest continuous flight in 1958 which was a crazy 64

days, 22 hours, and 19 minutes.

Daily refuelling was accomplished by lowering a hose to a truck driving beneath the Cessna at 80 miles per hour on a remote stretch of road in the California desert, and food, water and other provisions were attached to the line as it was winched back up.

Nobody has since been nuts enough to try and break this record.

After doing some costings David put a proposal through to the church showing how

each trip would be about half the price of the boat, allowing him cover a lot more ground with the same annual budget.

So now he goes, further, more often.

"Since July last year I fly to Kubin and Saibai every week, doing gospel work, and now I also have started going to Weipa since August.

"The plane has been great in helping out with humanitarian work too, I often take stuff for Rotary up to the Western Province as well as help out other efforts too from time to time."

3. Which continent did apples originally come from?

4. In terms of distance, which bird has the longest annual migration?

5. Stromatolites are typically formed by what type of microbe?

Quiz answers

Kids from Kubin.

To subscribe to Double Helix go to www.csiro.au/helix-subscribe or call 02 6276 6643

Wholesale suppliers to: • Schools • Restaurants • Hotels • Resorts • Clubs • Takeaways Flying Pastor David Peakall.

Bird’s eye view.

HARDWARE

Servicing the Torres Strait & Outer Islands

1. The main component of pearls, sea shells and egg shells is calcium carbonate. 2. The Earth has a mass about a million times greater than its atmosphere. 3. Apples originally came from Asia. 4. The Arctic tern has the longest annual migration – over 70 000 kilometres! 5. Cyanobacteria are typically responsible for forming stromatolites.

After 15 years working in telecommunications, Darren and his wife decided to pack it all in and hit the road to spread the message of God. They survived by selling Bible books for several years around the country, driving from WA to the East Coast in a coach.

"In 2008 one day stopped at a caravan park next to an aerodrome, I saw an ultralight landing and thought this would be a great way to taking books a round the country, so from that I developed an interest in aviation, so when I got back to WA I started to learn how to fly.

"Some 18 months later I wondered how I could use it for mission work. Eventually we did a bit of work with a group way up at Mt Augustus, a very remote location in WA that I flew in, which just saved hours of travel time, which got me thinking."

Some time later on a trip to Townsville Darren met a Minister from Thursday Island, who

Our suppliers will beNEWS here so come get yourse

Saibai Airstrip.

Wholesale supplies for products: • Freezer • Chiller • Dry • Packaging • Fresh Salads • Seafood • Bait • Finger Foods

Ph: 07 4035 3911 Fax: 07 4035 3913 Email: admin@maxstocks.com.au 347 Little Spence Street, Bungalow, Cairns 4870

You can now have your classified ads in

COLOUR! PHONE: 1300 867 737 for details

Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 5

Cairns Link UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT! Personal Shopping Service

Order Now for Back to School and Valentines Day! Phone: (07) 4053 7792 Mobile: 0405 385 449 Fax: (07) 4027 9633 Email: lisa@cairnslink.com.au

keep in touch

Read your subscription Online

NEWS

Dance groups join for special creation for Folk Festival

Injinoo Dance Group.

118,000 people attended over the festival’s six days.

MALPA Project Producer Kate McDonald said: “MALPA, supported by Arts Queensland, is about bringing the arts from remote communities into the mainstream space as well as taking larger festival experiences like the Woodford Folk Festival to people from remote and regional areas that may otherwise not access these types of arts and cultural exchanges.”

“Through the use of the internet and live streaming we can share the MALPA performance in real time to the communities of Pormpuraaw and Injinoo so the people at home can also share in this great experience.

We are so excited to make this live connection.

“The performers will be able to deliver special messages back to their communities as well as to people tuning in

By AARON SMITH

A subscription to read the Torres News online is a convenient way to read your weekly newspaper – no matter where you are in the world or how far you are from the shops.

For only $59, as long as you have a computer with an internet connection, you can read 50 editions a year and have access to back copies of the newspaper from October, 2011.

The online edition reads just like the print edition, plus the ability to zoom in on stories, photos and adverts of interest.

Jump online now and go to

NPA performers MALPA recently undertook a joint production between the Pormpuraaw and Injinoo dance groups, in a specially commissioned production created for the Woodford Folk Festival.

The Woodford Folk Festival ran from December 27 until January 1, on a 500-acre environmental parkland located on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, on Jinibara Country, which is just over one hour north of Brisbane.

As well as a range of Indigenous performances, there was music performers from all around the globe performing a range of different music, including, folk, roots, soul, reggae, pop, and blues.

The was vaudeville circus, workshops, a children’s festival and dance performance. Over

across the world. We have an excellent film, broadcast, and satellite team on-board who will technically make this all happen in great definition and quality so that the online viewers feel right amongst the spectacle of it all, “ explained Kate McDonald.

The groups arrived on-site on Friday night December 27 after almost two days of travel to develop the final show together under the project direction of Jeremy Geia who is a former NITV reporter, political correspondent and artist.

Director Jeremy Geia said both groups were excited about showcasing their culture at one of the greatest festivals in Australia.

“This project has given us new ways to communicate

our lore and culture to new audiences here and abroard,” Mr Geia said.

The Pormpuraaw and Injinoo dance groups have danced previously at the Dreaming Festival (also held at Woodfordia), as well as at the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival in Cape York, however this is their first produced collaboration.

Pormpuraaw Dance Group.

www.regionaland remote.com.au

Go to the subscribe tab, and follow the prompts!

Read on your

Skill360Workforce Workforce Solutions Solutions Skill360 Skill360 Workforce Solutions just works. works.

ItItItjust just works.

Skill360 has always had a reputation for

Skill360 has always hadleading a reputation for providing providing industry Apprenticeships Skill360 has always had a reputation for providing industry leading Apprenticeships andSkill360 Traineeship and Traineeship services. Now, are industry leading Apprenticeships and Traineeship services.

Skill360 are Workforce proud to offer Skill360 proudNow, to offer Skill360 Solutions. services. Now, Skill360 are proud to offer Skill360 Workforce Solutions.

Workforce Solutions.

From our industry leading apprenticeship

Fromservices our industry leading apprenticeship services to permanent recruitment, From our industrytoleading apprenticeship services to permanent recruitment, college to Trade Business collegeBusiness to Trade permanent recruitment, Business college Training, to Trade Training, Skill360 Workforce Solutions partner with with Skill360 Workforce Solutions Training, Skill360 Workforce Solutionspartner partner with you to provide solutions that work. to provide solutions that work. you you to provide solutions that work.

Ph: Ph: 1300 933933 358 - www.skill360.com.au Ph: 1300 933 - www.skill360.com.au 1300 358 - 358 www.skill360.com.au

Page 6 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

NEWS

Inaugural Invasion Day ceremony ‘an historic moment’

By ALF WILSON A LARGE number of people of Torres Strait Islander descent are expected to attend a Townsville City Council hosted Invasion Day event in January.

In a first for the North Queensland capital the Council will host the Invasion Day gathering on January 24 at Thuringowa Library.

Both Townsville and Cairns have large numbers of Torres Strait Islander people living there.

Some of them will travel from Cairns for the event.

The chief speaker will be Townsville activist Dr Gracelyn Smallwood (above left) who will speak about how Indigenous people view the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia during 1788.

Australia Day is officially held and celebrated by non-Indigenous Australians on January 26.

However it has a far different meaning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who refer to it as Survival Day or Invasion Day. In the past local Indigenous people have held unofficial Invasion Day or Survival Day events.

Dr Smallwood congratulated Townsville City Council for officially recognising Invasion Day and said it would be a historic moment for the city.

“I believe Australia - in particular Townsville - has come a long way in accepting the fact that Australia Day was not a happy day for First Nation Australians. We’re very pleased that they’ve become very open-minded towards the area of reconciliation,” Dr Smallwood told the Townsville Bulletin paper.

Townsville City Council Councillor Ray Gartrell who was raised in the city told the Torres News he fully supported an Invasion Day event.

“It is a democratic society and

to highlight our history challenges our thinking and hopefully ensures we do not repeat the inhumanity of past years.

“We together have come a long way as a nation and city in promoting reconciliation and an inclusive society. What other actions are needed, there is more to be achieved and I hope these directions form part of the honourable Dr Gracelyn Smallwood’s lecture.

“The future directions are just as important as knowing our history,” Cr Gartrell said.

A large number of Indigenous people are expected to attend the event.

Sam Reuben (above right), of Darnley descent, lives in Townsville and said the official recognition of the ‘Invasion Day’ in 2014 is great for the Townsville Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal community.

“But as advocate for positive change, I still believe the Townsville City Council can be more practical with the recognition for

Energy/Water Ombudsman reaches out to Qld Indigenous communities THE Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland is aiming to increase awareness of the office and strengthen relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in 2014.

“We receive very few complaints from Indigenous Queenslanders and we aim to assist indigenous people to be confident and informed consumers, and ensure they are aware of their right to assistance with issues relating to their electricity services,” said Energy and Water Ombudsman Forbes Smith (above).

As part of this commitment, EWOQ is looking to recruit an Indigenous Investigation Conciliation and Outreach Officer. Based in Cairns, the officer will investigate complaints and liaise with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and representative bodies concerning electricity issues and EWOQ’s dispute resolution function.

“EWOQ will work closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their organisations and businesses in urban, rural and remote areas and will raise awareness about issues affecting indigenous people across the state,” said Mr Smith.

“We want to ensure that we are as accessible as we can possibly be to all Queenslanders, including those living in regional communities.

“The introduction of an Indigenous Investigation Conciliation and Outreach Officer will provide an opportunity for the local community to speak directly with a designated liaison officer who can assist with complaints and provide general assistance,” said Mr Smith.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders locally.

“On a local level, I want the current crop of Councillors to leave a positive imprint on our community, by developing plaques and statues that can be seen every day as a celebration of positive Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Culture and Peoples’ contribution,” Mr Reuben said.

Mr Reuben also referred to a Townsville Bulletin article, dated December 11, which made a strong argument to build a “Koiki Mabo” statue in the middle of Townsville, also calling for a National Holiday.

“He also linked his argument to the late Nelsen Mandela who changed a nation and significantly said the same about the ‘Mabo’ decision who also changed a nation.

“If the Townsville City Council can recognise this they can provide certain things around the Townsville community to

enhance the wonderful lifelong work by Indigenous people from Townsville.

“I know local Council cannot make it a public holiday but they can definitely provide stories, information and plaques on the Strand walk way acknowledging the likes of Koiki Mabo or Dr Gracelyn Smallwood.

“It’s just a small gesture towards reconciliation.

“To much focus is on the negative stereo-types with Indigenous Peoples by the Townsville City Council, so I suggest that an Invasion Day Event is not the only way forward, but maybe can also incorporate a celebration and revealing of plaques along the Strand with positive stories and information of important local significant Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander figures from Townsville,” Mr Reuben said.

IBIS SUPERMARKET www.ibis-ti.org

SPECIALS FOR IBIS SUPERMARKETS ON THURSDAY ISLAND, HORN IS, BAMAGA AND OUTER ISLANDS

Specials available from Monday, January 20, 2014 to Sunday, January 26, 2014 AVAILABLE DURING THIS PERIOD ONLY WHILE STOCK IS IN STORE, NO RAIN CHECKS *NOT ALL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE IN ALL STORES

Quality Fruit & Vegetables mangoes

3

$ 99

Lychees

red cabbage

8

$ 49

$ 99

ea

kg

2

kg

brushed potatoes

sweet potatoes

99c

1

$ 49

kg

kg

Family

Save and Share the Values – Don’t miss out on the other Value Basket savings – see instore THICK

THICK

THICK THICK

THICK THICK

Maggi 2 Minute Noodles 99% Fat Free • Chicken 5x76g • Beef 5x74g

San Remo Thick Spaghetti 500g

3

4

$ 59

$ 49

Bundaberg Raw Sugar 2kg

Sunrice Premium White Long Grain Rice 2kg

6

6

$ 99

$ 29 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 7

What’s On

editor@torresnews.com.au

EDITOR’S NOTE: If you have an upcoming event, please let us know by email to editor@torresnews.com.au or phone the editor on 1300 867 737.

 OPINION / LETTERS TO ThE EdITOR Email: editor@torresnews.comau Fax: 1300 STRAIT (1300 787 248)

What is Indonesia hiding with MSG delegation visit?

A DELEGATION of Foreign Ministers of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) visiting the troubled province of Papua on January 13 were met and escorted under heavy guard by the Joint Indonesian Military (TNI) and Indonesian Police (POLRI).

Even peaceful demonstrations were banned by the Police. Around 46 indigenous Papuan activists were arrested in Jayapura for attempting to demonstrate, including well known figures Markus Haluk and Yusak Pakage.

All are believed to have been released in the late hours of the afternoon.

The MSG Delegation’s visit is in response to an invitation from Indonesia in mid-2013

prompted by the MSG 19th Summit’s consideration of an application for membership by Papua in June, 2013 -an application which caused significant debate within the Summit at the time and since and which has seen ceaseless efforts during the last sox months by Indonesia to undermine the application.

Members of the Indigenous Papuan community were not given even the slightest space to be able to access, let alone meet, with members of the MSG Delegation, who were heavily guarded every moment of their time in Papua.

The delegation met only with Government Officials from the Provincial level of Government.

The Indonesian Govern-

The wet finally reaches Thursday Island.

WEEKLY Every Thursday: TI Bowls Club Social Games from 6pm

JANUARY Sun 26. Australia Day Sun 26. Australia Day Awards Presentation at Gab Titui Cultural Centre from 10am to 11.:30am Sun 26. Community Fun Day at TI Sports Complex from 12noon to 6pm

FEBURARY Sat 1. Land Hand Over, Badu Island.

Sat 8. Mini markets, PKA Hall, TI, 9am-noon Sat 22. Mini markets, PKA Hall, TI, 9am-noon

MARCH Fri 7 - 9. Life Giving Rally, Warraber Island.

Sat 8. Mini markets, PKA Hall, TI, 9am-noon Sat 22. Mini markets, PKA Hall, TI, 9am-noon

APRIL Sat 5. Mini markets, PKA Hall, TI, 9am-noon Sat 19. Mini markets, PKA Hall, TI, 9am-noon

CHURCH SERVICES Parish of St Bethel,131 William Cr Bamaga NPA, Sundays 10am Uniting Church, 114 Douglas St Thursday Island, Sundays 10am Independent Church Parish of the Resurrection TI, Morning Prayer Sundays 10am, Evening Service 7pm

TORRES NEWS AUSTRALIA’S TOP NEWSPAPER THURSDAY ISLAND Continuing the fine tradition of the “Torres Straits Pilot and New Guinea Gazette” Established in 1888 Published every Monday Circulation numbers: 2900 Readership average: 11,000 All material in the Torres News is copyright protected ©

Tel: 1300 TORRES (1300 867 737) Fax: 1300 STRAIT (1300 787 248)

Page 8 Torres News

West Papauans raise the banned Morning Star flag with a message for the MSG . Photo: pacific.scoop.co.nz

THE Federal Government’s announcement to launch a Parliamentary Inquiry into alcohol misuse and subsequent violence is applauding as there is no doubt that Australia has a problem with binge drinking and violent behaviour due to alcohol misuse and abuse.

It’s sadly a common reality overseas as well as in our homes and in our pubs, clubs and streets.

I congratulate the Prime Minister on his crack-down and condemnation of alcohol fuelled violence across the country and particularly in our young and hence vulnerable people.

However, I do not agree with the Federal Government’s back-tracking on the

Aaron Smith editor@torresnews.com.au AD DESIGN: Becca Cottam ads@torresnews.com.au ADVERTISING DEADLINES – Box ad bookings: NOON, WEDNESDAYS Box ad material: NOON, WEDNESDAYS Line Classifieds: 10.30am, THURSDAYS EDITORIAL DEADLINES – General copy:

by NOON TUESDAYS (pics, stories, letters, etc) Regular columns: by 5pm TUESDAYS Sports columns:

by NOON TUESDAYS

20 - 26 January 2014

and sisters visiting Papua.

The culture of terrorists in this region is the culture of others and not of Papuans.

The events of January 13 in Papua tell the world that the State of Indonesia is still hiding something in Papua from the rest of the world. That something is the humanitarian evil that is being committed by the State of Indonesia against Indigenous Papuans.

The events of January 13 in Papua also tell the world that the State of Indonesia is not yet mature in its practice of democracy.

Selpius Bobii (above), General Chairperson Front PEPERA Written from Abepura Prison, Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia

Alcohol not just an Aboriginal problem

Contacts & Deadlines EDITOR:

ment’s attitude was that they invited the MSG Delegation so it was the Government that would meet with them.

Students in the afternoon responded by blockading the main road leading from Jayapura city to the airport by burning tyres on the road. As there was no other road route to escort the MSG Delegation back to the airport so they were taken instead by helicopter from the Military Headquarters.

By these means Indonesia has isolated Papua yet again.

The Government has silenced the indigenous population of Papua and closed down any possible space for democracy.

The MSG Delegation wanted to visit Papua to see the situation for themselves first-hand yet they have not been able to access the people.

The MSG Delegation was escorted by the Indonesian Armed Forces as if indigenous Papuans wanted to kill their fellow Melanesian brothers and sisters.

Indigenous Papuans know and live by what is required by their culture and their religion, and it’s absolutely absurd to even consider that they would harm or make things difficult for their Melanesian brothers

announcement that the Inquiry would look into alcohol misuse and abuse nation wide and instead only specifically within Aboriginal townships.

This is a poor decision as alcohol is not just an Aboriginal problem as even the Prime Minister has observed.

I, as a Traditional Owner and advocate for many areas living under alcohol prohibition, as well as many other people strongly urge the Federal Government to expand the areas of interest for this Inquiry for the betterment of all Australians.

I am also sceptical about how much new information this Inquiry will actually discover and teach us that numerous research, studies, inquiries and similar investi-

Publisher’s Details Publishers of the Torres News

gations haven’t been able to tell us already.

Aboriginal people in towns suffering from more than discreet alcohol related issues know what needs to be done, in Queensland we know we need to rebuild communities from a holistic point of view and put in place alternatives to drinking as something to do and to introduce standardised rehabilitation programs and facilities in remote places.

This Inquiry will give us nothing new I fear, and with the Federal Government having axed and de-funded the country’s peak body on alcohol related research and advocacy, the ‘Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia’ (ADCA), I worry that the implementation of

Acknowledgements

regional & remote N E W S P A P E R S

Real news for real Australia

CHAIRMAN: Mark Bousen editor@regionalandremote.com.au PUBLISHER: Corey Bousen publisher@regionalandremote.com.au EDITOR: Aaron Smith editor@torresnews.com.au ACCOUNTS: Meg Bousen accounts@torresnews.com.au

The publishers of the Torres News acknowledge the Kaurareg Nation, upon whose land the Torres News makes its home.

We pay our sincere respects to the elders and the peoples of the Torres Strait and NPA, across whose traditional lands and seas we report.

This newspaper is dedicated to recognising, preserving and promoting the traditional cultures and customs of the Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal peoples of this region.

any findings or revelations from the Inquiry will prove as tangibly ineffective and polarising as other existing measures of prohibition.

Jack Andrew Wilkie-Jans, (pictured above) , Aboriginal Affairs Advocate, Cairns.

Letters to the editor Letters to the Editor must be no longer than 350 words or they could be deleted or edited.

The Editor reserves the right not to print any letters which may be defamatory and provoke legal action against the newspaper. The opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily those of the Torres News.

Contributors must submit name and either street address or PO Box number for publication. Unsigned and anonymous letters or use of a nom de plume e.g. Concerned Citizen etc, are not acceptable. A telephone number must be provided for verification. All letters are subject to editing.

NEWS

Tia gets a new chance at life

BEFORE:

Tia just after being taken in from Millman Hill.

By AARON SMITH TIA, as she is now named, is five-month stray dog from Thursday Island whose future is looking much brighter than a couple of months ago.

In a joint effort between RSPCA and Torres Shire Council, this stray, that was living in neglect on Millman Hill, has been moved to Cairns RSPCA Animal Shelter in preparation to be fostered out to a good home.

Queensland RSPCA Chief Inspector Daniel Young said: “We are hoping to make this an ongoing relationship between Torres Shire Council and the RSPCA. “There is not really a source to re-home neglected animals in the Torres Strait and this is a possible avenue, where welfare groups and local government can work together.”

“However, taking responsibility of animals should be starting at home; it’s not just a legal responsibility but also a moral and ethical one too,” he said.

Manager of the RSPCA Cairns Animal Shelter Alice Currie said that Tia has undergone routine behavioural and medical assessments before being allowed to be fostered out.

“She needs a bit of help with socialisation as she has been very neglected making her lonely and depressed.

“She gets very excited around human company, exhausting herself, like a toddler.

“She’s a beautiful dog though, very sweet temperament,” she said.

AIR CHARTER Flown in Single or Twin engined Aircraft Servicing the Torres Strait, including PNG (Daru) & The Cape Friendly Service

AFTER: Some TLC and Tia is a new dog.

Call: 4090 3661 or 1300 136 811 Fax: 4090 3662 Email: cathorn@cape-air-transport.com

Some northern islands named by Cook PH 07 4090 0737

Cost effective air charter.

Badu Island based.

Servicing the Torres Straits. Personal Service.

This image shows the present day Hicks Island, in the foreground John Gore.

By BRIAN RANDALL Orton Island CAPTAIN James Cook, whilst w a s n a m e d travelling up the east coast of in honour of present day Queensland and Cook’s clerk approaching the area now cov- on HMS Enered by the Torres Strait, named deavour, Richard Orton. Much several islands in honour of those of Cook’s correspondence and travelling with him on his famous other material compiled during the voyage was in Orton’s hand voyage of exploration.

Cook named the main island of and, as such, Orton played an the Home Islands Group, Hicks important role in documenting Island, for Lieutenant Zachary the voyage.

One of HMS Endeavour ’s Hicks. Hicks was also recorded as being the first person on the midshipmen, James Mario Matra, voyage to sight the continent to an American by birth, is also later be named Australia. This honoured in the name of Magra took place on 19 April, 1770, at Island in the Cockburn Group, a place on the present eastern using an alternate spelling of his Victorian coastline, now known surname.

Matra is also honoured with as Point Hicks and marked by the the Sydney suburb of Matraville Point Hicks lighthouse.

Not far from Hicks Island, we being named for him. As an also have Gore Island, named by American by birth, he is believed Cook for his Second Lieutenant, to be the first person of American

Shine a Light On our history descent to visit the future nation of Australia, as well as being honoured by these place names.

Matra and Orton clashed regularly during the voyage and Cook had cause to manage their differences and discipline them on more than one occasion.

However, it seems Cook did not hold their poor behaviour against them and subsequently used their names for these islands.

Clerke Island, the present location of Clerke Island lighthouse, was named for Charles Clerke, later Captain Clerke, who was the officer who assumed the Captaincy of HMS Resolution following Captain Cook’s tragic death in Hawaii.

GORI MARBLE & GRANITE 18 Ishmael Road, CAIRNs, QLd, 4870 Ph: (07) 4054 4595 • Fax: (07) 4054 6631

Email: gori@optusnet.com.au • Web: www.gorimarbleandgranite.com.au

A locally owned and operated family business – Established in 1965 Specialising in designing and manufacturing: Headstones, Bases, Plaques, Graves – In stock or made to order Ceramic Photos, Frames, Statues, Crosses and Vases Inscriptions and Artwork completed at our factory in Cairns ~ Qualified Stonemasons with Queensland Apprentices ~

Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 9

 OPINION / LETTERS TO ThE EdITOR Email: editor@torresnews.comau Fax: 1300 STRAIT (1300 787 248)

Reasons for abolishing the Schoolkids Bonus YET again our local Senator, Jan McLucas, has been caught spreading misinformation about the Schoolkids Bonus (January 13-19, 2014).

It was the former Labor Government which linked the payment of the Schoolkids Bonus to the proceeds of the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT), a tax that was initially going to raise $49.5 billion, then $26.5 billion… but wait - has only actually raised $0.4 billion!

Is there a co-incidence?

DID you know there is no Friday the 13th in this entire year?

No Tide Book either.

Co-incidental?

Larry James POW

Because the mining tax has not raised enough income, the Government can’t afford the things it was meant to pay for. Labor was using borrowed money to pay for these measures - money we can’t afford and our children will have to pay off in the future.

Our move to abolish the Schoolkids Bonus is consistent with the position we took to the election and is part of our commitment to repair the nation’s finances, saving

$4.5 billion over the forward estimates.

Unfortunately, Labor ’s failure to support our policy will cost an additional $728 million to the Budget this year as a new round of Schoolkids Bonuses has just gone out the door.

The Government is committed to improving schools and education outcomes for students through policies proven to deliver better education outcomes, rather

than with bonus payments to individuals.

We are also easing cost of living pressures by abolishing the carbon tax, but keeping the income tax cuts and fortnightly pension increases and paying superannuation on paid parental leave.

I hope this clarifies the situation both for readers and Senator McLucas.

Warren Entsch MP Federal Member for Leichhardt

Shops are open for business - but the nation’s leaders aren’t WELL, well, well, 2014 and we’re still here.

Somehow, we have managed to survive without the politicians, newshounds and television planners, who have all dropped their vital work for six weeks.

Funny how local shops manage to stay open for all but Christmas, Boxing and New Year’s Days but the people at the heart of our nation’s well-being don’t have any office juniors to stand in while they are studying foreign tourist locations.

So what has been happening?

Well, the seas around Cape

York and into the Torres Strait are under attack from Chinese pirates.

Or at least, pirates funded by Chinese crime syndicates.

They are after our seacucumbers, abalone, turtles and giant clams.

The cleaning lady at the Australian Fisheries Management Authority says she is aware of the situation and believes the destination for all these tasty goodies is Hong Kong.

She has left a note on the Minister’s desk and is sure that he will sort everything out when he finds his way back to his office.

David Kempton’s cleaning lady has also been working hard. Voters from Cape York have been trying to contact him about the state of our roads.

The cleaning lady says he is understands that half-heartedly patching up dirt roads does not really get us much further forward, and he did mention it in his Christmas card to Oberführer Campbell Newman.

Something about the way she spoke on the phone left me thinking that she does not believe the Oberführer will pay much attention.

The most-intriguing thing coming in the New Year will

The

be the rumours about our health services.

Some-one has been whispering that there will be big cuts . . . I can report I have run the rumours to earth.

An irreverent, satirical (and totally fictional) comment The cleaning lady at the upon the issues of life, by our faceless correspondent. need it as they have bought a Department of Health in Canberra says she new one. The old one is for sale has received a phone call from very cheaply and will be much, an American, a Mr B. Obama, much cheaper to run than our saying that they have a slightly current health service.

She expects the minister will used health care system for sale. jump at the chance.

She says the Americans don’t

Eye f the

o Cyclone

AUSTRALIA DAY 2014 Sunday 26 January

Australia Day Awards Presentation Gab Titui Cultural Centre 10am - 11.30am  The Presentation to recipients of the 2014 Australia Day Awards  The community is welcome to attend this event

Community Fun Day TI Sports Complex 12pm - 6pm  Free community sausage sizzle  Coconut bowls competition  Lamington eating contest  Bring a towel and enjoy a swim in the pool  Great atmosphere with entertainment and music Page 10 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

FREE ENTRY

NEWS

Strengthening Indigenous health care CREATING partnerships to improve the quality of primary health care provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders across Northern Australia is the aim of a nationally funded project led by researchers at James Cook University.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which administers grants for health and medical research on behalf of the Australian Government, awarded the project nearly $600,000 in the latest grant round.

Associate Professor Sarah Larkins (right), from JCU’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, will lead Quality improvement in Aboriginal primary health care: lessons from the best to better the rest from early this year.

Dr Larkins said improving the quality and consistency of primary health care (PHC) provided to Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders was an essential part of the Federal Government’s Close the Gap program.

“A range of Indigenous PHC centres -

both Aboriginal and Islander Community Controlled Health Services and governmentprovided health services - provide primary health care services for Indigenous people,” she said.

“However, the quality of care provided by such services, and the intermediate health outcomes achieved, vary significantly, and the reasons for this are not known.”

Associate Professor Larkins said working

in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies and government, researchers from JCU, Menzies School of Health Research and the Combined Universities Centre for Remote Health, the project aimed to find out what worked in primary health care services to help improve their performance.

“Working with existing data through the ABCD National Research Partnership, we will identify ‘high-improving’ PHC services over several cycles using Continuous Quality Improvement - or CQI - tools.

“Then we will use multiple case studies with these services that improve dramatically in response to CQI to investigate the factors that support a positive response to CQI processes and how they interact at each site.

“In partnership with participating services, we will then use action research to translate this knowledge through the existing ABCD National Research Partnership Network to services struggling to improve their performance using CQI tools.”

Paying dearly for drugs AUSTRALIANS are paying many times more for prescription drugs than residents of other countries, such as the United Kingdom, a new study has found.

In the Poor Pricing Progress report for independent thinktank, Grattan Institute health economist Dr Stephen Duckett said that unnecessarily inflated prices have cost patients and taxpayers because price cuts when a drug is off patent are far smaller than those overseas.

Dr Duckett said that, although the wholesale price of a few widely used medicines fell by about one third from the start of December, Australian drug wholesale prices were also on average 14 times higher than prices for the same medicines in the United Kingdom.

The Grattan Institute said that under price disclosure requirements, pharmacies are forced to reveal discounts on drug prices that manufacturers provide them, and the government accordingly reduces the amount paid to pharmacies for each drug.

In an earlier report Australia’s Bad Drug Deal, the institute said that if the government benchmarked the prices of generic drugs against prices paid overseas, it could save more than $1 billion a year in payments to manufacturers.

The Grattan Institute has called for an independent, impartial and expert pharmaceuticals pricing board, with strong membership from the medical profession and a defined budget.

Youth set to steal seats YMCA Youth Leaders Parliament.

Koori Mail The Voice of Indigenous Australia

abc.net.au/local

THE FORTNIGHTLY NATIONAL INDIGENOUS NEWSPAPER - 100% ABORIGINAL-OWNED 100% SELF-FUNDING

EDITION 339 Phone: (02) 66 222 666

Gordon to head NIC est Australian Children’s Court magistrate Sue Gordon, above, has been announced as chairwoman of the new National Indigenous Council (NIC), the Government-appointed body which effectively replaces the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

Fourteen prominent Indigenous people, including Australian Labor Party national vice-president Warren Mundine, make up the NIC. Indigenous Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone said of the council: “These are people who’ve got skills pertinent to what the problems are – health, education, safety – and also people with skills pertinent to where the opportunities are for economic development.” � Reports on the NIC: Pages 5, 6, 7, 8, 80

W

Welfare changes it-down money is not going to be axed across the board but Indigenous communities across Australia will need to brace themselves for change which might mean some individuals lose their welfare payments.

Minister for Indigenous Affairs Amanda Vanstone, pictured, has told Koori Mail that the Government was looking for increased mutual obligation ‘just as we do from the rest of the community’. Aboriginal leader Mick Dodson has described the Coalition Government’s planned welfare changes as ‘big brotherish’. � See Pages 9 and 10; Welfare and our rights – letter, Page 27

S

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2004 www.koorimail.com

PUBLISHED SINCE 1991 Recommended price $1.80 (GST-inclusive)

Saving lives at Kintore Amy Nampitjinpa undergoes dialysis at the remote Northern Territory community of Kintore. She NT was the first of 15 highdependency renal patients to return home for a threeweek holiday with her family, a visit many thought she would never be able to make.

Four years ago, the people of the Western Desert came up with an ambitious plan to build one of the most remote self-treatment dialysis facilities in the world. All they needed was a million dollars, an appropriate health centre, a couple of renal nurses and a whole lot of government support.

The opening of the facility is a major achievement for the Western Desert

community where the incidence of kidney failure is 40 times the national average and among the highest in the world.

Just last year, a 27-year-old mother chose to die rather than make the 500km journey to Alice Springs for treatment and leave her two-year-old child behind. � Report, Page 3

Klan culture?

A soldier taunted in a Ku Klux Klanstyle stunt tried to hang himself afterwards but the arranger of the stunt was promoted, it was reported last week. The soldier victimised by comrades who donned white hoods to imitate the racist US group tried to hang himself only days before the army investigated the incident.

In early 2003, almost three years after the incident, the soldier attempted suicide in his dormitory at Lavarack Barracks, it was reported. In the army hospital, a higher-ranking officer

KKK stunt preceded suicide attempt interviewed him over a photograph taken of the September 2000 stunt and other racist incidents. A comrade, one of the hooded men in the picture,

said: “The poor bloke was a wreck, not just because of this but a campaign of harassment while we were in East Timor.”

Meanwhile, the Delta Company lieutenant who suggested using laundry bags with eye holes cut into them to pose as the KKK was later promoted to the 1RAR Recon platoon, the paper reported.

Newspapers last week published a photograph of soldiers at Townsville’s Lavarack Barracks dressed in the KKKstyle white hoods standing behind Aboriginal and other dark-skinned members who are not hooded. � Reports, Page 4

Racism in the army: One family’s story – Page 29

Sport: Murris chase successive Imparja Cups – Page 71

TORRES Strait Island youths are encouraged to apply for the YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament, which is preparing for its 19th consecutive year. This is the time for those who want to make a difference to stand up and take their seat!

Applications for the 2014 YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament are now open.

The program once again seeks to provide young Queenslanders with the opportunity to have their voices heard, debate key issues and propose new legislation.

After four months of bill drafting the program will culminate in September with a four-day sitting of parliament, where Members of state Parliament will hand over the reins - and their desks - to 93 young people aged 15-25 years.

Bella Vecchio 19, Youth Governor for 2014, will lead the Youth Members and says this year is shaping up to be the most inspiring yet.

“YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament allows society’s most engaged, passionate and energetic youth to make a tangible difference in their communities,” she said.

A unique opportunity, the 2014 YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament will be comprised of one Youth Member from each of the 89 state electorates

including 4 Indigenous seats. With such a diverse group of participants, Ms Vecchio says the program operates primarily to empower and support individual beliefs.

Numerous YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament bills have influenced Queensland legislation and provide an insight into the issues that our state’s next generation of leaders prioritise.

From mental health legislation and debate on same-sex marriage to a matter of public importance promoting compulsory organ donation, the 2013 sitting of Queensland Youth Parliament saw an array of fresh ideas.

Once again, each Youth Bill passed by the YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament in 2014 will be handed directly to the Government before being distributed to Members of Parliament.

“Queensland Youth Parliament isn’t just a program about political education, it is an experience that changes lives, affords the opportunity to bond with like-minded individuals and equips members with the tools to make ongoing state-wide change,” says Ms Vecchio.

Individuals aged 15-25 years can be part of the YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament by contacting their local Members of Parliament, or by visiting www.ymcaqyp.org/.

Toll is now servicing Cairns to NPA and The Torres Strait every week.

Toll Marine Logistics has the freight service to match your consignment needs.

From a document or small parcel through to dangerous goods and bulk commodities, Toll has the experience, the infrastructure and the global networks to get your freight moving – across towns, across countries, across continents and delivered to your door on Thursday Island, Outer Islands, Weipa and Cairns.

Whatever you want to move, whenever you want to move it.

Talk to us to see how Toll Marine Logistics can save you money and better serve all your freight requirements.

Our brand new Service includes NPA & Outer Islands as of December 10, 2013.

Contact Us For all enquiries call 1800 640 079 or you can contact one of our branches directly.

Cairns 07 4241 9805 Thursday Island 07 4069 1239

www.tollgroup.com/tollmarinelogistics Cargo acceptance times: Cairns Mon – Wed, 8am – 4pm & Thurs 8am – 2pm & TI Midday Mondays

Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 11

A DEVINE COLLECTION FROM THE TORRES STRAIT LOCAL photographer John Devine, who left Thursday Island last year to sail around the world, has taken over 22,000 photos of the Torres Strait since his arrival from Cairns in mid-2005.

He’s been kind enough to provide a selection of his favourites for publication in the Torres News.

And we’d like share them with our readers.

More of John’s photography can be viewed at: www.flikr. com/photos/ailanpair

Page 12 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

A DEVINE COLLECTION FROM THE TORRES STRAIT

Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 13

TAGAI STATE COLLEGE

THE YUMI WAY THE RIGHT WAY THE ONLY WAY NAVIGATING YUMI TO A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE

2014

Contact you local Campus for a 2014 Student Booklist and all uniform enquires.

School Administration Officers will be available at your local campus from Monday 20th January 2014.

The first day of school is Tuesday 28th January 2014...

Badhulgaw Ngurpay Lag

07 4214 8444

HOC - Kay Ahmat Dauan Ngurpay Lag

07 4069 4107

HOC - Ethel Larry Erub Eruer Uteb

07 4069 4007

HOC- Janet Purje Iama Ngurpay Lag

07 4069 4215

HOC- Dan Dalziel Kadhego Ngurpay Lag

07 4214 8222

HOC - Lindi Chapman Kubin Ngurpay Lag

07 4069 4140

HOC - Tony Miller Mabuygiw Ngurpay Lag

07 4069 4198

HOC - Vanessa Stevens Malu Kiyay Ngurpay Lag

07 4090 1333

HOC - Keith Pabai Masig Muysaw Ngurpay Lagb

07 4214 8555

HOC - Dan Tonon Mer Eruer Uteb

07 4214 8333

HOC - Matthew Bell Narupay Ngurpay Mudh

07 4069 0111

HOC - Anne McCarthy Poruma Ngurpay Lag

07 4069 4209

HOC - TBA St Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ngurpay Lag

07 4214 8111

HOC - Rhiannon Gane Ugar Eruer Uteb

07 4069 4106

HOC - Deb Steele Warraber Ngurpay Lag

07 4069 4102

HOC - Michael Tuni Waybeni Buway Ngurpay Mudh

07 4030 6555

HOC - John Duus Waybeni Koey Ngurpay Mudh

07 4212 0222

HOC -Lyn-Anne Chandler Page 14 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

Position Vacant

Teacher Aide - Special Education Classification: TAA 002(Casual) Hours of Duty: 25 Hours Per Week Duties: Outlined in package Closing: 24th January, 2014 All applicants must have, or apply for a Blue Suitability Card (Commission for Children and Young People)

Application packages are available at Tagai State College, Malu Os, 2 Summer Street Thursday Island.

Interested persons should apply in writing, addressing the selection criteria within the package and present a resume. Applications can be dropped off at the Thursday Island P-7 Campus in person. or posted to the following:

Head of Special Education Services Tagai State College PO Box 82, Thursday Island

THE YUMI WAY THE RIGHT WAY THE ONLY WAY

Waybeni Buway Ngurpay Mudh

Booklist

Remember everyday COUNTS, 100% Attendance makes a 100% difference...

Lets encourage our children to be at school..

Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 15

Northern Peninsula Area State

First Day of sch ool 2014

28 January all c amp

uses

College News

Enrolment Awareness Event

Enrolment Awareness Event Day: Friday 31st January 2014 Place: Senior Campus NPA College Time: 10:00am—3:00pm Day�me Events 6:00pm—10:00pm Dinner and Events

!!!Numbers Count!!!

Good Pasin: I am a learner, I am respectful, I am safe Page 16 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

THURSDAY 23

6:00 ABC News Breakfast 10:00 Children’s Programs 12:00 Midday Report 12:30 Last Of The Summer Wine 1:00 Dragon’s Den 2:00 A Quiet Word... With Bill Bailey 2:30 The Wonder Years 3:00 Children’s Programs 5:00 Eggheads 5:30 ABC News: Early Edition 6:00 Grand Designs 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 8:00 QI 8:30 Michael Palin’s Brazil: The Deep South 9:30 The Moaning Of Life 10:20 ABC News: Late Edition 10:30 The Trip: Hipping Hall 11:00 Genius: Chris Addison And Mel Giedroyc 11:30 Life: Creatures Of The Deep 12:20 The Picture Show Man 2:00 The Moaning Of Life 2:45 Sticky Bricks 3:40 Movie: “Saint Joan” (PG) 5:30 Eggheads

6:00 Today 9:00 Danoz Direct 9:30 Brand Developers 11:00 National Morning News 12:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 1:00 Movie: “With Honors” (PG l,s) 3:00 National News Now 4:15 National Afternoon News 5:30 Hot Seat 6:00 National News 6:30 A Current Affair 7:00 The Big Bang Theory: The Alien Parasite Hypothesis 7:30 Getaway 8:30 Person Of Interest: The Crossing 9:30 CSI: NY: Misconceptions 10:30 TBA 11:00 2014 Santos Tour Down Under - Highlights 12:00 Extra 12:30 The Baron 1:30 Skippy - The Bush Kangaroo 2:00 Brand Developers 3:30 Good Morning America 5:00 National Early Morning News / 5:30 Today

6:00 Sunrise 9:00 2014 Australian Open 6:00 Seven News 6:30 Today Tonight 7:00 2014 Australian Open 11:30 That ‘70s Show: The Trials Of M.Kelso - Jackie tests Kelso to see if he’s cleaned up his act enough for them to get back together; Kitty and Red are upset to learn that the Pinciotti’s are throwing a party and they’re not invited, but their plan backfires when Fez, Hyde and Eric decide to trash a rival school’s locker room.

12:00 Harry’s Practice 1:00 Home Shopping 4:00 NBC Today - International news and weather including interviews with newsmakers in the world of politics, business, media, entertainment and sport.

5:00 Sunrise Extra 5:30 Seven Early News

5:00 World News 1:00 Man Vs Wild 2:00 One Born Every Minute USA 2:50 Destination Flavour 3:00 France 24 International News 3:30 Al Jazeera News 4:00 The Journal 4:30 PBS Newshour 5:30 Global Village 6:00 Grand Tours Of Scotland 6:30 World News Australia 7:30 Italian Food Safari 8:00 Gourmet Farmer 8:30 Luke Nguyen’s Memories Of The Mekong 9:30 Falcon: The Silent And The Damned: Part 1 9:30 pm Falcon – The Silent and the Damned: Part 1 - Falcón is still recovering from the loss of his nephew and the shocking discovery that he is the product of an affair that cost his mother her life. Unable to face staying at home with his demons and nothing to keep them at bay but the amphetamines he’s addicted to, Falcón asks to be allowed to return to work.

10:25 World News Australia Late 11:00 Thursday FC 12:00 Is Seeing Believing?

1:00 Miracle Cure? / 2:00 Weatherwatch Overnight

FRIDAY 24

6:00 ABC News Breakfast 10:00 Children’s Programs 12:00 Midday Report 12:30 One Plus One 1:00 Land Girls 2:45 Children’s Programs 5:00 Eggheads 5:30 ABC News: Early Edition 6:05 Grand Designs 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 8:00 QI: Flotsam 8:30 Death In Paradise - Carnival comes to Saint-Marie. Richard sees the dark side of show business when a comeback concert ends in the most public of murders.

9:30 Case Sensitive: The Other Half Lives - Based on the book

by Sophie Hannah - a gripping psychological thriller about love, obsession, trust and betrayal.

10:20 ABC News: Late Edition 10:30 Hustle - After a close brush with the law in Australia, Mickey Brick is back and looking for a new crew! With the credit crunch, Mickey is keen to target the greedy few who are getting rich from others’ losses.

11:35 Rage

6:00 Today 9:00 Danoz Direct 10:00 Brand Developers 11:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 12:00 Extra 12:30 One Day Series - Australia Vs England 5:00 National News 5:30 One Day Series - Australia Vs England 10:00 House Husbands - Still reeling from her parent’s separation, Gemma rekindles her friendship with a childhood sweetheart.

Kane and Tom’s relationship faces its biggest challenge yet when Stella’s father returns. And Lewis struggles with Lucy’s decision to move out with Tilda’s teacher, Mr Tuck.

11:00 Movie: “Assassins” (M v,l) 1:40 Movie: “Hooper” (M s,l) - Top Hollywood stuntman, Sonny Hooper, a veteran of many films, meets his potential rival, Ski. On the day of a dazzling flying car stunt the two must do for a film, Ski attempts to chicken out but learns that Hooper has other ideas.

3:30 Extra 4:00 Brand Developers 4:30 Good Morning America

6:00 Sunrise 9:00 Dr Oz 10:00 TBA 11:30 Seven Morning News 12:00 TBA 2:00 2014 Australian Open 5:30 TBA 6:00 Seven News 6:30 Today Tonight 7:00 2014 Australian Open 11:30 That ‘70s Show: Eric’s Naughty No-No - A visit from Paula, Kitty’s beautiful and successful sister, makes Kitty believe that her life is going nowhere.

12:00 Harry’s Practice 1:00 Celebrity Juice: Gok Wan, Josie Gibson, Lethal Bizzle And Danny Jones - Keith Lemon presents the celebrity panel quiz show. He is joined by team captains Rufus Hound and Fearne Cotton. Tonight’s guests include Danny Jones, Josie Gibson, Gok Wan and Leathal Bizzle.

1:45 Auction Squad - The team hits the road for a first-time makeover in the nation’s secret property hotspot, already home to Australia’s most expensive house.

3:00 Home Shopping 4:00 NBC Today

5:00 World News 1:00 Behind The Front Door 1:30 Inspector Rex 2:30 NITV News Week In Review 3:00 France 24 International News 3:30 Al Jazeera News 4:00 The Journal 4:30 PBS Newshour 5:30 Global Village 6:00 Grand Tours Of Scotland 6:30 World News Australia 7:30 Town With Nicolas Crane 8:35 David Starkey’s Music And Monarchy: Great British Music 9:40 As It Happened: Doomsday: The Fall Of A Man 10:35 World News Australia Late 11:10 Movie: “Talk To Me About Love” (M a,l,s) - In Italian.

Sasha is a young man in his twenties, deeply in love with the beautiful Benedetta, who doesn’t seem to recognise his existence. Nicole is a French woman in her forties, living in Rome with her husband. They casually meet and start a friendship which becomes a sentimental education for the youth.

1:15 Inspector Montalbano: Paper Moon 3:15 Weatherwatch Overnight

SATURDAY 25

6:00 Rage 10:30 Rag 11:30 My Family: Dutch Art And Dutch Courage 12:00 Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials Mystery 2:15 Miss South Sudan Australia 3:00 Basketball: WNBL: Round 16 - Dandenong Vs Adelaide 5:05 Nature’s Miracle Babies: Islands 6:00 Australian Of The Year 7:00 ABC News 7:30 Cliffy 9:05 The Mystery Of Agatha Christie With David Suchet: David Suchet has spent more of his life acting out the plots of Agatha Christie’s work than anyone else in the world. Now he takes a journey around Britain to get under the skin of the best-selling author of all time.

10:00 Silent Witness: Lost (Part 2) - Leo investigates a potential copycat killing, but the team are starting to wonder if Karl Bentley was wrongly convicted, leaving the real murderer free to set out on a new killing spree.

10:55 TBA 11:30 Rage Goes Retro 5:00 Rage

6:00 Children’s Programs 7:00 Weekend Today - Saturday 10:00 Danoz Direct 10:30 2014 Santos Tour Downunder 3:00 Antiques Roadshow 3:30 Alive And Cooking 4:00 Explore Japan 5:00 4WD TV 5:30 Musomagic Outback Tracks 6:00 National News Saturday 7:00 Australia’s Funniest Home Videos 7:30 Movie: “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (PG l,v) - An urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers’ retaliation.

9:15 Movie: “Passenger 57” (M v,l) - While aboard an airplane, an undercover anti-terrorism expert is forced to use his expertise when the flight is hijacked by a psychopathic terrorist.

11:00 2014 Santos Tour Downunder - Highlights 12:00 The Deer Hunter 3:25 Nine Presents 3:35 Impractical Jokers 4:05 Brand Developers 5:00 Skippy - The Bush Kangaroo 5:30 Wesley Impact

6:00 Saturday Disney 7:00 Weekend Sunrise 10:00 The Morning Show - Weekend 12:00 Dr Oz 1:00 TBA 3:00 2014 Australian Open 5:00 New Zealand On A Plate 5:30 Queensland Weekender 6:00 Seven News 6:30 2014 Australian Open 9:30 Movie: “The Frighteners” (M v) - A small-town ‘ghostbuster’ is in league with the very spirits he’s supposed to be exorcising. The scam works well until a powerful spirit goes on a murderous rampage, forcing Frank to find a way to stop the diabolical ghoul in this special- effects-packed supernatural chiller that’s so fiendishly entertaining, it’s frightening!

11:50 That ‘70s Show: Eric’s Panties - Donna seems unconcerned despite of the fact that Shelly, Eric’s lab partner, is continuously hitting on him.

12:20 Celebrity Juice 1:00 Movie: “Mexico City” (M v) 3:30 It’s Written Oceania 4:00 Home Shopping 5:00 Dr Oz

5:00 World News 1:00 Salome 2:55 Ice Music: The Sounds Of The North 3:25 In Mondrian’s Studio 4:30 PBS Newshour 5:30 Who Do You Think You Are? 6:30 World News Australia 7:30 An Original Duckumentary 8:30 Meet The Amish 9:30 Movie: “Shaolin” (MAV v) - In Mandarin and Cantonese.

Set in the early 20th century, China is plunged into strife as feuding warlords fight to expand their power. General Hou is at the centre of the struggle with his violent and ruthless tactics that rarely discriminate between soldiers and civilians. When Hou is betrayed by fellow general Cao Man, he is forced into hiding, and takes refuge with the monks at their hidden mountain temple.

11:55 Movie: “Largo Winch” (MAV v) - In French, Croatian and English. After a powerful billionaire is murdered, his secret adoptive son must race to prove his legitimacy, find his father’s killers and stop them from taking over his financial empire.

1:55 Movie: “Breakfast On Pluto” (MAV v,l) 4:10 Weatherwatch Overnight

SUNDAY 26

SBS

6:00 Rage 6:30 Children’s Programs 9:00 Weekend Breakfast 11:30 Australia Day Flag Raising & Citizenship Ceremony 11:00 Weekend Breakfast 11:30 Songs Of Praise 12:00 Best Of Landline 1:00 ABC2 Live: The Reef 2:30 Artscape: The Making Of The Reef 3:00 Football: W-League: Round 10 - Canberra United Vs Perth Glory 5:00 Midsomer Murders: Garden Of Death 6:25 Australia’s Remote Islands: Lord Howe Island 6:55 Governer General Australia Day Address 2014 7:00 ABC News 7:30 Australian Story: Driving Greg Norman 8:30 Mystery Road - Indigenous cowboy detective Jay Swan returns to his outback home town, to solve the murder of a teenage girl whose body is found under the highway trucking route out of town.

10:30 Muse Of Fire 11:55 Romulus, My Father 1:35 The Night, The Prowler 3:00 Countdown Spectacular 2 4:30 The New Inventors 5:00 Catalyst / 5:30 Collectors

6:00 Children’s Programs 7:00 Weekend Today 10:00 Cybershack 10:30 Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series 12:30 One Day Series Australia Vs England 5:00 National News Sunday 5:30 One Day Series - Australia Vs England 9:00 2014 Santos Tour Down Under - Highlights: Highlights from Stage Six of Australia’s prestigious international cycling race in its final 85.5km leg of the 815.5km circuit; staged in and around Adelaide, South Australia.

10:00 CSI: Miami: Special Delivery - A delivery-truck driver and a businesswoman on his route are murdered, and the CSI’s investigate to uncover the connection between the two victims.

11:00 TBA 1:00 Spyforce 2:00 Skippy - The Bush Kangaroo 2:30 Brand Developers 4:00 Good Morning America - Sunday 5:00 National Early Morning News 5:30 Today

6:00 Children’s Programs 7:00 Weekend Sunrise 10:00 Dr Oz 11:00 That ‘70s Show 12:00 World’s Strictest Parents 1:00 TBA 3:00 2014 Australian Open 5:00 Better Homes And Gardens 6:00 Seven News 6:30 2014 Australian Open 9:30 TBA 11:45 That ‘70s Show: Fez Dates Donna - To get Caroline off his back, Fez pretends to be dating Donna, while Eric enjoys living as a bachelor again. The guys establish a pool which will pay off when the reunited Kelso and Jackie have their first fight.

12:15 Special: Backyard Killers 1:15 Room For Improvement - A big family gets a double story makeover, with a kitchen and a vast entertaining area.

2:00 Home Shopping 3:00 NBC Today 4:00 NBC Meet The Press 5:00 Sunrise Extra 5:30 Seven Early News

5:00 World News 1:00 Al Jazeera News 1:30 Cycling Central 2:00 Speedweek 4:00 FIFA World Cup 2014 Magazine 4:30 FIFA Futbol Mundial 5:00 Living Black Conversations 5:30 Destination Flavour Japan - Bitesize 5:35 Urban Secrets 6:30 World News Australia 7:30 China’s Great Wall 8:30 Generation War 10:20 America In Primetime 11:20 Movie: “Heiran” (PG) - In Farsi. When Iranian high-school student Mahi falls in love with Heiran, a poor Afghani teenager, her parents oppose their proposed marriage. Defying her family, Mahi follows Heiran to Tehran, where they wed.

1:00 Movie: “A Heart Elsewhere” (PG) - A multi-award winning Italian romantic comedy. Nello is a sensitive and shy 35-year-old whose philandering father keeps encouraging him to seduce women. When Nello goes to Bologna to teach Latin, he meets a beautiful socialite and falls in love.

2:55 Weatherwatch Overnight

MONDAY 27

7 CENTRAL

6:00 ABC News Breakfast 10:00 Children’s Programs 12:00 Midday Report 12:30 As Time Goes By 1:00 The Picture Show Man 2:35 Lily 3:00 Children’s Programs 5:00 Eggheads 5:30 ABC News: Early Edition 6:00 Grand Designs 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 8:00 QI 8:30 Stephen Fry 9:30 Rake 10:30 ABC News: Late Edition 10:40 Dalziel And Pascoe: A Game Of Soldiers 12:10 ABC2 Live: 2 One Another 1:20 Movie: “Darling Lili” (M a,v) 3:35 Movie: “The Four Feathers” (PG) - A young member of a military family automatically joins the army. However, he feels unsuited to his new life and when he becomes engaged to his sweetheart he resigns his commission.

5:30 Eggheads

6:00 Today 9:00 Danoz Direct 9:30 Brand Developers 11:00 National Morning News 12:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 1:00 Movie: “The Dragon Pearl” (PG v) 3:00 National News Now 4:15 National Afternoon News 5:30 Hot Seat 6:00 National News 7:00 A Current Affair 7:30 The Big Bang Theory: The Alien Parasite Hypothesis 8:00 The Big Bang Theory: The Justice League Recombination - The guys get Zack and Penny to join their Justice League costume for a New Year’s Eve bash at the comic book store.

8:30 TBA 11:30 Partners: Troubled Partners - After Louis offers Joe his grandmother’s ring to give to Ali as her long-awaited engagement ring, he is shocked when a hurt Wyatt objects.

12:00 Oh Sit! 1:00 Extra 1:30 Skippy - The Bush Kangaroo 2:00 Brand Developers 3:30 Good Morning America 5:00 National Early Morning News 5:30 Today

6:00 Sunrise 10:00 The Morning Show 11:30 Seven Morning News 12:00 Movie: “Elizabeth Taylor: Auction Of A Lifetime” (PG a) 2:00 The Daily Edition 3:00 The Chase 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 TBA 6:00 Seven News 6:30 Today Tonight 7:00 TBA 12:15 Celebrity Juice: Alex Carter, Vanilla Ice And Gino D’Acampo - Keith Lemon presents the celebrity panel quiz show and is joined by team captains Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton.

Tonights guests includen Alex Carter, Vanilla Ice, Rufus Hound and Gino D’Acampo.

1:00 Home Shopping 3:30 Sons And Daughters - Wayne makes a clean breast to Katie of his part in Jeff’s betrayal. Barbara changes tactics in an effort to get Liz out of the house.

4:00 NBC Today 5:00 Sunrise Extra 5:30 Seven Early News

5:00 World News 1:00 Oz Concert 2013 2:20 At The Piano With Mozart 2:55 Life Is Beautiful 3:00 France 24 International News 3:30 Al Jazeera News 4:00 The Journal 4:30 FIFA Futbol Mundial 5:00 One Man And His Campervan 5:30 Global Village 6:00 The Lakes With Rory McGrath 6:30 World News Australia 7:30 Strip The City 8:30 Swallowed By A Black Hole 9:30 Housos 10:00 Swift And Shift Couriers 10:30 World News Australia Late 11:00 The World Game 11:30 Clown: Dalai Lama - Casper and Frank are close to closing a contract with Low Power. When Palle goes on a date with Szhirley - Joker’s ex-girlfriend - Frank allows him to borrow his beloved suit jacket, but major consequences follow.

When Mia gets a visit from an old friend, Frank finds it extremely difficult to deal with her past.

12:00 Shorts On Screen 12:35 Monster Bug Wars / 2:25 Weatherwatch Overnight

TUESDAY 28

IMPARJA

6:00 ABC News Breakfast 10:00 Children’s Programs 12:00 Midday Report 12:30 Compass 1:00 Dick Smith’s Population Puzzle 2:35 The Wonder Years 3:00 Children’s Programs 5:00 Eggheads 5:30 ABC News: Early Edition 6:00 Grand Designs 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 8:00 QI 8:30 New Tricks: Dark Chocolate 9:30 By Any Means 10:30 ABC News: Late Edition 10:40 Our Queen 11:35 Life: Plants - The drama of the plant world is impossible to view with the naked eye. But using the latest time-lapse technology, all is revealed.

12:25 The Australian Ballet 50th Gala 2:30 By Any Means 3:30 Basketball: WNBL: Round 16: Dandenong Vs Adelaide 5:30 Eggheads

6:00 Today 9:00 Danoz Direct 9:30 Brand Developers 11:00 National Morning News 12:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 1:00 Movie: “And Then Came Love” (PG l,a) 3:00 National News Now 4:15 National Afternoon News 5:30 Hot Seat 6:00 National News 7:00 A Current Affair 7:30 The Big Bang Theory: The Bus Pants Utilization 8:00 The Big Bang Theory: The Proton Resurgence 8:30 TBA 10:30 Two And A Half Men: My Bodasious Vidalia 11:00 Two And A Half Men: Cows, Prepare To Be Tipped 11:30 Weeds: Threshold 12:00 20/20 12:45 Nine Presents 1:00 Extra 1:30 Brand Developers 3:30 Good Morning America 5:00 National Early Morning News / 5:30 Today

6:00 Sunrise 10:00 The Morning Show 11:30 Seven Morning News 12:00 TBA 2:00 The Daily Edition 3:00 The Chase 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 TBA 6:00 Seven News 6:30 Today Tonight 7:00 TBA 11:45 That ‘70s Show: Jackie Bags Hyde - Red and Bob throw competing Veterans’ Day barbeques, while Jackie and Hyde go on a date.

12:15 Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia: Frank’s Back In Business Frank and Charlie help our Frank’s old company with one last big merger. Meanwhile, an unwritten rule of the bar causes a case of mistaken identity.

1:00 Home Shopping 4:00 NBC Today 5:00 Sunrise Extra - Bringing you the best moments of your mornings with the Sunrise team.

5:30 Seven Early News

5:00 World News 1:00 Tom Thumb 2:35 Swimsuit 46 2:50 The Circus 3:00 France 24 International News 3:30 Al Jazeera News 4:00 The Journal 4:30 PBS Newshour 5:30 Global Village 6:00 The Lakes With Rory McGrath 6:30 World News Australia 7:30 Who Do You Think You Are? 8:30 Person Of Interest 9:30 Extreme ER 10:25 World News Australia Late 11:00 The Bridge: The homeless man’s survival becomes a race against time, and depends completely on the four landlords’ willingness to pay what the murderer demands. Saga and Martin have understood that they’re dealing with someone who has really thought through his crimes, planning them down to the smallest detail. Maybe they can catch the murderer off balance by doing something he doesn’t expect?

12:05 The Khmer Rouge: A Simple Question Of Justice 1:35 Egypt’s Revolution: The End Of A Dictator 2:35 Weatherwatch Overnight

WEDNESDAY 29

ABC

6:00 ABC News Breakfast 10:00 Children’s Programs 12:00 Midday Report 12:30 National Press Club Address 1:30 The Jonathan Ross Show 2:35 The Wonder Years 3:00 Children’s Programs 5:00 Eggheads 5:30 ABC: Early Edition 6:00 Grand Designs 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 8:00 QI 8:30 Kevin McCloud’s Man Made Home: Shower Search 9:20 David Bowie: Five Years In The Making Of An Icon 10:20 ABC News: Late Edition 10:20 The Straits: The Hunt For Vlad - While Harry’s in hospital and his sons hunt down the hired killer, Sissi finds a large sum of money hidden inside Paddy’s house and sets about leaving Cairns until prevented by Sutherland, a corrupt cop.

11:30 Life: Primates 12:20 Dead Famous 1:15 5 Lost At Sea 2:10 Kevin McCloud’s Man Made Home: Shower Search 3:30 Football: W-League: Round 10 - Canberra United Vs Perth Glory 5:30 Eggheads

6:00 Today 9:00 Danoz Direct 9:30 Brand Developers 11:00 National Morning News 12:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 1:00 Movie: “Joe Versus The Volcano” (PG l) - Joe Banks, a hypochondriac, becomes very ill with a terminal brain disease and has only six months to live. He is visited by an eccentric industrialist who has a proposition he can hardly refuse - a luxurious boat ride in the company of a beautiful female to an exotic volcano! 3:00 National News Now 4:15 National Afternoon News 5:30 Hot Seat 6:00 National News 7:00 A Current Affair 7:30 Twenty/20 - Australia Vs England 10:30 TBA 12:30 Dallas: Guilt And Innocence - Pamela’s mother, Afton Cooper, returns to Dallas to take care of her daughter. Emma is put in the middle of her father and grandmother’s relationship, pushing her closer to Drew.

1:30 Brand Developers 3:30 Good Morning America 5:00 National Early Morning News / 5:30 Today

6:00 Sunrise 10:00 The Morning Show 11:30 Seven Morning News 12:00 Movie: “The Sandlot: Heading Home” (PG l) 2:00 The Daily Edition 3:00 The Chase 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 TBA 6:00 Seven News 6:30 Today Tonight 7:00 TBA 12:20 The Cult: The Other Woman - A reluctant Michael agrees to Sophie’s plan to shoot Edward North. But the shooting doesn’t go to plan and it becomes clear that Sophie’s mission is very different to that of the Liberators.

1:30 Home Shopping 3:30 Sons And Daughters - Wayne’s desperate measures to convince Gordon that Liz is being terrorized put Barbara’s life in danger. While Patricia plans for her future with David, Luke is shocked by something he finds out about the business.

4:00 NBC Today 5:00 Sunrise Extra 5:30 Seven Early News

5:00 World News 1:00 How To Build - A Super Car 2:00 Oz And Hugh Raise The Bar 3:00 France 24 International News 3:30 Al Jazeera News 4:00 The Journal 4:30 PBS Newshour 5:30 Global Village 6:00 The Lakes With Rory McGrath 6:30 World News Australia 7:30 Australia With Simon Reeve 8:35 One Born Every Minute 9:30 Borgen 10:40 World News Australia Late 11:10 Movie: “Baaria” (M v,l) - In Italian. Oscar-winning filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore directs this grand-scale portrait of life and love over several decades in a small town in Sicily. The story centres on a poor Sicilian family in the 1930s and its prodigal son, Peppino. As Peppino grows older he becomes a passionate political activist, and despite receiving only a basic farm education, he joins the communist party to fight for workers’ rights.

1:50 Movie: “The Result Of Love” (M a,l,n) - In Spanish.

3:30 Weatherwatch Overnight

Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 17

CROSSWORD No. 182

SUDOKU No. 182

Your  Lucky 





Stars



 

CAPRICORN (December 22nd - January 20th) Your work will be much more enjoyable than usual this week. Your relationship with your colleagues will finally start to improve and work will feel less like work.

Romance. Recent changes to your home should make your daily life a little more pleasant. Your partner may seem more at ease this week.

AQUARIUS (January 21st - February 19th) Time spent with a group of people that you don’t know very well will be interesting. You will find much more in common with them than you expected.

Romance. Don’t do anything that might make your partner jealous. You will be surprised how easily they can misinterpret the situation.

PISCES (February 20th - March 20th)

FOR KIDS

A meeting later in the week may be a little too intimate. You will soon grow to like this person, however. Don’t discount them as a possible friend. Romance. Don’t put yourself down. Your feelings may be a little more negative than usual at the moment. Take your partner’s praise with grace.

ARIES (March 21st - April 20th) A message which seems more important than it really is could waste your energy this week. Check everything very carefully. Romance. Don’t get too jealous about something that your partner does. This contact is much more innocent than it seems. You need to have better trust in your relationship!

TAURUS (April 21st - May 21st) Everybody will want to give you advice.

One insight that you are given may be less use than it seems, however. You will need to sort through it all. Romance. Don’t allow yourself to be held back by someone who is more conservative than you. They’ll do anything to ensure you don’t achieve your goals.

GEMINI (May 22nd - June 21st)

You would benefit from a short break from your everyday routine. Even a few days away from home would be enough to see everything in perspective. Romance. This is not a very good time for romance. You may be a little confused about your relationship. Analyse this before telling your partner.

FINDWORD No. 182 A LAUGH WITH LOTSA

CANCER (June 22nd - July 23rd) A frustrating situation may not be quite as bad as it first seems. It may be you who is making it worse than it is. Romance.

An innocent remark could have quite an effect on you. Make sure that you don’t jump to conclusions, however. Realizing that you may be overly sensitive is the best thing you can do.

LEO (July 24th - August 23rd) Your social life has taken a complete dive lately. Reinvent yourself with a new wardrobe or accessories and get back on the scene! Romance. You will waste a lot of time looking for something that was never really lost. Think hard about where you last saw it. Your partner may be the best person to ask.

For all your printing needs – www.lotsa.com.au

MUDDY RIVER

VIRGO (August 24th - September 23rd) Try to put some negative thoughts out of your mind. They will only hinder your performance. Take a break from everything if you need to. Romance. Don’t get jealous if your partner wants to spend time with friends. You may benefit from having time apart and having separate stories to tell at your next party.

LIBRA (September 24th - October 23rd) This is not the best time to do anything which could damage your reputation.

Be cognisant of those around you and those with cameras! Romance. A person who talks to you in the street may want something more. Take this one step at a time. This may not be a dangerous situation, but you should be careful.

SCORPIO (October 24th - November 22nd)

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“

“

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.

–Henry Ford

Page 18 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

SOLUTIONS No. 182

A puzzling conversation with one of your colleagues may have confused you. It is very important that you work out exactly what they meant. Ask for clarification as needed. Romance. This will be an excellent time for getting to know your partner a little better. There are parts of their life that are still a mystery.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd - December 21st) A new business in the area will draw you in. You’ll be giddy over all of the great gadgets and great prices. Romance.

You may be a little wild at the moment.

Don’t do anything too unexpected or your friends will start to wonder what is going on! This doesn’t mean that you can’t have a good time.



CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING DEADLINE:

10.30AM THURSDAY Rescue Foster Adopt

An animal rescue group based in Cairns that is the only animal rescue dedicated to helping stray, unwanted and neglected animals in the Torres Straits.

We provide veterinary care and rely on dedicated and passionate foster carers to provide a loving home for rescued animals until the right forever family is found.

For help or further information please call Hannah on 0402 354 249 or email Ti.rescuefosteradopt@hotmail.com

www.facebook/rescuefosteradopt

Hobbytex Distributor.

For your supplies Phone Jenny on 0412 752 220.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

24 Hour Service for DV CONNECT Telephone 1800 811 811 – Lena Passi Women’s Shelter NPA WOMEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELP 24 Hour Crisis Shelter Ph: 4069 3020

Home & Community Care Thursday Island & Inner Islands Torres Strait Home for the Aged Association Incorporated.

POSITION VACANT HACC COORDINATOR (Readvertised position)

Applications are invited for the above position in the Home and Community Care Program, which services the Inner Torres Strait Islands.

This is a permanent, full-time position, which is based on Thursday Island. Employment conditions are under the Social and Community Services (Qld) Award 2010.

For the position description and selection criteria, please telephone the HACC Centre on (07) 4090 3885.

Please note: Accommodation is not provided with this position.

Applications close on January 29, 2014.

Proposed Development Have your say

From: To:

By: At: On: Reference No.:

12 x 2 Bedroom Multiple Dwelling Unit (Stage 1) and Balance of Lot Public Housing (10 x 2 Bedroom Multiple Dwelling Unit for Government Employee Housing on the Balance of the Lot – Stage 2) State of Queensland (Department of Housing and Public Works) 58 Hargrave Street / 61 Summers Street, Thursday Island Lot 79 SP233411 75383

Comment period:

21 January to 12 February 2014

Further Information about the development proposal is available from: Address: Building and Asset Services, Level 4a, 80 George Street, Brisbane.

Email: publicnotification@hpw.qld.gov.au Phone: (07) 3227 7650 Contact: Janette Rowe Written comments on the Project may be directed to the: Post: Director-General, Department of Housing and Public Works

C/- Building and Asset Services, Town Planning Unit GPO Box 2937, Brisbane Qld 4001 Email: publicnotification@hpw.qld.gov.au Copies of the full plans can be viewed or obtained from Building and Asset Services Sustainable Planning Act 2009

Trades & Services Directory ACCOMMODATION

►CBD (Supermarkets/Post Office/Banks/Newsagent/Cellars) ►24 hour ‘Check-in’ ►Self-contained Apartments ►Queen/Twin Bedrooms ►Wireless Internet ‘hot spot’ ►All rooms with own private balcony ►Cable TV service ►BBQ / Gazebo & Pool ►Undercover & Secure Car Parking ►Tour bookings & Car Hire ►Direct on-line booking via Website

71 Lake Street, CAIRNS QLD 4870 Phone: 07 4041 2350 Fax: 07 4041 2420

Email: enquiries@inncairns.com.au Web Site: www.inncairns.com.au

ACCOMMODATION

MiD CiTY

LUXURY SUITES Opposite Myer / Cairns Central We are perfectly located for your next visit.

Call us for our Best Rates.

6 McLeod Street Cairns Ph: (07) 4051 5050 Fax: (07) 4051 5161 www.midcity.com.au

BOAT CHARTER MARINE TRANSPORT TORRES STRAIT (Trading as Wis Wei Boat Charters)

Horn Island

Available for day trips, camping trips, Charters to: Seisa, POW, Hammond, TI and other nearby islands.

Phone Vince: 0429 631 844

SIGNS

Maz a’s signs

TAX ACCOUNTANTS

Tax Help With  Salary & wage returns  Capital gains  Rental properties  Shares & Investments  Multiple year tax returns All Return Types  Personal, business and partnership We will find every possible deduction and make sure you receive your tax refund promptly.

Suite 1 140 Mulgrave Road CAIRNS

Shop 21 Campus Shopping Village, SMITHFIELD

4051 6315

SMALL BUSINESS AND REMOTE AREA SPECIALISTS We take the burden out of tax for you

ROTARYCLUB CLUBMEETINGS MEETINGS TI TI ROTARY Thursday Island Thursday Island Rotary Rotary ClubClub Meets at 7am Meets at 7.00am Friday Morning Breakfast Friday Morning Breakfast Meeting Meeting at the Grand Hotel at Federal Hotel.

Visitors Welcome.

Visitors welcome!

Inquiries 4069 1531 Inquiries 0438 747 853 TOMBSTONES

Telephone Maza Kelly for all your sign requirements Phone 0458 173 070 MACHINERY / TRACTORS

....for SALES & SERVICE of Kubota Construction Equipment & Generators, Iseki & Massey Ferguson Tractors & Kanga Loaders

10 Comport Street, Cairns Phone Dave, Paul or Kym

4050 7500

Servicing the Cape & Torres Strait Communities

PEST CONTROL

ALL PEST

& WEED CONTROL Termite Specialists

ABN 74 061 168 036 BSA 106 0874 Termites, Pre-treats, Pre-purchase & Termite Reports Reticulation & Baiting Systems Cockroaches, Ants, Spiders, Rodents, Fleas etc

Servicing Cardwell to Cape York & Torres Strait 199 Newell St Bungalow Ph: 4054 2888 E: admin@allpestandweed.com.au

Want your Trades & Services ad to REALLY stand out?

Call 1300 867 737 to discuss your COLOUR advertising TODAY! Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 19

CLASSIFIEDS

UNIT FOR RENT 22 Clark St, Thursday Island Spacious 3 Bedroom unit available for rent in secure complex.

Modern kitchen, fully air conditioned, tiled throughout with security screens.

You own Car port BBQ area with shade sails and landscaped gardens.

$8,400 Phone 0477 377 183

HOUSE FOR SALE

You can now have your classified ads in

OVERWEIGHT? DIABETES? “I’ve lost 20kg & 92cm overall in 11 weeks”. Turbo-Charge your weight loss & energy now.

Freecall Linda 1800 671 375

20 NAWIE ST, Horn Island.

3 Bedroom high-set home.

Selling below replacement cost. Contact Greg Kirk on 0499 191 363.

DATE CLAIMER

CLASSIFIEDS

TOMBSTONE UNVEILING Late Mr Job Uta (Jnr).

September 27, 2014. Thursday Island Cemetery. Phone Mrs Katy Uta on 0455 602 351 for more information.

ADVERTISE your classified here! Garage Sales, Meetings, Car or Boat for Sale! Email ads@torresnews.com.au or call 1300 867 737 and ask for Bec.

Phone: 1300 867 737

-For Rent-

Ninja Alloy boat. 5.2 metres.

60 mercury seapro near new approx. 60 hours 16 P stainless steel prop.

Both boat and trailer registered and ready to go! Located in Cairns.

HEALTH & FITNESS

COLOUR!

To arrange an inspection, please feel free to contact: Peter Fraser on 0428 292 362 or Allan Godfrey on 0409 789 370

FOR SALE

CLASSIFIEDS

2 Bedroom unit on Horn Island Very clean and tidy with all new paint.

Close to jetty Available unfurnished or Fully furnished Perfect for business wanting to house staff.

Available now from just $390 per week incl. electricity Ph: 0414 339 913

-For Rent3 Bedroom unit on Horn Island Very clean and tidy.

Close to jetty Available unfurnished or Fully furnished Perfect for business wanting to house staff.

Available mid Feb from just $450 per week.

Ph: 0414 339 913

HOUSE FOR RENT

4 BR, 2 large verandas, 1 bath, 2 toilets.

You can now have your classified ads in

$700 P/W

Call 0490 248 720 Fishing Charter For Sale

Tony’s Island Adventures

Ready to go.

4 yr old 6m Hooker + Mercury 90hp.

Safety and fishing gear.

Way points. Aluminium trailer.

$30,000

C O L O U R !

PH: 1300 867 737

Call 0490 248 720

Torres shire CounCil - To lead, provide & facilitate

TRANSFER STATIONS NO FEES WEEKEND

Torres Shire Council is waiving transfer station fees for domestic householders for one long weekend to allow for the dumping of larger items that could not be collected by the pre-wet clean-up team in 2013.

9am – 12pm Saturday 25 January 2014 9am – 12pm Sunday 26 January 2014 9am – 5pm Monday 27 January 2014  Thursday Island & Horn Island  Household Items Only  No Commercial Waste Households can bring their rubbish, including large items, to the transfer stations on Thursday Island and Horn Island on the above days only.  Fridges  Freezers  Stoves  Other White Goods  Furniture  Liquid waste, Paint tins  Gas bottles  Tyres  Cookware  Empty drums  Metal and plastic items

 Broken eskies  Garden pots  Buckets  Shells  Tree branches less than 1 metre  Building materials (timber, roofing iron etc.) Cut to 1 metre lengths  Other items lying around the yard that may be dangerous in a storm or big wind

Dalassa Yorkston CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING DEADLINE: 10.30AM THURSDAY Page 20 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

NEWS

Better management/funding needed to save the world’s oceans

Photograph by Bill Curtsinger via National Geographic.

THE health of the world’s oceans is “spiralling downwards” far more rapidly than previously thought, an international congress in France late last year decided.

The third International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC 3), Marseille France, proposed a target of at least 10 per cent of the world’s marine and coastal zones needs to be protected by 2020, which was agreed by most of the world’s governments in 2010.

IMPAC 3 was attended by over

1200 managers of marine protected areas, marine specialists and other key players, including ministers, from around the world. Its aim was to evaluate the progress made so far and propose new solutions for the future, including ways to improve funding, management, research and monitoring of marine protected areas.

The deteriorating condition of the planets oceans is due to decreasing oxygen levels caused by climate change and nitrogen run-off,

A good catch of salmon brought in by a fishing crew. combined with other chemical pollution and rampant overfishing.

The IMPAC 3 suggested effective management and more funding for marine protected areas are urgently needed to secure a longer life for our oceans.

“This really is the last call for us to reverse the ongoing degradation of marine life,” said François Simard, Deputy Director of the IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme and Spokesperson at the congress.

“We need to make sure that we

have enough resources, including financial ones, to continue increasing our knowledge about these places and improve their management.

Failure to do so can soon have devastating effects on all of us.”

Areas that are beyond national jurisdiction, which represent more than 60% of the global ocean, need special attention, according to IUCN. This includes a new high seas biodiversity agreement that is needed to set the legal basis for more comprehensive management

and a truly global system of marine protected areas.

The oceans cover more than 70% of the earth’s surface. More than 3.5 billion people depend on them for food, energy and income.

Marine protected areas are defined zones where natural and cultural resources receive special protection.

They therefore play a central role in addressing some of the global development challenges of today, such as food and energy security, poverty and climate change.

Queensland has witnessed many firsts in Australian politics, and is set to be the first state in Australia to institute controversial voter ID laws.

Voter ID laws will fail poor, Indigenous and homeless Queenslanders

By TRACEY ARKLAY Adjunct Research Fellow, Griffith University, and Research Fellow, Institute for Social Science Research at University of Queensland in theconversation.com THE Queensland government last week introduced a bill to parliament that, when passed, will make voter identification a prerequisite for casting a ballot. This is a first for Australia and follows several American states and other western nations. For state polls, Queensland voters will need to present a current driver’s license, passport, recent public utility bill or an ID card issued by the government, such as a Medicare or seniors’ card.

Queensland has witnessed many firsts in Australian politics: electing the first Labor government and the only member of the Communist Party (Fred Paterson), and also becoming the only state to abolish its Upper House in 1922. Electoral reform is also something of an Australian tradition, including pioneering the secret ballot.

Conspiracies about voter fraud abound, but how real a problem is it? Coalition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull suggests there may be a problem, observing recently that “the current system is fraught with errors”: …there are a large number of people who … go to the polling place and say they are someone else.

Most of them are doing so honestly - they are doing so on behalf of a friend who is away or who is sick.

Advocates for voter ID laws claim to be concerned with making elections fairer. While this has a degree of inherent logic in it, electoral experts argue that the instances of voter fraud are “overstated”. An Australian government green paper released in 2009 found similarly, while the Australian Electoral Commission’s website notes that since major electoral reforms in 1983, the Court of Disputed Returns has not voided any election on the basis of fraudulent voting.

Even the Queensland government’s own discussion paper indicates that voter fraud was not an issue in past Queensland elections and that the introduction of voter ID laws could be “considered a disproportionate response to the risk.” So why was it included in this bill? And what will it actually mean for the state and the nation?

International experience Many first world countries also use a form of voter ID laws, including Canada, the United States, Germany and the Netherlands. It has its uses, providing a degree of integrity to elections in emerging democracies, where fraud is undeniably more prevalent.

Some of the more serious criticisms of voter ID laws comes out of the US, where usually poor, black citizens risk being disenfranchised because of difficulties in obtaining suitable

ID. While 34 states in the US now have a form of voter ID laws, locals are pushing back. In Texas, a photo ID law was blocked by the federal court which found “it imposes strict, unforgiving burdens on the poor”. In other states such as South Carolina, the law has been watered down over time as a result of court challenges.

In the US, voting is not compulsory, and disabling a person’s right to vote (particularly if they aren’t likely to vote for the party who is imposing voter ID laws), makes the job of political parties in “getting out the vote” that much easier. A judge sitting in the United States Court of Appeal recently admitted he was wrong in his earlier support for the measure, and now believes that instead of preventing voter fraud, voter ID laws: …suppress the vote by denying people who have a legitimate entitlement to vote access to the ballot box.

In Canada, there has also been some controversy surrounding voter ID laws and Muslim women needing

to remove their niqab or burka to prove their identification before being able to cast a ballot.

Queensland context Queensland has a poor track record of electoral reform. Prior to the Fitzgerald Inquiry and the changes that occurred as a result (including the establishment of an independent electoral commission), large scale misconduct existed at the most senior levels of the police force and politics.

Governments (both Labor and Liberal) used the electoral system as a way of shoring up support. In 1922, the Labor Party stacked the Upper House with a group of men - later known as the “suicide squad” - who voted to abolish the Legislative Council.

Electoral systems were also changed in order to benefit the party in power at the time. Malapportioned electoral districts were the norm. The community of Wugal Wugal experienced the only true gerrymander the state has seen, when the governmentappointed commissioners removed Torres News

their right to vote in their own electorate of Barron River, and placed them in the Labor electorate of Cook.

Later, Tony Fitzgerald would note that: It has not always been obvious that the Electoral Commissioners were independent of the government…[t] he commissioners did not report to parliament, but to the premier.

Many Queenslanders fought long and hard for electoral reform in the years leading up to the Fitzgerald Inquiry. It is these memories that ought to prod Queensland to query the rationale for voter ID laws.

Australia has a long tradition of democratic innovation. Despite their flaws, universal franchise and compulsory voting remain the best protection against abuse. Of particular concern is how voter ID will affect Indigenous communities, the poor and the homeless. No matter how many forms of ID will be permitted, it is easy to imagine that on voting day, many otherwise eligible voters will not have their ID. When change is mooted to something as important as the electoral system, the first question should be: what is the possible hidden agenda? One possible answer to this is removing compulsory enrolment and voting in the longer term. This will be easier to argue for when voting numbers decline - and in an era where many are already feeling disconnected from their governments, voter ID laws just might see to that.

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 21

SPORT

Patty Mills’s role in historic day for Aussie basketball

San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills drives the ball past Golden State Warriors swingman Andre Iguodala. Photo: AP

THESE photos were taken in an historic day for Australian basketball when three Australian Boomers were in the starting line-ups in the same game in the NBA for the first time.

Patty Mills was joined

by Aaron Baynes in the San Antonio Spurs while Andrew Bogut started with the Golden State Warriors.

Baynes and Bogut contested the tip-off.

Spurs won the game 104102, with Mills netting 20 points.

The game was played at the Warriors’ home court in Oakland last month.

Guard Matthew Dellavedova plays for Cleveland Cavaliers. And there are more to come . . . Dante Exum, Ben Simmons and Jonah Bolden are all considered bound for The Big Show (NBA) in the next couple of years.

Patty Mills celebrates after the Spurs defeated the Warriors 104-102.

Torres Strait’s Edrick Lee is set for good season

By ALF WILSON

Brisbane born Edrick had previously been a star Raiders under 20 RISING young NRL Canberra competition player.

Possessing blistering speed, Raiders star outside back Edrick Edrick was also successful catching Lee is injury free and in full training high bomb kicks and scoring tries. under new coach Ricky Stuart and “This week I have been doing can’t wait for the new season. leaping training with a specialist A proud Torres Strait Islander, coach,” he said. the 21-year-old son of Sam Lee, of Edrick said his Brisbane-based Moa descent, and Connie Blanket, parents visited Thursday Island and of Badu heritage, has fully recovBadu Island recently. ered from a broken arm suffered in “They told me so many Torres a season ending round 13 last year.

Strait Islander people up there Edrick signed a new three-year were following my career with deal with the Raiders in October Canberra and I have a great uncle which will give him every opScottie Ronsen on Moa Island who portunity to reach his full potential. is a fanatical Raiders supporter,” Speaking to the Torres News from Canberra at 7am on January Edrick said.

The quietly spoken Edrick said 15, Edrick said he was now in full he had intended to visit Thursday training preparing for the season.

Island late last year to watch the “At first Ricky Stuart didn’t talk Zenadth Kes carnival. much but now he has come out of “I had family members in the his shell and is a great coach. winning side Mulga Tigers but “There is a new coach and a new didn’t get there because of my culture. He has a lot of respect being injury and the treatment. a former great Canberra players and “But I want to get back up there Origin representative,” Edrick said. later this year and do some fishing Stuart was also praiseworthy of and crabbing,” he said.

Edrick.

Further down the track when he ‘’It takes a bit of courage for a retires Edrick would love to play for kid to sign a long-term deal, and Mulga Tigers at either Badu’s Island he’s a confident young man with a of Origin carnival or the Zenadth lot of courage.

Kes at Ken Brown Memorial Oval “It’s great for the future of the on Thursday Island.

Perhaps both. club that we can retain that type But for now he is focused on the of player. He gives you that little NRL season and feels the Raiders bit of difference and it’s important will have a successful year. you have those types of players in If his previous form during a your team. short career is any indication Edrick “He’s young and he’s got all his is set for a big season. best football in front of him,’’ Stuart Edrick has represented Queenstold Sydney media recently. land Under 20s and the Junior Nicknamed “Eddie” by his teamKangaroos and has scored 13 tries mates, Edrick is 195cm tall and in just 16 NRL appearances, includweighs 97 kg and is a gifted winger ing a hat-trick and three doubles. or centre.

One of those tries after an interEdrick made his NRL A grade cept was at 1800Smiles Stadium in debut for the Raiders in round nine Townsville last April 27 against the of 2012 and shone last season until North Queensland Cowboys. the injury.

Page 22 Torres News 20 - 26 January 2014

Edrick said that many Torres Strait Islander people including uncles, aunties and cousins met him before and after the game which was a real bonus. ‘’I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and scored the try.

“I treasured playing against my idols Johnathan Thurston and Matty Bowen. It was surreal as I

worship them as players but we were opponents,” he said.

Cowboys scored early to lead 4-0 however Edrick’s four pointer after the intercept levelled the ledger before the NQ side won 30-12.

In the previous round Edrick shone for the Raiders when they came from behind to beat the New Zealand Warriors 20-16 at Bruce Stadium on April 13.

Edrick scored two tries in what commentators described as a Houdini-like win.

Multi-talented Edrick could easily be playing his other favourite sport at a high level.

Edrick was a part of the Brisbane Bullets basketball development squad as a teenager and credits his experience there with enhancing his ability in the air.

SPORT

Sport

QRL coming to Thursday Is. to meet with KRL and NPA

TORRES NEWS

Sports results are published in the Torres News at NO CHARGE to your club!

We love sport and want to provide your club or association with the best coverage possible!

Email your sports news, results and photos to: editor@torres news.com.au

Rep. pathways, local comp. on agenda

DEaDlinE is 12noon, TUEsDaYs

By ALF WILSON

THURSDAY THURSDAY ISLAND ISLAND // SEISIA SEISIA FERRY THURSDAYSCHEDULE ISLAND / SEISIA FERRY SCHEDULE

QRL Northern Division Regional co-ordinator David Maiden will travel to Thursday Island on OFF January 29 for a meeting PO A FFK Depart Thursday Island: 6:30am and 2:30pm PSEEASO N with local KRL officials ERA FE RY K Depart Thursday Island: 6:30am and 2:30pm SE Depart Seisia: 8am and 4pm ASON O FE to discuss representative RRF Y F Depart Seisia: essential.

8am and 4pm Bookings PEAK pathways for the 2014 Depart Thursday Island: 6:30am and 2:30pm SE ASON Bookings essential.

Boarding 15mins prior to departure FERRY season.

Depart Seisia: 8am 4pm Boarding prior toand departure *Please contact us15mins or check online for changes to the ferry OFF Bookings essential. schedule around holidays asfor variations occur.

Football officials from *Please contact uspublic or check online changesmay to the ferry PEonly. schedule around publicFerry holidays as to variations may A Boarding 15mins prior Monday 7thDepart Oct Public Holiday.

Peddells Service willdeparture operate anoccur. afternoon service the NPA football have Thursday Island: 6:30am and 2:30pm SEASO K N Depart Thursday IslandHoliday.

2:30pm and Seisia 4pm.

One way travel only available on this FE date.

R Monday 7th Oct *Please Public Peddells Ferry Service will operate an afternoon service only.

RY contact us or check online for changes to the ferry Depart Seisia: 8amway and 4pm also been invited to atDepart Thursday schedule Island 2:30pm and Seisiaholidays 4pm. One travelmay onlyoccur. available on this date. around public as variations essential. tend.

“Linking theBookings Cape toprior thetowillTorres Strait” Monday 7th Oct Public Holiday.

Peddells Ferry Service operate an afternoon service only.

Boarding 15mins departure “Hopefully we can get Depart Thursday Island 2:30pm Seisia 4pm. travel only available on this date.

“Linking theand Cape to One thewayTorres Strait” *Please contact us or check online for changes to the ferry clarification on funding schedule around public holidays as variations may occur.

“Linking the Cape to the Torres Strait” for our representative Monday 7th Oct Public Holiday. Peddells Ferry Service will operate an afternoon service only.

Depart Thursday Island 2:30pm and Seisia 4pm. One way travel only available on this date. pathways which will help each region.

“Linking the Cape to the Torres Strait” “I have a planning David Maiden at the Tip with the State of Origin Trophy. meeting on January 29 worth in the recent past with a highlight being when and NPA will be represented as well so will have further info after that a combined Torres/Cape team contested the North RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL Queensland Foley Shield competition in 2009 at date,” Mr Maiden said.

RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL PHONE: 07 4069 1551 Book online www.peddellsferry,com.au Last season KRL players saw little representative Townsville.

PHONE: 07 4069 1551 THE JETTYBook SHOPonline ENGINEERS JETTY, THURSDAY ISLAND www.peddellsferry,com.au RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL In qualifying games Torres/Cape beat Townsville, football despite running a successful club comTHE JETTY SHOP ENGINEERS JETTY, THURSDAY ISLAND PHONE: 07 4069 1551 Mount Isa and Cairns before losing 32-22 to Innisfail petition at the Ken Brown Memorial Oval which Book online www.peddellsferry,com.au climaxed with Suburbs taking out a hard-fought Eacham in the grand final.

THE JETTY SHOP ENGINEERS JETTY, THURSDAY ISLAND RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL Torres/Cape also competed in the 2010 and 2011 grand final.

PHONE: 07 4069 1551 Foley Shield carnivals with limited success.

Following that was the Torres Strait Islander’s Book online www.peddellsferry,com.au The Foley Shield was not held last year. biggest rugby league carnival - the Zenadth Kes THE JETTY SHOP ENGINEERS JETTY, THURSDAY ISLAND (formerly Torres Cup).

NRL CEO Dave Smith and leading northern division officials were in attendance at the Zenadth Kes on T.I. and were impressed with the event.

Quality Torres Strait footballers are often recruited by club sides in Cairns and Townsville and even further afield at Mackay where they can be Fax: (07) 4090 3628 noticed by Queensland Intrust Super Cup and even Email: info@tiferry.com.au NRL talent scouts.

However many would love to see a KRL side take part in a regional representative event again.

Such a KRL side was due to compete at the Remote Area Rugby League Far North Queensland Challenge at Cairns in late May. However the KRL team was forced to withdraw just before the carnival due to financial considerations.

Players from the Three Rivers, Northern Cape Southern Cape, Palm Island Barracudas and eventual winners Bowen battled it out.

After that carnival a Northern United representative side was picked which lost 60-22 to Queensland Outback at Barlow Park in Cairns on June 29.

That match was played as the main curtain raiser to a Queensland Intrust Super Cup clash in which Northern Pride 38 defeated the CQ Capras 12.

At the January 29 meeting Mr Maiden is also expected to discuss the re-establishment of an NPA club competition which did not take place in 2013.

There is extreme optimism that NPA football will be up and running again following a well supported nine’s carnival at Bamaga late in 2013.

Torres Strait Islander players have proven their

MON/WED/FRI MON/WED/FRI FERRY SCHEDULE THURSDAY ISLAND / SEISIA MON/WED/FRI FERRY SCHEDULE MON/WED/FRI

January 4 to 24, 2014: Monday, Wednesday, Friday January 25 to 31, 2014: Tuesday 28 & Friday 31 – Only

HORN ISLAND FERRY TIMETABLE

McDONALD CHARTER BOATS Phone: 1300 664 875

WEbsitE: www.tiferry.com.au

Tide Times – Ti Harbour

Tide speed – Hammond Rock

monday, January 20 – sunday, January 26

Mon 20 Tue 21

Wed 22 Thur 23 Fri 24

Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time 0439 1.32 0448 1.39 0213 1.46 0229 1.39 0251 1219 2.64 1155 2.54 1031 2.57 1014 2.72 1018 1804 1.77 1726 2139 2.08 2218



MOON PHASES

NEW MOON Thu. Jan 30. Time: 21.39

FIRST QUARTER Thu. Feb 6. Time: 19.22

Ht 1.33 2.89 1.60 2.08

While the Torres News takes every care to ensure the information contained in the Tide Diary is correct, the Torres News accepts no resposibility for its accuracy. Information is provided by the Bureau of Meteorology.

monday, January 20 – sunday, January 26

Sat 25

Sun 26

Mon 20

Time Ht 0317 1.29 1030 3.05 1656 1.37 2244 2.05

Time Ht 0348 1.25 1041 3.22 1720 1.12 2250 2.02

Slack Maximum Slack Maximum Slack Maximum Slack Maximum Slack Maximum Slack Maximum Slack Maximum

FULL MOON Fri. Feb 14. Time: 23.53

LAST QUARTER

Tue 21

Time Time Rate Time

0000 0459 1343 1604

0230 0858 1453 2037

-2.0 0032 4.3 0515 -0.4 1407 3.8 1627

Wed 22

Time Rate Time

0254 0920 1517 2106

-1.7 4.0 -0.3 3.6

0113 0534 1437 1700

Thur 23

Time Rate Time

0324 0947 1548 2145

-1.3 0206 3.8 0556 -0.3 1515 3.5 1750

Fri 24

Time Rate Time

0401 1023 1632 2239

-0.9 3.6 -0.4 3.3

0325 0621 1605 1905

Sat 25

Time Rate Time

0453 1113 1735 2356

Fri. Jan 24. Time: 05.19

Torres News

Sun 26

Time Rate Time

Time Rate

-0.5 0518 0606 -0.1 0129 3.4 0655 1220 3.3 0700 0735 -0.5 1659 1854 -0.8 0811 1338 1750 2013 3.2 2048 2232

3.4 -0.0 3.6 -1.5

20 - 26 January 2014 Page 23

Sport TORRES NEWS

editor@torresnews.com.au

ads@torresnews.com.au

SPORTS CONTRIBUTIONS

Phone: 1300 867 737 • Fax: 1300 787 248 • Email: editor@torresnews.com.au

Sports reports deadline is NOON, Wednesday prior to publication

Island Divas: Together again after 30 years

TOGETHER AGAIN: Back (from left: Berni Ieli (from Fiji- never ever played basketball before), Gina Baira (Whap), Jessie Mordey, Maureen Jeffrey (another adopted sister, she has some Irish ancestry and Ireland is an ‘Island’), Raima Toolis, Jillian Boyd, Theresa Maricic (Yusia).

Front (from left): Tidda (Samantha) Bin Tahal, Fumiko Ikeda, Sandy Ah Boo-Garcia, Deanne Minniecon, Alimah Davis (Bin Doraho).

We have come together for support, friendship, to get fit and healthy in 2014.

By AARON SMITH THURSDAY Island Primary school students of 30 years ago have since been reunited and this old click of girl friends have now formed their own basket ball team, Island Divas, in Brisbane.

The team includes a total of seven Indigenous players.

Sandy Ah Boo is one of the teams cofounders.

She said: “We all thought instead of everyone getting together for a cup of tea and slice of cake, we thought we’d do something a little bit healthier, so we put together our team.”

Although they lost their first game on Sunday, January 12, the Island Divas made up for it in enthusiasm, both from the players and the audience.

“I think we made a bit of an impression because, even though we lost the game, we had so many supporters rallying us on.

“I think they were surprised as they don’t have so many people coming to watch the games. It was really great to have so many people there cheering us on,” Sandy said.

Sandy, daughter of Maureen Ah Boo, is originally from Thursday Island, but she moved to Brisbane in 1986 to attend boarding school, Page 24 Torres News

20 - 26 January 2014

“

“

and ended up making it her home.

Sandy still comes back to Thursday Island for family, the last time being in September, 2013, for her Grandmother, Daisy Laifoo’s tombstone unveiling.

Old school buddy and co-founder Theresa Maricic said that Island Divas has been great to regain their basketball skills which they got to use in their first game, despite the loss to one of the best teams in their Brisbane Basketball Association competition.

“It’s just a social thing right now, but we will see how we go,” Theresa said.