Bushranger

Homecoming dream

MAGNT’s new exhibition showcasing Western Desert art, Tjungu utja, is well worth a squiz. One of the most eye-catching pieces is Mick Namari Tjapaltjarri’s Untitled ( Travelling

Dreaming). The artwork of course is the one which went travelling from the Chief Minister’s office, where it was on loan, in 1981. Its travels get a bit murky from there and it was believed to be stolen for a few decades. But eventually it managed to travel its way into Tourism boss Alastair Shields’ office. Bush

ranger is glad the artwork’s travels have brought it back home.

I’ll have what he’s drinking

FORMER Supreme Court boss-man Trevor

Riley is heading up a review into alcohol policy in the Territory. Many submissions, appropriately, seem to have been written after a night on the cans on Mitchell St. Others are sober, bureaucratic gibberish. Take this extract from the folks at Danila Dilba Health

Services: “All service responses must be based on a detailed program logic with rigorous planning and evaluations of treatment modalities to ensure that they are achieving their outcomes”. Reading pages of that is enough to drive you to the drink.

Begs the question

THE Territory Government’s announcement that Palmerston will not have councillors until March next year begs the question: If Palmerston can be effectively run by one man, administrator Mark Blackburn, for nine months without elected councillors, why do we need them at all?

Speaking of change

BUSHIE is hearing that the push to replace CLP defector Kezia Purick as the Speaker of Parliament with one of the Labor Government’s own is gathering momentum with the rank and file membership demanding change also. Geoff Collins is another name being thrown around. For those who don’t know, he is the Member for Fong Lim.

Leaving pains

CHANNEL 9 News’ shock news this week had journos reaching for a glass — or a bottle. One was heard on Wednesday saying she was the “drunkest person in Darwin” the evening prior. Quite the accomplishment.

Drowning sorrows

BUSHRANGER can reveal that the abovementioned drunk reporter got a helping hand from Chief Minister Michael Gunner, who dropped off a couple of cartons.

Our best and brightest

VICTIMS of teen crime will have a new favourite cop on the beat. The Government Ga

zette shows a certain Michael Poeling-Oer is working his way through the training academy. Poeling-Oer, a former Don Dale guard, gave evidence last year when six “little darlings” were suing for mistreatment.

Rebel without a paws

REBEL Wilson’s mum, Sue Bownds, popped up at the Tennant Creek show on Friday where she was judging the dog competition. Ms Wilson and Ms Bownds have been in the news after Ms Wilson sued gutter rag Woman’s Day for defamation. Ms Bownds was among the witnesses. She created headlines when she said, “Yes, I accept I’m a bogan”. Bushranger would like to put on the record that we think both Ms Wilson and Ms Bownds are wonderful in every way.

Trust us

LAST week Bushranger mentioned the Government may think it’s having a bit of a trust deficit with the community given the number of times it insists on telling them it is restoring trust. Well since Monday no fewer than 10 releases were pushed out by spin doctors with the words restoring trust.