Day to remember for other reasons July 1 this year still offered plenty of cracking ways to celebrate and appreciate our lives

COVID-19 killed cracker night but made Territory Day about education and free money.

When Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced in April that the sale and use of fireworks on July 1, 2020 would not be legal this year … punters were outraged.

One reason given for the cancellation was that our hospitals were already swamped treating coronavirus patients and preparing for the pandemic to take hold across the Territory.

There were no resources (or appetite) for our health workers to treat burns victims whose annual foray with crackers had gone wrong — last year there were 17 burns presentations at emergency departments on cracker night, including seven children.

Gunner’s announcement left a question mark over what would become of Territory Day in the year that is one we’d prefer to forget.

Instead of the entire Territory focusing on where to buy fireworks and the best location to set them off, we were being told to respect the origins of Territory Day, remember the good times of the past 41 years, support local business, listen to some locally-grown music and get on board the Government’s tourism voucher scheme.

Hey cracker regulars, did you know we used to be one of those Southerners we regularly take the mickey out of?

But in 1911, the Northern Territory was separated from South Australia and transferred to Commonwealth control and more than 60 years later on July 1 in 1978, the NT was finally appointed as its own Territory.

This year marks the 42nd year since that momentous occasion and it will be remembered for being the quietest Territory Day for emergency services in history.

Some Territorians will recall setting their alarm for midnight to snap up one of the 26,000 $200 tourism vouchers that were gone within 10 hours. While others who only made it to the wait list were cursing their slow browsers and hoping the lucky punters forget to book their Territory escape within 30 days, forcing their vouchers back in to the pool.

There will also be memories of dining at some of our much-loved eateries who were appreciating every diner they had on Territory Day 2020, the year they struggled to stay open.

Territorians also woke up to the news that the City of Darwin was extending its popular voucher scheme that offered discounts of up to $20 at participating local businesses.

Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis was adamant only locals would reap the benefits — making sure the extra $150,000 allocated towards the scheme ended just before borders opened to the rest of Australia, well except for some in the virus-ridden Victoria who will still have to quarantine, on

July 17. But July 1, 2020 was also the day free parking in the city ended.

Territory Day 2020: despite the lack of crackers there was enough activity to forget coronavirus (at least until July 2 when we had our first becomes the turning point in a child’s life in which they may fall into a negative pathway that includes poorer health and wellbeing outcomes and greater reliance on the welfare system.

Research shows that these children are also more likely to interact with youth justice agencies than those who are known to child protection services but remain at home.

With the Northern Territory election just weeks away, the major parties have an opportunity to present their policy to fix the out-of-homecare and foster care systems.

A policy that invests more resources upfront and outsources the monitoring and assessment of care arrangements to an independent case in nearly three months), the Territory election, and the bitter feud erupting over the RSL’s plans to build a new home on the water at the Esplanade. child rights organisation or the Office of the Children’s Commissioner.

We need to ensure the best interests and rights of every child are met every time, without fail. This needs to be set in legislation.

Save the Children stands ready to help if requested, in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, which is critical given 90 per cent of children in out-of-home-care in the Territory are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

Yes, the system is broken. But there is a solution. All that’s required is the political will to address it.