Comments on: Damming The Rivers of Grog: Russell Goldflam

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:43:52 +0000

Yes, It was an excellent portrayal of ‘the way it is’. But it doesn’t have to be the way it can be. A focus on positives can help to change that and we can all (dare I say) choose to be independent of addictions that destroy the people and the planet.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:40:42 +0000

Thanks for your comments, Tim. I agree that we (collectively) need offer people educative strategies to help turn around the way many people are thinking. Remember…it doesn’t cost a cent to change the way you think.

The Journey Story (on this site) is one vehicle for change.

Please feel free to continue making contributions to the site on issues that concern you. Also remember that the bureacracy is currently flawed and until we get ti ‘invert the prism’ so that people actually have the power rather than the bureacracy, this issue will continue to plague us all.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:16:24 +0000

Last night I watched the Lateline story and was disturbed by what is going on in Alice Springs. From the way the story was reported, it seemed apparent that government policy was failing. I agree that everyone needs to make their own decisions but when you have next to no money, you’re on welfare and everyone is off to the pub… well can you blame them.

Free choice is a right in our country but sometimes we (collectively) need to prode people in the right direction, and in this siutation that means restricting the sale of alcohol or increasing the price.

What can we do to help? Write to NT and Austrlian governments?

By: Isabel Dupuy

Isabel Dupuy — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:44:56 +0000

Fantastic report on Lateline last night, Basil, Schilds, and Russell.

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 11 May 2010 10:52:36 +0000

Open, transparent consultation and negotiation with all key stakeholders and a community consultation generally is what’s required. Offering training opportunities is an essential part of this process. I haven’t seen ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (yet)!! Philling the gaps of opportunity is paramount.

By: Tom Hooker

Tom Hooker — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:50:05 +0000

… So you will have the people in need go to selfhelp workshops? Will they be compulsory or optional? Will they function as part of the rehab program? Do you think they should be removed from the bad influences as they undergo their treatment? If so, where and for how long.

And to help get them independent of welfare I guess you would need to include some sort of training program to give them the skills to get a job… Possibly a program to help them get a job too (similair to the one in the movie ‘The Shawshank Redemption’)

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 06 May 2010 23:04:39 +0000

The only people who can change this situation are the people who are drowning in it. We are all responsible for the choices we make. Our society over the past 50 or so years has created a dependency culture (on welfare, grog, cigarettes etc.) such that for anyone under the age of 50 it’s what has become ‘normalised’ in their worlds. I will work through the education and health systems to promote good choice practices. Remembering that ‘it doesn’t cost a cent to change the way you think’, people will be encouraged to think positively about themselves and their world, see themselves as survivors instead of victims, become independent of government hand outs, live in hope rather than fear and evolve their life’s journey into a more satisfying, healthy and productive one.

By: Tom Hooker

Tom Hooker — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:21:03 +0000

So any ideas on policy that could help combat these ‘rivers of grog’?