As a senator for the Northern Territory, it will come as no surprise that the Territory is significant to me. But it’s more than just significant; the Territory is home – the place I belong, the place I love.
That’s why the rising violence and crime of the past few years has been so heart-wrenching. Because it’s turned the place I know so well into a place I hardly recognise any more. The level of dysfunction and disorder we’ve learned to live with in recent times is not how things used to be; it’s not the place that raised me.
In a real sense, I believe my home of the Northern Territory, and particularly Alice Springs, is in need of people who love it.
And before I lose you on account of sounding too reductionist or wishy-washy, bear with me for a moment. One of the hardest and yet most precious things about love is that it demands boundaries. Boundaries that stop the thing loved from wandering beyond the place in which it will thrive; boundaries that enable it to realise and become the best version of itself.
And no, I’m not advocating for blanket paternalism here. What I’m saying is we can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to the way we manage and govern society. We can’t run away from imposing necessary restrictions or boundaries just because someone affected by them might not like us.
Hurt feelings are one thing, but lives and communities being destroyed are quite another.
The fact is there are times and places where it is clear that a system is so enabling and encouraging immaturity that to leave things the way they are would be unloving and irresponsible of those in leadership.
As someone living in the midst of what often feels like chaos in Alice Springs, I think this is true of our current system in the Northern Territory.
Most people living here would say the same, and I’d suggest the landslide victory enjoyed last year by the Country Liberal Party, which was so unequivocal about its approach to law and order, is solid evidence of that.
Therefore, the way I see it, the reforms proposed by the CLP to combat social dysfunction and violence must be fully supported by the Albanese government.
A Territory government that finally loves its place enough to be brutally honest and not leave it in disarray, is being held back from achieving greatness by Anthony Albanese.
To keep things in true perspective, the proposed reforms Mr Albanese won’t touch with a 10-foot pole are not proposals that will decimate the lives of our most vulnerable. Take the Territory government’s proposed reforms to Centrelink payments, for example. Ensuring payments aren’t made on days when takeaway alcohol is available, or requiring regular reporting in order to receive benefits, are not some kind of fatal deprivation.
They are designed to restore the reciprocity we require of every Australian citizen – the give and take of living in a liberal democracy, where rights and obligations come as a packaged deal.
And let’s not forget the many upstanding citizens who had to endure curfews and alcohol restrictions that were particularly disruptive in the lead-up to what are usually seasons of celebration and festivity.
It was incredibly inconvenient, but we complied – we put up with it because we love and respect our home and will do what we must to see it thrive. Therefore, it is entirely reasonable that those who choose not to respect their home should bear the consequences of that.
The give and take of this social contract is the same rationale that lies behind the proposals to expand the amounts and pathways to income management. This is not suddenly leaving people high and dry with no government welfare, it’s about requiring mature and responsible decision-making; for example, around the school attendance of their child should a person want less restrictive forms of that benefit.
Or take the proposed reforms to the distribution of royalty money by land councils.
Again, this isn’t about removing people’s eligibility to receive what they are entitled to, it is simply about distributing those funds in a way that discourages destructive behaviour.
Anthony Albanese’s opposition to these proposed reforms proves he doesn’t really love this country. If he did, he would back in a Territory government that does, regardless of differing political persuasions.
It’s really quite simple – if we are going to truly flourish and be a safe and prosperous people, then we need a prime minister who loves Australia, rather than one who wants to be liked by enough of the right people to keep the top job.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is the opposition spokeswoman for Inidigenous Australians.
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