Chapter 54

Some things you can't fix.

Some things ain't broke.

Some things you throw money at.

These days ... the summer of 1990 ... Darwin, NT was the sharp end of the stick of defense against the movement of overfull Asia to the vast emptiness of the north west expanse of land that no white-man used or even wanted. What wasn't wet ... constantly, was dry ... had been dry, and was going to be dry forevermore. Saltwater crocodiles, spiders, snakes infested the coast. Australia might not use it ... might not want it ... but, by God ... neither do we want anyone else to have it. Australia's 'White' policy was in full spate.

It was the Northern Territory that received the brunt of the refugees ... it was the least populated area that fit, "what we're used to" the refuse of the Asian oppression said. "There's nobody home so why not?"

"Wrong size, wrong colour," said the parliamentarians from the area they did want. They remind me of my wife, "Sure it's junk ... it's MY junk ... and I might need it someday," as she loving caressed the size 0 bluejeans she wore in Junior high and held them against her thigh ... just one thigh ... they wouldn't fit. She shoved them to the back of the closet. Darwin is the back of Australia's closet.

If Australia is ever invaded, the invasion is NOT coming from the south. What? A million penguins? New Zealand? Tasmanian Devils? There's nobody home south of Australia.

The Royal Australian Navy patrol boats of Sydney and the east coast?

The Royal Australian Air Force aircraft stationed nearby?

The military might? Guarding the populace?

The newest most modern best armed fastest that the people of Australia can afford.

They're white folks down here and they need protecting from the invading ... what? Well ... what ever.

But ... in the manner of politics world wide, the most likely place to be invaded is the place most lightly armed.

The patrol boats at Darwin Harbor were years older than those of the east coast. The Penny War sunk the three in port. The Aussie Navy received four newer, better, faster, Made in Canada (money thrown by England), patrol boats ... and stationed them in Sydney. Sydney sent their older boats to Darwin. The boats that developed cracks in the hull and were unsafe at any speed.

The aircraft? New in 1964 and scheduled to be scrapped or sold to Pakistan. They were at Darwin as the nearest place to Pakistan for the sale. The Aussie Air Force had five of those obsolete Australian built, French designed, Mirage IIIO's destroyed and received ten Australian built McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 fighter aircraft ... paid for by thrown British pounds ... to replace the Mirage 3's. The Air Force sent more obsolete Mirage's to Darwin; the pretty new planes? South east Australia.