Truth the first casualty

The main theme of Brough's address was the terrifying prospect of a red Rudd federal government lacking the ticker to take on the full-house of socialist state premiers. But he took time out for a romp on his permit-system hobby-horse: "You don't lift the fog of drug addiction with a permit system," he fulminated.

"You don't say, ‘No one's going to come in here because I've got a bit of paper. This bit of paper is going to protect you.’ That's a fraud. That is a lie."

Brough made no recommendation to abolish driving licences because some people got behind the wheel without them. Nor did he suggest doing away with passports because bad guys sometimes cross borders without valid travel documents. But - logic notwithstanding - he insists that permits have to go.

No matter that the permit system remains remote Indigenous Australia's first line of defence against not only drug-traffickers, but against those who peddle porn, petrol and grog.

No matter that it stands as a deterrent against those who would prey on children, or disrespect sacred sites.

No matter that the Central Land Council approves more than 3,990 of the 4,000 permit applications it receives in a given year - or that both the Central Land Council and the Northern Land Council actively facilitate the attendance of journalists at “on-country” court-hearings.

No matter that the overwhelming majority of Indigenous Territorians - along with the NT police union - support the retention of the permit system.

If the Minister has found a hole in an otherwise very useful fence, his task should be to repair the hole - not demolish the fence.

But the Howard Government has declared war, and as ever, truth is the first casualty.