Will our Kevin '07 deflate in '08?

Minister Macklin issued a media release on December 10 advising that a “moratorium” would be placed on the dismantling of the CDEP in the NT. It seems she's quite a fan of CDEP too, describing the program as "providing important infrastructure and human capacity in remote communities".

But media releases aside, there is an increasing number of people in the Centre who are beginning to wonder if Labor's undertaking to revitalise CDEP was a non-core promise. They will look forward to Minister Macklin directing her bureaucrats to end the dismantling of the desert CDEPs, and to begin undoing the damage that has already been done.

Of course, Labor have only been in government for two minutes and they are entitled to a bit of slack. We can't expect them to cure the common cold - or more importantly, the hangover - immediately. But on the issues where they have made specific promises - the national representative body, the CDEP and the permit system - the punters are entitled to expect some early progress.

Meanwhile, the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act for the purposes of the intervention is a human rights disaster that will continue to haunt the ALP. In the leafy suburbs of the cities of the south, it's likely that many will find the notion that human rights can be “suspended” as deeply offensive - even if it is only for Aboriginal people.

Labor must drop the gauntlet at the feet of a hostile Senate and challenge them to restore the fundamental rights of Indigenous Territorians - or to “please explain”.

The nation's economy is booming and we have wall-to-wall Labor governments. But managerialism must not be allowed to triumph over vision.

Governments must summon up all of their political courage and take the opportunity to make great strides forward in the journey towards Indigenous justice.