Tony Barrass; 30/12/09;
After yet another thunderous editorial — “It’s time to form a political party exclusively for the north of Australia and let the southerners rot in hell” — outback editor Gerard R. Willett refuses to soften his newspaper’s relentless attacks on booze bans in Halls Creek. The Halls Creek Herald, a kick ‘em-in-the-teeth fortnightly circulated throughout the tiny towns and indigenous communities of the east Kimberley in Western Australia, has been rabid on anyone else supporting the alcohol restrictions. According to the tough-talking Willett, who cut his teeth as editor on the then equally bombastic Kimberley Echo before launching the Herald in 2004, the bans enforced in May were a direct attack on democracy and racist in their intention. Someone needed to stand up and let the authorities know that many businesses — including the local pub and bottle shop, not surprisingly — were hurting. After forming a chamber of commerce that took in both Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing, 300km to the west, Willett — appointed as chairman — began to bellow even louder.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/outback-editor-lambasts-racists-who-imposed-east-kimberley-alcohol-restrictions/story-e6frg6nf-1225814531471
Tags: Aboriginal, Australia, Drugs