Anthony Lawton, a long-time Tennant Creek resident, argues that the town's youth problems stem from the loss of elder authority. He says police should grant elders formal power to conduct patrols and resolve incidents, and calls for an Aboriginal-led political organization to restore self-governance and community-specific laws.
You ready to go?
Yeah, go.
My name's Anthony Lawton. I'm from Queensland, Charbel in the southwest. I come up here about '88 for a holiday. Yeah, that was it. I finished my apprenticeship as a soft drink— making soft drinks. I come up here with my auntie for a week's holidays. And I've got a better job up here, so I ended up staying.
Oh yeah, oh great. So how long you been in town?
Since '88. I haven't left '88.
You haven't yet since— wow, you've been here a while.
Yeah.
So you were saying some very interesting things about— so Tennant Creek is known for its trouble. It used to be known for something else, but it seems to be known— what's your view on that, and how would you What do you think needs to be done in town?
Well, I think what needs to be done in town is to get elders to get their rights back for having their control of the kids' situation around town.
So what does that look like to you? When you say control, what do you mean by that?
Let the elders do what they're taught to be brought up to teach the younger kids. So they can show their respect to the elders here.
Yeah, so how does that work with the police? Do you work with the police? Do you work separate from the police?
Well, the police has got to give more authority for the elders to do their patrol.
So their patrol, okay.
Their traditional patrol, you'd call it.
So do you see it as police and elders working hand in hand?
Yeah.
Really? Yeah.
Is to help each other out. If the police have got trouble with— I wouldn't say— if the police got trouble with the kids, refer it to the elders, the true elders around town here, and let them sort it their way.
Was there ever a time where that happened in Tennant Creek? Where elders were involved in disciplining people and helping with stuff around town?
Yes, go back in the '80s there was.
Yeah.
They used to— the old ladies.
Yeah.
Used to walk around with nala nala, used to flog them with their drunk horse over. And the kids, if they did disrespect their elders.
Did they really?
Yes.
Sort it out pretty quick, Spike. Flogging everybody.
Yeah, but that— and the kids then, they showed respect for their people.
Yeah, yeah.
Not nowadays, they don't show any respect. Because they got the law on their side. Apparently the law helps them out where they can get away with things and they can't do what the elders sets down, sets them out to do something, they cannot do it because they got the law behind them.
Yeah, they've got the whitefella law.
Yeah.
Yeah, so it's like they're under whitefella law but we're having to live in a blackfella community, our elder command, and we don't have any say in our kids. Is that what you're saying?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I reckon it should be all left to the elders to The way they're bought up. Yeah. Nothing wrong with half of them now.
Yeah. So do you think there's a possibility for that to happen? Do you think it could happen?
Not with this government in charge of NT at the moment. Any— all over NT, sorry. Yeah.
Bit of a challenge, hey? Yes. Well, thanks very much, mate.
No worries, bro.
Appreciate you.
Thanks.
Glad we had a chance to have a stop in on that. Oh yeah.
Unless you get a government or Aboriginal elders, if those still goes into being government, go up for a government challenge and put their rights across. Yeah, that's the only way you're going to change it.
Yeah, yeah, I can see that for sure.
So I wouldn't mind seeing them if an Aboriginal Wanted Labor Party, whatever you want to call them. They call themselves Elders, Elders, the old fucking—
Australian Elder Party.
Yeah, in the NT. That's the only way they're going to try and get resolved things.
Yeah.
To make their own government for themselves to set up.
Yeah, yeah.
So they can set the laws down what could be and what cannot be.
Yeah, for sure.
I'm telling you, it'd be so lot of difference. Even when they had the cars with me, they were doing donuts in front of the police station here.
Yeah.
And what are the police actually trained for?
Yeah.
They do so much training now to stop— why can't they just nudge the car and turn it, spin the car?
Yeah.
Aren't they trained in that basic for it?
Yeah, yeah.
Or just let them do it. And the police are missing the most point about that with the stolen car. If they hit an elder up the car or somewhere, or anyone up the car, they talk about payback. They reckon it's only going to last 6 weeks. It doesn't last 6 weeks, it goes for years. It's not the person, the people who got hit, it's the other family members they've got to worry about.
Yes, yes. So it's a lot— it's very different than European society, isn't it?
Yes.
This is generational.
Yeah, but you have a look at the driver of the car, he's not going to cop much suspension. It's his side of the family who's going to cop it. That's what they've all got to realize.
Yeah, and do you feel we could stop it as elders?
Yes, I reckon elders can stop it. If they know who's driving, they can go talk to him, take him out and talk to him.
Have a chat.
Have a chat.
With all that's involved.
Yeah.
Having a chat.
But that'll save a lot of payback and everything for them. That's the main thing everyone's got to worry about, as far as I'm concerned, is worry about is the payback. It doesn't go on for 3 or 4 weeks, it goes on for years and years. It can go for years.
Yeah, for sure.
That's what's got to be sorted out.
Yeah, for sure. That's very interesting, thank you.
No worries, thank you.
