MARLENE and Ian Hicks have been valued contributors to Tennant Creek for nearly 40 years and have received numerous awards for their charity work. 

They raised their five children here and have many grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Aboriginal heritage. 

Over the years Marl and Ian have provided refuge to many other children who needed a home.

The other night as Marlene rounded the corner a young girl ran up and smashed the car window (one of many incidents the Hicks’ have endured). 

The bleeding hearts will be concocting all sorts of excuses for this behaviour but it’s simply the spiteful action of a malicious brat.    

We are sick of the palaver about youth diversionary programs which are actually facilities where delinquents can go and freshen up before embarking on their nightly crime spree - Boot Camps where junior criminals can enjoy a country lifestyle and go fishing, horse riding and swimming as a reward for their bad behaviour. Ankle monitoring devices are now much desired and worn with pride.  

It’s time to call out the constant references to Culture and Respect for Elders that is supposed to provide a moral compass - they no longer exist.

We want to hear about real penalties – the old ways may have been tough but we lived in a safer society than this Woke generation has created.

And we want to hear about real compensation for victims and the culpability of parents. Not another token levy set up by the Government and funded by the taxpayer/victim.

– G.D Egan, Tennant Creek.