local news bulletin from Monday. The existing 30-minute national bulletin has
been shelved because of problems with the microwave bearer to Brisbane. The
bulletin goes to air for the last time in its present format at 7 o'clock
tonight. Channel 8 says it's still been unable to
negotiate with telecom a satisfactory rate for the use of the bearer. A
federal arbitration commissioner today granted up to 100 salaried officers
employed by local government councils in the territory a 7% pay rise.
Commissioner Connell said the increase which he backdated just over one month
was permitted because he'd completed his hearing before the announcement of the
wage freeze. While one of Darwin's best-known charity supporters, Auntie
Billie Pitchiner, has announced her retirement from fundraising. Richard
Creswick has the story. There can be few Darwinites who haven't at some time or
another over the past 28 years bought a ticket, badge, flag or what-have-you from
Auntie Billie and tomorrow will be her swan song. She'll be in the mall selling
flags and badges as part of Australia Day celebrations. Auntie Billie first came
to Darwin in 1941 only to be evacuated a few months later. She didn't return until
1950. The following year on holiday in Alice Springs she unwittingly began what
was to become a career in fundraising by helping to raise money to send a local
sporting team to Mount Isa. The list of organisations she's helped in the
intervening years reads like a who's who of charity groups in the territory.
Everyone from Red Cross to the Australia Day Committee. Her services have been
recognised several times. In 1962 a Humanist Award from California and in
1974 a British Empire Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours List and the
Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal. Now, tired, in failing health and almost 67 years of
age, Auntie Billie feels it's time to call it a day. If anybody was to say to me as
you have, any regrets? No. If I had the health and strength I'd do the
self-same thing all over again. You've mentioned a lot of the little things
that you want to do. What does the future hold for Auntie Billie Pichinita?
Well the main thing that I'd like to do Richard is to get to a big suitcase that
I've got paper cuttings in going right back to about 1950-52. I'd like to get
them all into scrapbooks which I will then hand over to the Historical Society.
But just the fact of being able to get up or open my eyes one morning and know
that I don't have to jump in my car and go here, there and everywhere, set up
stall sort of business and sell the tickets. And apart from that I'm starting
to get a bit frightened when I look in the mirror in the morning I get up. I'm
expecting one of these days to see a perforation down here, a number on one
side and a cause implanted onto the other side. So I think I better get