The Centralian advocate Fri 11 May 2018
Centralian Advocate; NewspaperNT
2018-05-11
This publication contains may contain links to external sites. These external sites may no longer be active.
English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Alice Springs; Tennant Creek (N.T.) -- Newspapers; Alice Springs (N.T.) -- Newspapers.; Australia, Central -- Newspapers
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
Alice Springs
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C01275
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/299848
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/381191
CAVE01Z01MA - V1 Dear Residents Instead of sending my newsletter out to individual Araluen households I thought I would try printing it in the paper and thus connect with a broader range of people. The NT Members of Parliament have had a busy couple of weeks thrashing it out in Parliament. It is important people know that every day in Parliament I talk about Alice Springs and work hard to ensure we are never forgotten. Budget Overview The Gunner Government handed down their second Budget on 1st May 2018. On balance, many people agree that their 2018 Budget is the worst ever, in the 40 year history of the NT self-government. They have taken us to unprecedented and unsustainable levels of debt. By 2022 the NT will have a debt of $7.5 billion. This has risen by $2b in the 2017 Budget, and will equate to loan repayments of $10m per week. The burden this places on such a small population of people (250,000) is reckless and irresponsible. The Art Gallery Debacle Continues Last Wednesday (2nd May 2018) I moved a motion in Parliament that the Government accepts responsibility for the mistakes they have made in the planning process for the National Indigenous Art Gallery and that they start the process again by undertaking a proper community consultation. The Member for Braitling spoke on behalf of Government and did not express any real misgivings over how they have mismanaged the planning for the art gallery. She remained adamant that the Government has chosen the right site for the gallery at Anzac Oval and did not concede the need to consider other sites. This contradicted the acting Minister for Arts and Culture, Eva Lawler, who said on ABC radio on Wednesday 2 May 2018 that she was open to considering other sites. Both Minister Lawler and the Member for Braitling said they would continue discussions with the Alice Springs Councillors, who voted against signing an MOU with Government thereby rejecting the use of Anzac Oval as the preferred site on Monday 30th April 2018. It seems that the Government has learned little from this whole experience and intends to continue with their plans to repurpose Anzac Oval for the Art Gallery, regardless of the back lash from the Council and the Community. Gunner and Wakefield lied about an Alcohol Floor Price In the lead up to the 2016 NT Election both Michael Gunner and Dale Wakefield publicly promised on numerous occasions they would NOT introduce an alcohol floor price. In Parliament last week Gunner admitted that he has back flipped on this election promise and that his Government WILL introduce a floor price. In the heat of the Parliamentary debate I accused Gunner of lying to the people of Alice Springs and was thrown out for refusing to withdraw this accusation. Calling someone a liar in Parliament is not accepted, even though technically it may be true! What is almost certain is that Labor would not have won the seat of Braitling (by 27 preference votes) if they had not made this election promise. People in Alice Springs have never supported an alcohol floor price because it means paying more for alcohol. No other state or Territory in Australia has an alcohol floor price and there is little evidence to support it being an effective means of reducing alcohol consumption. But back flipping on an election promise like this, is dishonest and completely unacceptable. the expansion of buildings and ongoing major upgrades, it means even less parking. I doubt that this Government will ever make this level of commitment to Alice Springs - but I will not give up. Funding for new Hospitals these days does not rely 100% on the Government, private and public investment is now the norm. We deserve to have a modern new Hospital in Central Australia. Keith Lawrie Flats - Public Meeting Residents living in and around the Keith Lawrie Flats met on Wednesday 11th April 2018 with representatives from the Department of Housing and Police to discuss ongoing issues of antisocial behaviour and crime at the complex. This is the second public meeting held to try to get these issues addressed. We will meet again towards the end of the year to ensure that the momentum continues. Thanks to the cooperation and hard work of the NT Government representatives that are committed to improving this neighbourhood. Whats coming up? Estimates hearings will be held from 11th to 20th June 2018. This involves the intense scrutiny of all Government Departments and entities leading up to the Budget (or the Appropriation Bill) being formally passed in Parliament on Thursday 21st June 2018. If you have any questions you would like me to ask Government please forward them through to me. The Alice Springs Show is on 6-7th July 2018. Again I will have an Araluen Stall in the pavilion with the Wig Library. Please come and say hello. As your local Independent Member of Parliament I am here to serve you and represent your views in Parliament. The Araluen Electorate Office is a source of information and assistance for you. Please do not hesitate to call us on Tel: 89 51 5588. Legislation for Police Auxiliaries to perform the POSI role (Police outside of Bottle shops) This legislation was passed in Parliament last week (3rd May 2018). I supported the Bill but took the opportunity to talk about the devastating impact the reduction of Police outside of Bottle shops has had on the town of Alice Springs over the past 6-12 months. The Government continues to take absolutely no responsibility for the obvious increase in alcohol related crime, anti-social behaviour, litter, illness and injury this has caused. The Gunner Government changed the policy held by the former CLP Government that all 10 take away liquor outlets in Alice Springs would be serviced by POSIs or Police outside of Bottle shops all the time. It is the Minister for Police (the Chief Minister) that changed this policy and he is to blame for the rivers of grog flowing freely again in Alice. It is certainly not the fault of the Police, who have served our town so well by providing Police outside of Bottle shops since 2012 under strained circumstances. Another call for a new Alice Springs Hospital for 2030 Once again I have put the debate for a new Alice Springs Hospital back on the Parliamentary agenda. With the new Palmerston Hospital almost complete the timing is perfect for Government to turn their attention to a new Hospital for Alice Springs. Every year millions of dollars are spent on patching up the Hospital. Parking has reached a crisis point. With The Good, The Bad, and the disastrous Funding for early childhood centres A sprinkling of funding for tourism in Central Australia (in the MacDonnell Ranges) $8m to continue patching up the Alice Springs Hospital Commonwealth funding for the Plenty, Tanami and Maryvale Roads Upgrades to Acacia Hill and Braitling Schools Ilparpa Road upgrade Funds to plan Flood mitigation measures No additional funding for the National Indigenous Art Gallery (to add to the $50m committed by the former CLP Government in 2016) No $20m for a new rugby league or rugby union facility - as promised 3% increase in vehicle rego and Drivers licences No funding for car parking at the Alice Springs Hospital No plan to build a new Alice Springs Hospital A record debt of $7.5b in 2022 No plan of how to get the Budget out of debt and back to a surplus Loan repayments skyrocketing to $10m per week in the forward estimates 2018 NT Budget ARALUEN NEWS ADVERTISEMENT Authorised by - Robyn Lambley Shop 1, Helm House, Cnr Bath Street & Gregory Terrace, Alice Springs