Alice Springs news
Alice Springs news; NewspaperNT
2008-07-24
This publication contains may contain links to external sites. These external sites may no longer be active.
This publication contains many links to external sites. These external sites may no longer be active.
English
Community newspspers; Australia, Central; Alice Springs (N.T.); Newspapers
Erwin Chlanda
Alice Springs
v. 15 issue 25
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
Erwin Chlanda
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/232757
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/661377
Lively batt le for Brait l ing Advert isement B y K I E R A N F I N N A N E T h e race f o r B r a i t l i n g o n A u g u s t 9 got m o r e i n terest ing o n T u e s d a y w i t h G r e e n s a l d e r m a n J a n e C l a r k t e n d e r i n g h e r res igna t ion f r o m the T o w n C o u n c i l a n d n o m i n a t i n g as a G r e e n s cand ida te in the electorate w h e r e she's l i ved f o r 17 y e a r s . She becomes the third w e l l k n o w n candidate to nominate in the seat - f o l l o w i n g A d a m Gi les , prese lected b y the C o u n t r y L i b erals (the rebadged C L P ) , and E l i M e l k y running as an independent and endorsed b y o u t g o i n g i n c u m b e n t L o r a i n e B r a h a m , also an independent. M s Clark d rew contro v e r s y f r o m other candidates and fe l low aldermen con testing the counci l election as a G r e e n , but electors w e r e undeterred, placing her third in the mayora l con test w i th 15% o f the vote , a far healthier proport ion of the vote than the Greens ' p r i o r e lec tora l p e r f o r m ances here. A n d she a lso f i l l e d third spot in the aldermanic count. Last year she contested the Greatorex by-e lect ion for the Greens, but came last in the field o f four. T h e announced L a b o r candidate for Brai t l ing this time round, A a r o n D i c k , has little t ime to bui ld his public profi le in the electorate, so the allocation o f preferences w i l l be crit ical. I n the 2005 e lec t ion Labor preferences got M r s Braham o v e r the l ine. O n the w e e k e n d M r M e l k y was seen dining on p i z z a w i t h L a b o r candidate for A r a l u e n and unti l n o w a staffer for the C h i e f M in is ter, J o h n G a y n o r . " C e r t a i n l y w e talked about preferences - let's not be c o y , " says M r M e l k y . H o w e v e r he says he w i l l not make up his m ind unti l Centre Party no show T h e C e n t r e P a r t y m o o t e d b y t o u r i s m i d e n t i ty R e x N e i n d o r f w i l l not field a cand ida te i n the c o m i n g p o l l . " W e ' r e s t i l l g e t t i n g things organised," said M r N e i n d o r f w h e n the A l i c e N e w s called after the pol l was announced. Steve B r o w n , chair o f A d v a n c e A l i c e , w h o has spoken about a loose al l i ance o f independent candi dates, has also been caught short b y the pol l announce ment. " W e c o u l d see m o r e i n d e p e n d e n t s , m a y b e a couple, but it 's still a bit ear ly to out them," he said on T u e s d a y . Nominat ions close next M o n d a y M r B r o w n was crit ical o f the ex t remely short c a m paign per iod: "It doesn' t g ive the public m u c h t ime to have their say ," he said. I T e x p e r t J a n e C l a r k in the r u n - u p to the G r e a t o r e x by -e lec t ion last y e a r . he knows all the chal lengers - nominations close next M o n d a y at noon. M r M e l k y acknowl edges that preferences w i l l play an important role and says he w i l l endeavour to allocate them to get "the best re sults for Brai t l ing". M r M e l k y was un successful in gain ing p r e s e l e c t i o n f o r the C o u n t r y L ibera ls . W i l l he be loya l to conservat ive politics in his allocation o f prefer ences? H e stresses that he is "unashamedly a L i b era l" in the true sense o f the w o r d - he stands for " i n d e p e n d e n c e , f r e e d o m and choice" . B u t he says he 's not " s o l d " on the C o u n t r y L i b e r a l s ' s t o r y : " T h e y ' r e o n l y inter ested i n w i n n i n g g o v ernment", and, as w i t h Labor , this can some times be "at a cost" to certain electorates. M s C l a r k is also w a i t i n g f o r n o m i n a tions to close before making a decision on preferences. She describes her opponents as "predictable" and is hoping "more p r o gress ive candidates" w i l l come out the w o o d w o r k . M s C la rk was a mayora l as w e l l as aldermanic can didate in this year 's counci l election and had commit ted, i f elected as m a y o r , to stay fo r a fu l l four years on counci l . She d i d n ' t make the same c o m m i t m e n t as an a ldermanic candidate, at least not to the A l i c e Springs N e w s . U n d e r the L o c a l G o v M e l k y d u r i n g the K i n g o f f M o u n t a i n race i n 2006. ernment A c t she has to re sign as alderman in order to contest the A u g u s t 9 po l l , but, i f unsuccess fu l , has seven days after the pol l is declared to ask for her pos i t ion to be reinstated. She says so many o f the issues that local government sees as important fo r the f u ture o f A l i c e Spr ings have to be referred to the T e r r i tory G o v e r n m e n t and she believes she could be m o r e ef fect ive in the Legis la t ive A s s e m b l y . A n example is Conta in er Deposit Legis lat ion ( C D L ) , where counci l has done every th ing in its power to have such a scheme introduced in A l i c e but has been ig nored b y the T e r r i t o r y G o v e r n m e n t . She also says local g o v e r n m e n t r e f o r m , w h i c h has s e r i o u s l y w e a k e n e d the L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t A s s o c i a t ion o f the N T , has de pr ived her, as a m e m b e r o f the L G A N T execut ive , o f m u c h o f her vo ice . She is count ing on support f r o m y o u n g e r voters w h o she says are more idealistic about env i ronmenta l issues: she sees C D L , r e c y cl ing and implementa t ion o f climate change adaptation measures as "front and centre" for the electorate. S h e a l s o s a y s " s o c i a l c o h e s i o n has changed in Bra i t l ing" in the t ime that she has l ived there and c o m m u nity and envi ronmenta l projects are needed to bui ld cohesion. O n uranium min ing she says she is prepared to take "a sensible ap p r o a c h " , to push the N T G o v e r n m e n t to "take ser ious ly" its responsibi l i ties to people w h o l i ve in A l i c e Spr ings. M r M e l k y , "a f a m i ly man, business man and athlete" sees some o f the k e y issues as: promot ing business and tour ism; edu cation as an essential p r i or i ty ; p rov is ion o f health services; support ing pol ice and their enforcement o f the laws; affordable housing for famil ies; tackl ing the future g r o w t h o f the t o w n . election Rolls Close at 8pm THURSDAY 24 J U L Y 2008 for the Legislative Assembly election on Saturday 9 August 2008 l Y o u are el igible to enrol : I If you are: I 18 years of age or older \ an Australian Citizen (or a British subject who was on \ the Commonwealth Roll in January 1984) . \ and; I have been living at your present address for at least one I month. \ Electors may check their current enrolment by telephoning 13 23 26 (To l l F r e e ) or visiting www.aec.gov.au Enrolment forms are available from: N T Electoral Commiss ion , 2 n d Floor, A A N T Building 7 9 Smith St, Darwin Electoral Serv ices Cent re , Suite 4 Leichhardt Building,16 Leichhardt T e r r a c e , Al ice Springs Austral ia Post a n d M e d i c a r e offices enro lment stalls operat ing at selected shopping centres C o m p l e t e d forms MUST be received at the N T Electoral Commiss ion by 8pm Thursday 24 July 2008. Direc t all e n q u i r i e s to : N o r t h e r n T e r r i t o r y E lec to ra l C o m m i s s i o n 2nd F l oo r , A A N T Bui ld ing, 79 S m i t h St , D a r w i n Pos ta l A d d r e s s : G P O B o x 2419, D a r w i n , N T 0801 Tel: 8999 5617 Toll Free 1800 019 159 Fax: 8999 5845 or v is i t www.ntec.nt.gov.au E N R O L M E N T A N D V O T I N G A R E C O M P U L S O R Y PENALTY $110 Authorised by BILL SHEPHEARD, ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER, 79 Smith St, Darwin http://www.aec.gov.au http://www.ntec.nt.gov.au