Alice Springs News 13/03/2008 - my full reply

Alice News: [Q1] There appears to be a growing number of homeless people in Alice Springs, Aboriginal people from bush communities who come here for varying periods of time, camping illegally on vacant blocks, Crown land and in the creeks. Many are engaged in anti-social behavior. If elected what (if anything) will you be doing, or seeking to be done, to solve these problems, either by using local government powers and functions, of by lobbying the NT and Federal Governments, or other measures?

Reply:
As already highlighted in my campaign I will be negotiating for more bus services to communities and a strategic plan so extra services are available at peak times like sports weekends. Bush Bus is not enough. Short term hostel style accommodation has worked well in Alice and we should focus on working with the NT Government and shires to increase hostels in preference to adding more camps.

I have personally lobbied for the NT Government to allow motor vehicle registration checking and MV licensing to be able to be provided on communities. This would lead to meaningful training and work for people on communities as well as remove the necessity to come into town to comply with registration requirements. More meaningful work on communities will greatly assist in stemming urban drift.

As I have done in my role on LGANT I will work closely with surrounding communities as they become incorporated into Shires. Communication between service organizations and affected communities like Alice is essential when dealing with anti-social behaviour of visitors caught in town. Police liason officers and ACPO’s need to communicate with communities addressing flare ups of antisocial behaviour and identifying where the perpetrators have come from.

To address the underlying issues causing long term itinerants and alcoholics to be in town, a long term strategy of dealing with alcohol problems such as an alcohol free day and more appropriate drying out facilities are needed along with better living conditions on town camps. Living conditions are being addressed by the NT Government Connecting Neighbours program. Huge amounts of cash and services are coming to town under the guise of the Federal Intervention and so we, as a town, need to cultivate a cohesive tolerant environment in order to patiently allow these strategies to work.

School programs which assist young people to catch up after an interrupted primary school education need to be widely available as our young population moves through the school system. We need to recognise that lots of young people need support and guidance in order to get the most out of what’s currently available. Creative, switched on education is a key to this.

Alice News [Q2] If elected will you be part of a voting bloc? If so, which aldermen will you be voting with? Are you exchanging preferences if if so with whom?

Reply:

The decision about Mayor is important because this person represents our town on many levels. Whilst I will be issuing a how to vote card as an option, I urge the public to work out their own preferences for the 8 Mayoral candidates and to contact the candidates with their questions before the election. Preferences are each voters choice.

Elected Greens members are entitled to make a conscience vote every time they vote. Whilst the three Greens candidates will be like-minded and progressive in their viewpoints, voting as a bloc is not desirable. As Mayor I will work towards consensus on Council, a core democratic decisionmaking model used by the Greens.

At the end of the day, I hope it’s not that easy to dupe or manipulate the public. The public knows who has worked hard for the town and is knowledgeable about Local Government processes, who’s more stable in public and who is in it for personal glory or power...

Authorised by D Schild 12 Mills St Alice Springs