MY 5 STEP PLAN FOR ALICE SPRINGS

STEP ONE

Work collaboratively with the Council with a plan to

Create an inclusive, productive, and positive environment for elected members
Work with and support the Executive Staff as well as the Operational Team of the Alice Springs Town council
Work with elected members and Executive Staff on sound financial management and budget setting to ensure we deliver on our core services of Roads Rates and Rubbish made up of the following areas.
Waste management facility
Library
ASALC (*Town Pool)
Parks and Sporting infrastructure
Roads, foot paths and Verges
CBD including Todd Mall
Roadside Rubbish collection
Maintain existing NTG Collaborations such as Management of Crown Lands

Council annual income is approximately $35m broken down to $27m from 10,000 rate payers, with other income coming from NTG Grant funding and fees and charges for council services.

Under the local Government Act Councils cannot budget for a deficit, however if Council were to be in surplus, the money can be re allocated to other projects as directed by elected members or saved in reserve for later consideration.

With a proven track record and extensive experience in Council business, I will work with and guide newly elected members and the Executive staff of Council, and ensure we deliver council services at the high standard level that our community expect. The municipal plan provides in greater detail information relating to our budget and council operations.

STEP TWO

Community Safety plan for a Safe Alice

I a plan to introduce a C.U.R.F.E.W strategy which spells Children Under Responsible Family Elder Watch. Children should not be out on the streets and at risk of being involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. They should be cared for by responsible family elders who can provide the support necessary to help young people grow out of harms way.

My aim will be to work with community leaders, Governments at Federal and Territory level, and appropriate organisations to ensure children have some where safe to go to and provide support for responsible family and elders who can be part of the solution and keep the community safe.

This idea came from extensive consultation with community leaders that I have established a strong relationship with over many years. They want to see their kids grow safely and to protect their culture and language, the community leaders I have had the pleasure of working with all agree we should be able to live safely together in our community. While no one want to see kids in the justice system, and no one wants to support the growth industry that has formed on the back of the misery of our community.

At the same time, we all acknowledge that the Town has always had its issues with law and order, but we are fast arriving at breaking point. We must come together and find a way thought this because as it currently sits, no one is the winner here.

Any future funding requirement as part of any plan that is agreed upon by all stake holders, I would expect will need to be supported by NTG and Federal Governments. Council may be able to play a small part by providing infrastructure from existing resources.

STEP THREE

TOWN POPULATION GROWTH PLAN

The town’s population needs to grow if we are to develop a sustainable economic plan. Over recent years our population numbers have been decreasing with many choosing to leave town after their initial short stay. I have no doubt that Safety has played a large part in the decision to leave town form many people. However, there are many other factors that also come into play which include

Lack of infrastructure and services such as

University
Retirement village
Sporting Development opportunities
Staffing issues for small business
Residential Land availability
Retail and Entertainment Choice

Alice Springs and the opportunities are truly boundless, (to borrow NTG slogan) I can speak from my own experience when we started our small business from nothing to become a successful agency managing residential property with a portfolio value of approximately $120 million dollars in addition to Body Corporate management looking after 25-unit complexes in Town. Gianna and I plan to continue to invest in the town and grow our business at a healthy and sustainable level so one day we too can say we contributed to the town’s growth.

I will play a leading role to support the growth of a local University in a number of ways such as;

Attract developers to build a viable Retirement village,
Provide in principal support for private enterprise to consider investing in our town.
Encourage Territory and Federal Governments to continue to invest in Town planning infrastructure such as Roads, Playgrounds / Parks, Parking areas, Lighting and importantly residential land release
Encourage NTG to re-introduce the First Home buyer and new build incentive schemes.

As the population grows by supporting our young to stay, our senior citizens to stay and to introduce new people who chose to stay, this will ultimately lead to increase the supply of human resource for our private enterprises and hospitality desperate for staff. Council will benefit from the increase in the number for rate payers who pay directly into the Towns economy.

STEP FOUR

Economic development – Sports Tourism and our economy

With the growing Pandemic economic pressures on our tourism industry, I will commit to play a significant role in helping turn this around.

The area I see has potential is to bring together Sport and Tourism operators where there maybe synergy and thus an opportunity. For example, where there are sporting events that attract visitors from around Australia. I would like to see event organisers work together with tourism operators and offer visiting sporting groups a tourism experience package during their stay in the Alice. Sponsorship with incentives to the Sports organisers to promote tourism products, may lead to financial sponsorship support based on user and booking numbers. Think of the upcoming motor sports events as one example of many.

Sports Tourism can be its own product ongoing, and Council can continue to lead by ensuring we develop and maintain sporting infrastructure at the national standards essential to support the growth of a Sports Tourism industry. Alice Springs is located geographically in the centre of Australia giving it an advantage over many other regional centres in terms of accessibility by air, rail, and road. We have the natural environment, which is simply perfect weather year-round, not to mention being in over 565 metres above sea level. This is significant in that it provides an advantage to athletes as they would be training in higher altitude or above sea level environment.

The OLYMPICS are coming to Brisbane in 10 years, we can get a piece of that pie by being the perfect location for team to train in preparation, better than Darwin.

Elite Athletes throughout the world crave altitude and heat training to build their red blood cell count which creates a physical advantage and improves their chance of sporting success. We have a combination of both heat and altitude. WE need to make the most of this rare opportunity of the Olympics coming to Australia and be part of the Games. This will undoubtedly create a new dynamic Industry for tourism under my leadership we will aim to make it happen.

STEP FIVE

Long-term Plan and Asset management plan to take Alice Springs into the next 50 years.

As we move towards the next fifty years and beyond, my mission will be to prepare the town as we begin to grow our population over the next ten years.

To be ready for this I will work with the Council to create a long-term plan incorporating an asset management plan that has a sustainable balance between growth and reducing harm to the environment. The Plan will be integrated with a Climate action strategy that is completely focused on reducing harm on the environment as we grow.

On solar, we must harness the sun and develop a solar reliance with a balance that promotes the advantage of living in a Sun-drenched location.

On Mining and water safety I support the mining industry that allows the town and the region to prosper, however my position has been consistent that our water must be safe without any exception, this is a not negotiable.

The cost of an asset management plan and strategic plan could be funded through a grant application with NTG and or Federal Gov.