Cash for bricks and mortar, not people
The latest government alcohol control effort, now a year old, has resulted in a dramatic drop in bottle shop and online transactions, but how much we drink hasn’t gone down by a lot ... Bill Yan, Member for Namatjira and Shadow Minister for Health, says alcohol abuse measures should have received more funding: “We’ve yet to see much of the $250m promised [by the Prime Minister] last year."
Singleton water allocations: environmentalists fail in court
Proceedings in the Supreme Court about the controversial Singleton Station water allocation by the NT Government were all dismissed by Justice Barr on 31 January 2024. The unsuccessful plaintiffs were the Alice Springs based environmental organisation, Arid Land Environment Centre (ALEC), and the Mpwerempwer Aboriginal Corporation, representing Aboriginal people in the Singleton region 380 km north of Alice Springs.
CLP luminary wants Jacinta Price to get Scomo’s seat
A former Country Liberal Party front bencher, Roger “Stainless” Steele, says it’s likely that NT Senator Jacinta Price “could contribute even more to the North of Australia from a seat in the House of Representatives".
Full throttle for low cost airline
Any conversation about the livability of Alice Springs will quickly hit on atrociously priced air fares making personal contact with loved ones interstate a nightmare. The touchdown of Bonza is bringing significant relief. But why can’t it fly to Sydney?
Gallery: Whistle stop or gate to The Centre’s soul
“Visitors are welcome to our gallery where you can purchase paintings and learn more about the history of Papunya and its artists.” This message is on the Papunya Tjupi website and Yuendumu’s Warlukurlangu Artists have a similar one. Meanwhile the plodding preparations continue for the bombastically named National Aboriginal Arts Gallery (NAAG) in Alice Springs.
No-cost electricity can solve grid problems
Providing zero or low-cost energy during the solar peak is a way of dealing with stability problems in the Alice Springs electricity grid, says Anthony Seipolt of Cadency Consulting, an international expert on renewable power. The Alice Springs News asked him to comment on the two-year $12.5m Future Grid research project...
The cost of owing money
The current Budget Mid Year Report raises the question: How can the NT have a debt of more than nine billion dollars and still boast a balanced Budget? ... Prof Gerritsen takes a wry view about Budget electoral cycles.
Making bore water fit for dialysis
Making scarce and impure bore water in The Centre’s outback fit for use in medical dialysis has earned Alice local Michael C Smith a Distinguished Alumni Award from Flinders University in Adelaide. “I’m proud that one of my designs is working today in Kiwirrkurra, Australia’s most remote Aboriginal community,” says Dr Smith.
Firebugs, lightning burn 15,000 square kilometres
There were a number of deliberate ignitions, mainly on roadsides, however over the past week the majority of fires are the result of lightning strikes, according to Chief Fire Control Officer Tony Fuller. “On Friday we had at least 14 new fires as a result of lightning,” he says.
Big water bombers still on the ground
Big water bombers still cannot be used in Alice Springs which is again surrounded by wildfires ... Preparations for the use of large fire bombers … are locked in a Catch 22 situation: The NT is part of a national system for the use of such aircraft but “they are ineffective given the location”: Tony Fuller, of Bushfires NT.
