From fly and flop to outback adventure: Tourism on the move
The fabric of our tourism needs to be like a patchwork quilt, with many patterns, “a big fabric which defines itself” in the world of competition ... And the national news reporting of the latest crime wave in The Alice is unlikely to make much of a difference, says Brendan McKenna, COO for Australia and New Zealand of the JUCY Group, a camper car hire business from across the ditch that’s been in Australia for 12 years.
Kids trouble: The government has to fix it, says Mayor
"There are enough organisations that are funded to make sure that kids are safe. Unfortunately there is a hole in the delivery, kids are falling through the cracks. We have so many service providers in Alice Springs. There is no level of accountability. There are service providers that are not getting audited to deliver what they are getting funded to do": Alice Springs Mayor, Matt Paterson.
Grog ban first step
The recommendation to reinstate alcohol bans in Alice Springs town camps and outback home lands was described as “finally some commonsense” by the Independent MLA for Araluen, Robyn Lambley. But she says Dorrelle Anderson, who made the recommendation, should now go back to her work and “sort out child protection, the most critical problem in Central Australia” and “keep off the streets” children causing trouble.
New country, new life
It’s the little things that count: A plate of food for someone lonely, new in town, from the other side of the world. A volunteer giving an English lesson. Singing together. Men chatting about crafts in their former homes. Leonamedes Bowey, Leony to her many friends, and declared Centralian Citizen of the Year on Thursday, has practised the art of making people welcome to Alice Springs for 40 years ... on Australia Day politics takes a back-seat in Alice Springs.