NT

Retiring Mayor Matt Paterson is coy about his second job, in addition to his $116,000 a year gig heading up the council. It’s conveniently just across the road from the civic centre, at the office of Amentum, a Pine Gap defence contractor. We texted him on December 16: “Do you work for Amentum? Just checking a rumour.” No answer. Last week we asked him again...

The Barkly Regional Council today issued a strong call to action, urging the Northern Territory Government, Infrastructure Australia, and all stakeholders to reinstate Tennant Creek as a core component of the Territory Energy Link (TEL) corridor. The Council asserts that bypassing Tennant Creek risks squandering decades of strategic planning and undermining critical regional development.

The comments today from the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) Acting CEO, Anthony Beven, are not only irresponsible, they are utterly absurd. To suggest that the Commonwealth should pull funding from the NT Police Force until a meeting takes place is reckless and inflammatory. These kinds of outbursts do nothing but create confusion and fear in remote communities who rely on police for safety and protection.

Territory Mangoes, NT beef, local barramundi and Kakadu plums are among the Northern Territory’s major exports – but once they’re on the plate, how many people ponder the origin of these products? A new PhD project at Charles Darwin University (CDU) will help the Northern Territory become synonymous with its food produce, providing much needed marketing support for food NT producers and manufacturers. 

Mike Gillam. Like the parade of Coober Pedy blower trucks, emus create wonderful silhouettes in a landscape of prevailing flatness ... One moves slightly, and there it is, up periscope, the largest male still accompanied by the adolescents of the previous year, confirms their emu identity.

Frank Baarda. Living in Yuendumu and having followed the Death in Custody saga, I was looking forward to the Coroner's report. I was not disappointed. A friend forwarded me the pdf, all 683 pages of it … In case you missed it, here are photos of the edged weapon and the stab-wound.

Local stock agent Steve Gaff says the price at the Alice Springs Show cattle sale was much the same as last year or a little better. The Donald Trump tariffs "had no effect at all," probably because the Australian market is affected in a different way – 10 per cent tariffs – compared to other countries.

Kieran Finnane. Two of Alice Springs’ leading artists, Pip McManus and Rod Moss, are sharing gallery space for two outstanding separate shows at the Araluen Arts Centre until August 17 ... Beyond their interesting differences, Pip McManus and Rod Moss share many points in common: their longevity here in Mparntwe Alice Springs and their maturity as artists, to start with.

The NT Government is providing a $10m loan to an interstate company for a walk in the Uluru National Park while other publicly funded tourism related projects in The Centre are on hold or merely planned. The conditions of the loan are not readily available. We have asked for them and will report them when and if details are provided by the government.

As part of the Finocchiaro CLP Government’s Rebuilding the Economy: NT Economy Strategy 2025, Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill will lead a delegation to Malaysia to strengthen government-to-government ties and promote new trade and investment opportunities for the Northern Territory.

There is much discussion, usually futile, about the social aspects of law and order. Here is a look at the flood of public funds unleashed by an individual's action.

The Finocchiaro CLP Government is backing the growth of the Northern Territory’s Blacklip Rock Oyster industry, with progress on the ground showcased at a community field day on Bathurst Island. Held at Wurrumiyanga on 19 June 2025, the Oyster Farm Field Day brought together local community members, industry participants and research partners...

A large number of people from Lajamanu and from Yuendumu, the home town of Kumanjayi White who died in custody on May 27, came to Alice Springs to attend a vigil, to march and mourn ... Coles staff welcomed into the store several small groups of men and women to aisle four – “chocolate, juice, lollies” – where the confrontation had taken place a short time before Kumanjayi’s death.

The Finocchiaro CLP Government has welcomed the arrival of Japanese frigate JS Yahagi to Darwin this week, reinforcing the Northern Territory’s strategic role in the Indo-Pacific and strengthening defence and economic ties with Japan. Chief Minister and Minister for Defence NT, Lia Finocchiaro, said the visit highlights Darwin’s growing importance as a regional hub for defence cooperation, joint exercises, and security engagement.

West Australian brothers Travis and Beau Robinson starred in the Tatts Finke Desert Race. Travis claimed his first car King of the Desert crown after finishing with the fastest overall time.

Kumanjayi White, who died in custody in Alice Springs this week, had his own house in Yuendumu but in recent times his family and the community had found it impossible to make satisfactory arrangements for his care. Ned Jampjinpa Hargraves, a respected elder who in a statement on Thursday called White “my jaja” (grandson), said this in an exclusive interview with the Alice Springs News.

Local police intelligence personnel track known regional grievances, according to a spokesman, replying to questions from the Alice Springs News whether initiatives are in place to prevent criminal payback after alleged events such as last Thursday’s in Gregory Terrace ... “As part of preparedness and prevention, Alice Springs police [act] to ensure possible flare ups are managed, for example [by considering] court appearances or community source information."

The Northern Territory Government is stepping up preparedness efforts against emergency animal diseases with a managed biosecurity exercise funded by the Commonwealth Government through the Northern Australian Coordination Network (NACN) which is set to get underway tomorrow.

Wati Mai brings starving people food, feeds homeless people, gives them magic water. Spider Girl Kungka helps kids stay safe. Comes out at night. Throws webs. Scares kids to go home and makes them go to sleep ready for school ... "The ultimate power of the Superheroes is the voice of the children who created them."

A non-toxic, environmentally friendly method of controlling weeds and pests in horticultural crops that has already proved successful in the United States and Europe will now be tested in Australia through a $4.74 million project led by La Trobe University. 

A prominent Aboriginal spokesman gave an account of a chaotic and meaningless process deciding how Prime Minister Albanese’s $250m Alice Springs “rescue package” is being spent. The money, allocated two years ago, was “drastically needed” according to Graeme Smith, at the time the CEO of the local native title organisation Lhere Artepe.

The Finocchiaro CLP Government is continuing to focus on keeping Territorians safe by allocating a record $495 million directly to Corrections in the 2025-26 Budget. There will also be additional funding held in contingency to be drawn down to address corrections demand pressures as needed.