Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson gives an update on all thigs Alice including the National Aboriginal Art Gallery

Transcript

Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson gives an update on all thigs Alice including the National Aboriginal Art Gallery · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: You may have heard on the show yesterday we caught
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: up with Daniel Rochford, the See of Tourism Central Australia,
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: and he was talking about the tourism stats in Central Australia.
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: But then he also said in some breaking news well
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: that the land had been formally acquired from anzac Oval
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: by the Northern Territory Government so that the National Aboriginal
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: Art Gallery could get under way. Now, joining us on
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: the line right now to tell us a little bit
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: more about the situation is the Alice Springs Mayor Matt Patterson.
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: Good morning to you.
• 0:30
  Speaker 3: Matt morning, thanks for having me.
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us. Matt, what is the situation with
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: the land. It's been a long time coming.
• 0:38
  Speaker 3: It's been a very long time coming. So the Northern
• 0:41
  Speaker 3: Terretory Government has acquired anzak Oval, so the keys with
• 0:45
  Speaker 3: them at the moment. So we'll just continue to negotiate
• 0:48
  Speaker 3: around the compensation of the acquisition and hopefully, you know,
• 0:54
  Speaker 3: we can get to the end of the project. It's
• 0:55
  Speaker 3: been a very long time, over five years talking about it.
• 0:59
  Speaker 3: And yes and zach over now belongs to the Northern
• 1:01
  Speaker 3: Tertiary Government.
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: So no agreement get in terms of the compensation, you know,
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: in terms of them taking it over.
• 1:09
  Speaker 3: No, So what happens is they give notice to our
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: Springstown Council they're going to acquire it. We then become
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: effectively managers of the land for three months and then
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: they then become owners of it after that three months.
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: The value a general provides advice on the cost of
• 1:26
  Speaker 3: the land plus the the costs of having to move,
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: and we have that negotiation. If we can't come to
• 1:33
  Speaker 3: a negotiation, an agreement of the negotiation between the two parties,
• 1:37
  Speaker 3: it will then get to refer to NTCAT, which you
• 1:40
  Speaker 3: know wouldn't be a great result for the community or
• 1:43
  Speaker 3: delaying the process anymore, but that's the option of the
• 1:46
  Speaker 3: council has.
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: Now what has the reaction been from the community today?
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: You know, it's hidden this, I mean it's pretty It's
• 1:54
  Speaker 3: been such a divisive project from the start, and I
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: think that that's been the way being delivered. I think
• 2:01
  Speaker 3: that both parties would have learned a lot of how
• 2:05
  Speaker 3: to handle things going forward. But yeah, look, it's you know,
• 2:08
  Speaker 3: I think that the community it was inevitable that it
• 2:11
  Speaker 3: was going to happen. So, you know, some of the
• 2:14
  Speaker 3: community have moved on, some of the community obviously don't
• 2:16
  Speaker 3: support it, which is which is right, So we'll continue
• 2:20
  Speaker 3: to work with the community to try to come up
• 2:22
  Speaker 3: with the best result.
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: Now, I guess you know, it has certainly been touted
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: as a tourism draw card and somewhere which which hopefully
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: a lot of people from around Australia want.
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: To come a visit.
• 2:35
  Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think that the Northern Territory had done
• 2:37
  Speaker 3: a study that said it would be bringing around one
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: hundred and fifty extra people per day to our springs.
• 2:42
  Speaker 3: So on that basis, you know, we'll welcome that. Our
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: Springstown Council has always supported the national aoriginal gallery happening
• 2:49
  Speaker 3: in our springs. It was just obviously the location has
• 2:52
  Speaker 3: been quite sensitive and we know that you know, now
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: we've lost the sporting Oval, we know that we need
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: another one, so we're effectively too short now. So we'll
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: hopefully work with the Northern Territory government to make sure
• 3:03
  Speaker 3: that when that investment of the Sporting Ovals happen, we
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: have a seat at the table to make sure that
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: that Sporting Ovals what will benefit the other Springs community.
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: Yeah, because that's always the difficulty.
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: What's it going to mean for some of those local
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: sports have they still got somewhere where they can play.
• 3:19
  Speaker 3: So rugby league and rugby union are the two sports
• 3:21
  Speaker 3: that are going to be mainly affected. Our Springstown Council
• 3:25
  Speaker 3: are still maintaining the oval as we speak, and that
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: is because we don't want to see rugby league miss out.
• 3:31
  Speaker 3: They're coming up to their finals, so I think that
• 3:33
  Speaker 3: we want to make sure that that oval is still
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: in mint condition for the juniors and seniors that play
• 3:39
  Speaker 3: play there every Saturday. But we'll have those negotiations around
• 3:43
  Speaker 3: the cost of upkeep with the Northern Territory government. Ye.
• 3:47
  Speaker 3: But yeah, you know, it's obviously a huge investment that's
• 3:50
  Speaker 3: going to have to happen into a new sporting facility,
• 3:52
  Speaker 3: and we need the Northern Territory Government to work with
• 3:54
  Speaker 3: those sports so they can grow their sports with the
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: price facility that will be built.
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it sounds like there's still quite a bit of
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: work to get underway.
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: Matt. How are things going in Alice Springs?
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: You and I have spoken on so many occasions about
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: crime and some of the other concerns.
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: How are things tracking at the moment?
• 4:11
  Speaker 3: Yeah, it's still in your face, Kadie it's still happening.
• 4:15
  Speaker 3: You know, there was an investment from the federal government
• 4:18
  Speaker 3: this week for three million dollars, and I think that
• 4:20
  Speaker 3: that's a good start. But you know, we're seeing DV rise,
• 4:23
  Speaker 3: we're seeing illegal camping rise. The crime is still happening
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: every single day here. It's still twenty properties a day
• 4:32
  Speaker 3: that are getting broken into. So everyone's feeling it. And
• 4:35
  Speaker 3: it's just senseless vandalism, just breaking windows for the sake
• 4:38
  Speaker 3: of breaking windows. Our small business have had such a
• 4:41
  Speaker 3: tough year, I'm sure, like lucking Go and the small
• 4:43
  Speaker 3: businesses through going through COVID, we're getting out of COVID,
• 4:46
  Speaker 3: We've got tourists and we're just seeing windows brought it
• 4:49
  Speaker 3: up in our CBD. It's just heartbreaking and business owners
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: have to, you know, wear this out of their back pocket.
• 4:54
  Speaker 3: It's just not fair.
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: Do you feel I mean, do you feel as though
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: they're starting to some change or does it still feel
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: as though you're sort of stuck in this, you know
• 5:04
  Speaker 1: situation where where you're on your own kind of thing.
• 5:09
  Speaker 3: I think the Northern Territory government are listening, and I'm
• 5:13
  Speaker 3: meeting with the chief next week to discuss it. So
• 5:16
  Speaker 3: I think their listing is. You know, I think more
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: people talk about it, the better, but it's obviously one
• 5:21
  Speaker 3: of those things. Kadie is the mayor. I don't want
• 5:23
  Speaker 3: to talk about it sometimes because I want to promote
• 5:25
  Speaker 3: my town, not say the difficulties difficulties we face. But look,
• 5:31
  Speaker 3: you know there are things happening within the Northern Territory
• 5:34
  Speaker 3: government around the public order response for getting more patrols.
• 5:38
  Speaker 3: Both sort of things are welcome, and you know the
• 5:40
  Speaker 3: federal government has been here this week to also talk
• 5:43
  Speaker 3: about it. But you know it's a complex issue, but
• 5:46
  Speaker 3: we certainly need accommodation. It's at the top of our list,
• 5:48
  Speaker 3: the crisis combination, people who are suffering domestic violence. The
• 5:54
  Speaker 3: women's shelter is full. We've got crisis commodation down the road,
• 5:57
  Speaker 3: nine to nine beds that's always full. We need more
• 6:00
  Speaker 3: investment into that area to make change and we need
• 6:06
  Speaker 3: that quickly, and so you know we'll advocate for that
• 6:09
  Speaker 3: as a council to make sure that Darwin and Canberra
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: are listening. But you know, we can't have people homeless,
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: people camping in the river coming into town for whatever needs,
• 6:19
  Speaker 3: so we need to address that.
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, Matt please do keep us in the loop
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: as things are happening. I know, like you said, you
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: are the mayor, you don't want to be talking the
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: place down, but it is really important obviously you know
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: that these issues are brought.
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: To the forefront.
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: And if there is anything that you think we should
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: know about, please, you know, I feel free to let
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: us know.
• 6:40
  Speaker 3: I'll keep you in the loop. But a happy not
• 6:42
  Speaker 3: We do have the Henley on Todd tomorrow.
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: Sh we did hear this, Yes, that's great, that's.
• 6:46
  Speaker 3: Good to the town. So you know, we do have
• 6:48
  Speaker 3: a lot of tourists here at the moment. It is
• 6:50
  Speaker 3: fantastic to see tourists back and that events staying COVID
• 6:55
  Speaker 3: structure the last few years, so it'll be welcome back
• 6:57
  Speaker 3: and I'm sure we'll see some happy tourists down in
• 6:59
  Speaker 3: the tomorrow.
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: No doubt about it.
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: Well we actually we did speak to Daniel Rochford yesterday
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: as well about some of those tourist numbers, and some
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: of them are massive, you know, forty percent increase in
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: the number of nights that people are staying in the
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: Northern Territory, one hundred and forty four percent increase in
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: the visitor expenditure compared to May twenty nineteen. So there's
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: definitely lots of tourists around the Northern Territory, which is
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: a wonderful thing. And it sounds like with that event
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: back this weekend that should be fun as well.
• 7:30
  Speaker 3: It'll be very fun and it's great to see the
• 7:32
  Speaker 3: tourist numbers. All we need to do now is get
• 7:34
  Speaker 3: quantas to not make the fairs so ridiculously county. Then
• 7:39
  Speaker 3: those numbers will rise even further. So, yeah, challenges allows,
• 7:43
  Speaker 3: but we look forward to it.
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly, and yet it's never like it makes it
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: so bloody hard, doesn't it? With those with the cost
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: of flights, whether you're talking about Alice Springs or other
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: regional parts of Australia, if we could just get some
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: reasonably priced air fares, it would make things so much simpler.
• 8:01
  Speaker 3: I absolutely agree with you. I think that, you know,
• 8:03
  Speaker 3: it would be nice for Quantis to put the NT
• 8:06
  Speaker 3: back in Quantis the Northern Territory and put us back
• 8:08
  Speaker 3: on their map because it's horrendous to get out of
• 8:11
  Speaker 3: Alice Springs at the moment, and you know, they run
• 8:13
  Speaker 3: a business. We appreciate that, but you know, I need
• 8:16
  Speaker 3: to it all comes down to the liveability of other
• 8:18
  Speaker 3: Springs as well as just simple things like f is
• 8:21
  Speaker 3: getting out of here. But hopefully you know that they'll
• 8:26
  Speaker 3: listen to I'm sure they listen to your program, Katie,
• 8:28
  Speaker 3: but you know hopefully that those things can change.
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: Yeah, hey, before.
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: I let you go, how are the petrol prices looking
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: for you guys in Alice above?
• 8:38
  Speaker 3: Two dollars two twenty five for diesel, two two for petrol.
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: Bloody hell, that's tough going.
• 8:47
  Speaker 3: Correct, It's very tough at the moment. Everything, you know,
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: the cost of living for everything's expensive. And as I said,
• 8:53
  Speaker 3: you're paying two twenty five th diesel and you're aplacing
• 8:56
  Speaker 3: the window every fortnight. It's becomes banging your heead against
• 9:01
  Speaker 3: a brick wall sometimes, Katie.
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: Yeah, well mate, we've been banging on about these petrol
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: prices and it is always interesting to hear how they're
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: going in the likes of Alice.
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: Springs and Catherine.
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: Catherine's slightly cheaper than us here in Darwin, which is bizarre.
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: But for you guys, it sounds like you're really coppying it. Yeah, yeah,
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: it's not good. I know, it's not worth laughing about
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: because it's terrible, but you Thank goodness laugh.
• 9:28
  Speaker 3: I realized pretty quickly sitting in this office.
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: Oh exactly.
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: Well. I appreciate you keeping us up to date with
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: a whole raft of things there, Matt, but I'm always
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: keen to find out how the petrol prices are looking
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: as well, so I appreciate you knowing those off the
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: top of your head.
• 9:41
  Speaker 3: Mate, that was fantastic I learned from Skomo or whoever
• 9:45
  Speaker 3: it was, to keep up to date with bread, milk
• 9:48
  Speaker 3: and petrol.
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: Lovers. Good on you, Matte.
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: Thank you for your time this morning.
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: Thank you