Budget Delivers For Alice Springs

Shadow Minister for Central Australia, Matt Conlan, is pleased that some strong lobbying by local members on behalf of Alice Springs appears to paid dividends for the town.

“With record $3.7 billion in this year’s budget it’s about time this Government began paying attention to the needs of Alice Springs,” says Matt Conlan.

“The expansion of Alice Springs prison is something I campaigned on at the Greatorex by-election and is long overdue.

“The financial commitment to move the Titan Generators from the Ron Goodin Power Station is also good news for people living in the area and suffering from appalling noise pollution. The sooner this happens, the better.

“I am equally pleased that after some tough lobbying Ross Park Primary School and Acacia Hill School have benefited from the budget with a $300,000 allocated for air-conditioning at Acacia Hill School and $2.25 million allocated to works at Ross Park Primary.

“Additional money for Alice Springs High and Anzac Hill High is also welcome

“As is the $4 million for a gravel access road at the Pine Hill horticultural area.

“What is particularly disappointing is that despite a $25.8 million spend on sport and recreation across the Territory; the Treager Park grandstand will be left incomplete for yet another year.

“The ownership dispute between the NT Government and the Alice Springs Town Council about Treager Park should have been long settled.

“Instead we face the hopeless situation where neither party wants to take responsibility for maintaining Alice Springs’ premier sporting facility.

“Equally we are still no the wiser as to just how many of the 35 extra police the Territory Government has promised will be stationed in Alice Springs.

“We need a good portion of those police and we need them now.”

2008-05-08