NT Government Out Of Ideas For Alice Springs

"Given a year has passed since the Parliamentary sittings in Alice Springs, it is timely to reflect on the Government's response to those tumultuous sittings,” says Member for Araluen, Jodeen Carney.

"The hundreds of people demonstrating outside the Convention Centre were pleading for the Labor Government to invest some time and money into solving the problems facing Alice Springs.

"One year on, the Territory Government has talked a lot about what it intends to do but actually achieved very little for the town.

"You just need to look at the cynical way Government announces things, such as 'launches' to see that its attitude hasn't changed'.

"In April last year, Clare Martin launched 'a major project to guide the development of Alice Springs into the future'. It was called 'Moving Alice Ahead'.

"This followed the launch of "Having Your Say on the future of Alice Springs” in December 2005. Work on that project was meant to commence in 2006.

"Last week, the Treasurer, Delia Lawrie, dropped into Alice Springs and launched a "forum” to enable residents the '…opportunity to review their future to make sure it is heading in the right direction.

"Every year, this Government launches something else in an attempt to convince Alice residents that the Government actually has a plan for Alice Springs'.

"The reality is there is no plan – hence the annual announcements of consultation.

"It would have been good if the Treasurer announced that Government would finish the job at the Traeger Park grandstand, or tell us what happened to the hydrotherapy pool at the aquatic centre, as promised in the 2005 election'.

"Alice Springs deserves action, not more spin.”

2008-04-21