From water parks to legalising marijuana, here’s what the experts thought of your ideas
We asked you what your big ideas were to transform the Territory’s economy, tourism industry and boost the population. We collected the top 10, and asked internationally-renowned experts what they thought. HERE’S WHAT THEY SAID.
Northern Territory
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SAFE spaces to swim, new modes of transportation and becoming an energy powerhouse are just some of the innovative ideas Territorians have for taking the NT into the future.
The NT News asked readers what their big ideas were to transform the Territory’s economy, tourism industry and boost the population.
More than 180 responses were received and whittled down to the 10 most common; establishing ocean baths, a train system, introducing crocodile safaris, legalising marijuana, activating the Esplanade, building a world-class water park, expanding the film industry, taking inspiration from Singapore, developing a surfing precinct and establishing nuclear energy.
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Nationwide and internationally renowned futurists Mark McCrindle and Anders Sorman-Nilsson said the ideas focused on water and had huge economic and tourism potential.
“If we think about where Australians have been hitting in the cooler months, they’ve been heading up to Queensland,” Mr McCrindle said.
“The Northern Territory, particularly Darwin, offers that next alternative but just has not had perhaps the renewal of tourism facilities that Queensland has had.
“We know Australians love their coastlines, love their water, and so there’s good tourism opportunities.”
Mr Sorman-Nilsson said: “Given you’re a tropical city, being able to provide places for people to cool off without being worried about crocodiles would be a game-changer.”
“Anything you can design that overcomes that mental barrier for Victorians and Queenslanders and New South Welshmen and women to be able to come up and enjoy both the heat but the ability to cool off or have a surf would be great.”
Mr McCrindle said a rail system could have added tourism as well as transportation benefits, while Mr Sorman-Nilsson said there was potential to go bigger.
“A raised rail platform like a monorail really gives that elevation, that tourism aspect,” he said.
“But even with flooding and perhaps even getting out over some of the wetland areas, assuming the environmental side is ticked, it could be a way of getting people into the environment that otherwise they couldn’t access, as well as taking them on a trip.”
Mr Sorman-Nilsson said: “What would be even more futuristic to connect Darwinians would be something like Elon Musk’s Hyperloop.”
“Because of the internet and new technologies, even the tyranny of distance could be overcome.”
Mr McCrindle said pursuing nuclear energy, controlled crocodile hunting and legalising marijuana use might not give the NT a desirable image but Mr Sorman-Nilsson said these ideas could be worth exploring if they were thoroughly explored and evolved.
“Nuclear should be part and parcel of renewable energy,” Mr Sorman-Nilsson said.
“If (nuclear) was done in a safe manner, it’d be amazing to see the Northern Territory not just focusing on one type of energy but becoming the battery of Australia.”
Both experts agreed these ideas should be seriously considered by government and private industry.
“There’s good merit in asking the populous for great and futuristic ideas, and there’s a lot of merit in some of these,” Mr Sorman-Nilsson said.
“There’s huge potential in the Northern Territory and Darwin but you need some bold moves to define what you want to be as a city and as a Territory in the future.”
Mr McCrindle said: “These suggestions have the opportunity to be economy building, to be net positive.”
“Some of these ideas should be further investigated and hopefully implemented … I also think that some of them are potentially projects of national significance.”
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said some ideas already aligned with existing government pursuits and that the NT needed to be bold.
“We’ve got an open mind to all ideas and we’ll certainly run our eye over this list,” he said.
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the ideas had merit and the NT needed to create an environment to allow them to become reality.
“The CLP supports sustainable projects and if in government would promote an environment that will enable the private sector to grow the Territory, create jobs and deliver benefits now and for future generations,” she said.
Originally published as From water parks to legalising marijuana, here’s what the experts thought of your ideas
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