Alice Springs mayor Damien Ryan prepares to step down from role after more than a decade
After 13 years in Alice Springs’ top job, Mayor Damien Ryan will finish up in the role ahead of the council’s mayoral elections.
Centralian Advocate
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AFTER 13 years in Alice Springs’ top job, Mayor Damien Ryan will finish up in the role on August 5 ahead of the council’s mayoral elections.
The town’s longest-serving mayor, Mr Ryan will leave behind a legacy of passionate community engagement, underscored by his presence on more than a dozen boards and committees across Central Australia.
Mr Ryan said that despite the fact he will be stepping down, he will be working hard until his final day. “I’ll probably be the last to leave the office on August 5 – they’ll probably have security remove me,” he said in jest.
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Over three terms in office, Mr Ryan made strides towards significant facility upgrades across Alice Springs, including major upgrades to the town’s aquatic and leisure centre under his watch.
Mr Ryan, who briefly stood down as mayor in 2020 to contest the Territory election as the CLP candidate for Araluen, said he had no regrets about his time in the role or any decisions made.
“I wouldn’t have swapped anything from the last 13 years,” he said.
“I always understood it to be like working in a retail shop on the front counter, which I’ve done most of my life.”
He said his fondest memories as mayor were the relationships he formed with people in town.
“The thing that I have enjoyed most about this role is the connectivity with the people who make up the community of Alice Springs,” Mr Ryan said.
“As a young lad growing up here, living here all my life looking up to the other people who have been leaders in our community, I just wanted to continue on that same path.”
Mr Ryan said his favourite moments as mayor included conferring citizenship on more than 2000 people and walking down the street and passing people “from every part of the community” who would greet him.
“I have spent as much time as possible interacting with the community, getting involved in their events, getting involved in what they do,” he said.
When asked about his biggest achievement, he said “that’s for others to decide – I just enjoy turning up everyday”.
“There are way more better days in this role than there are bad moments,” he said.
Councillors Eli Melky, Jimmy Cocking and Jamie de Brenni and former councillor Steve Brown have thrown their hats into the ring for the mayoral race, scheduled for August 28.
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