Future Alice Springs: Five mayoral candidates with council background reveal key campaigns

Five of the mayoral candidates for 2021 flag community sporting facilities, waste facilities and crime as some of their key campaigns.

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INCREASING community sporting facilities, waste facilities and addressing issues related to crime are some of the key campaigns for five of the mayoral candidates for 2021 with previous council experience.

Mayoral candidate Matt Paterson said he would lobby for two more rounds of the myAlice initiative, push for an option for a smaller bin for kerbside collection at a lower cost and “commit to working with the NT government to give residents safe and functional sporting facilities, beginning with the outdoor netball courts at the Pat Gallagher Netball Centre”. Jimmy Cocking said he would improve public spaces, including offering more shade and improved playgrounds including a new skate park, adventure playground and splash play area.

Candidate Jiimmy Cocking.

“Empty shops and boarded-up windows in the CBD will be a key target for working with landlords to ensure tenancies are made available,” he said.

Another councillor Eli Melky said he would work to introduce a curfew strategy to get youths off the streets at night, and look at improving roads, rates and rubbish as core services.

He said making the community “safer” was key to helping the tourism industry, which he said needed a second budget airline such as Jetstar.

Marli Banks said she would look at ensuring residents and business owners “feel safe” and focus on “regional development and master planning to develop future projects that align with the existing and long-term needs of the community”.

Former councillor Steve Brown said he would focus on crime, invest in sporting infrastructure, lobby for a seniors village and a combined multipurpose indoor sports centre that doubles as a 24-hour community youth centre.

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