Matt Paterson to run for Territory Alliance in Namatjira

A DESIRE to help his home town of Alice Springs prosper has been the catalyst for Matt Paterson to join the battle for the seat of Namatjira

Deputy Mayor Matt Paterson will run for Territory Alliance in the seat of Namatjira in August’s NT election. Picture: EMMA MURRAY

A DESIRE to help his home town of Alice Springs prosper has been the catalyst for Matt Paterson to join the battle for the seat of Namatjira.

Alice Springs’ Deputy Mayor was unveiled as the Territory Alliance candidate for Namatjira on Monday, going up against CLP candidate Bill Yan and Labor’s Sheralee Taylor in August’s election.

Never one to see himself involved in politics, Paterson said a yearning to serve the town he loves made him decide to throw his hat in the ring.

“It’s not really been an ambition of mine to be a politician to be honest,” Mr Paterson told the Advocate.

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“I think I can help make positive change for Alice Springs and to me the timing seems right to put my hand forward and ask the community to let me be their voice. I never had the Alice Springs Town Council on my agenda five years ago, but I’d been approached by members of the community to consider running and it’s the same here now.

“I’ve been asked by a larger portion of the community to put my hand up for parliament.

“I’d actually completely ruled out running because I have a two-year-old and a three-month-old, but it was actually my wife that made me reconsider.

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“I’m excited about getting out there and campaigning because you meet a whole different demographic of people.”

Paterson will join Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley and Braitling hopeful Dale McIver as Territory Alliance candidates in Central Australia, saying he believes the new political party’s approach is the right one for Alice Springs.

“Territory Alliance is a bottom-up approach. The members of the community decide what happens rather than the government deciding and telling the community what they’re going to do,” he said. “Ideas are put forward by the community first so it’s a really grassroots approach and I think that’s the right thing for the NT and in particular Alice Springs.

“It’s a fresh look for politics in the NT and I think that’s really needed.

“It’s all about listening.”