Alice Springs council finally backs hugely successful Darwin voucher scheme

THE Alice Springs Town Council has finally shown support for a voucher stimulus scheme after seeing its success in Darwin, despite the idea being put forward by its deputy mayor in April

Alice Springs councillor Matt Paterson came up with the voucher scheme idea first in April but it was rejected by councillors. Picture: Emma Murray

THE Alice Springs Town Council has finally shown support for a voucher stimulus scheme after seeing its success in Darwin, despite the idea being put forward by its deputy mayor in April.

At Monday’s council meeting, a recommendation was made for council to commit $200,000 for business discount vouchers in a rebranded version of the “MyDarwin” stimulus initiative.

The NT government had announced it would pitch in cash to help councils extend the scheme to take it territory-wide, and stimulate the local economy in response to COVID-19.

But the idea, which was first floated by Alice Springs Deputy Mayor Matt Paterson, was knocked back by councillors in April. However, a motion at Monday’s corporate services meeting to fund the scheme was carried unanimously.

But Mr Paterson said council should commit even more cash.

Novita Gifts owner Ann Demarco (right) with retail assistant Jeanine Schultz in the Todd Street shop. Picture: Emma Murray

“For me, it doesn’t go far enough,” he said. “I’d like to see the Alice Springs Town Council put up $700,000 this evening because that, with the government’s $200,000, would work out to roughly $100 per household,” he said.

But this was rejected by councillors who raised concerns on council’s finances.

Mr Paterson told the NT News he welcomed the government’s announcement to help extend the scheme, even though it was “disappointing” his own idea was rejected by councillors in April.

“It will be a fantastic investment for local businesses in Alice Springs if we’re to implement it, especially before Christmas time,” he said.

“We saw small businesses that were struggling, and I think that council were in position to be leaders in this space, because it just seemed like a sensible option to me.

“Unfortunately, that wasn’t supported. I was disappointed not to receive a seconder from council, and maybe the price I had for it was too high.”

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Novita Gifts shop owner Ann Demarco said the scheme was a great idea to encourage more people to spend their money locally.

“People definitely want to buy local,” she said