Bess Price, the Member for Stuart, is a full blood Warlpiri woman, married to a white man, Dave Price, and they have a daughter, Jacinta, who is proud of her mixed ancestry. Ms Price made Territory history last August when she clinched the former blue-ribbon Labor seat for the Country Liberals. Yesterday she made national history when, in the adjournment debate, she crashed through the politically correct barriers, speaking no holds barred about her grief-torn life, and the brutality which remains around her, her day in, day out.
Here is what she said, as reported in the yet uncorrected NT Hansard, to her electorate – and the people of Australia.
She is pictured with Warlpiri elder Tommy Jungala Rice, her brother-in-law. FULL STORY »
On December 10, 2001 Randal Carey, a builder with a long record in construction in remote areas of the Northern Territory and Queensland, was declared bankrupt. It was the start of an unravelling that led to his conviction of nine counts of deception in the Alice Springs Supreme Court last Tuesday, leaving major losses to local families in his wake, including Trent and Amanda Abbott and their children, pictured in 2010. KIERAN FINNANE reports the chronology of a local disaster.FULL STORY »
Housing blocks will go on the market for $160,000 to $180,000 average in the new Kigariff suburb and its development is 18 months ahead of the former Labor Government’s schedule, Chief Minister Adam Giles told the Chamber of Commerce budget luncheon yesterday. ERWIN CHLANDA reports.PHOTO: Kilgariff – the lock will come off 18 months sooner. FULL STORY »
Given that the Territory’s two most powerful men were in the room, question time at the Chamber of Commerce Budget luncheon yesterday was a sedate affair. The most prickly query came from a builder, Paul, who asked Treasurer Dave Tollner why the government was negotiating with an interstate firm about the $10m redevelopment of the old police housing in Allchurch Street. ERWIN CHLANDA reports. PHOTO: The Chamber of Commerce Budget luncheon yesterday. In the foreground is Chief Minister Adam Giles. FULL STORY »
The NT Government, while taking law enforcement to new heights, is moving to make it cheaper, in terms of time as well as money.
Scaled-back paperwork will keep cops on the beat rather than in front of a keyboard.
Defence and prosecution will need to stick their heads together before putting matters before the court.
And tracking bracelets are “a whole lot cheaper than $214 a day” – the cost of banging up people in gaol. ERWIN CHLANDA reports. PHOTO: Police keep crowd in check outside the courthouse during the Liam Jurrah trial. FULL STORY »
It’s going to net the Territory Budget only $10m but it seems to be the kind of measure that could have delivered to Julia Gillard the motza in revenue she isn’t getting from the mining industry. ERWIN CHLANDA reports. PHOTO: A Crossland uranium exploration crew in Central Australia. FULL STORY »
Framptons First National real estate agency received a “secret commission”, the “lion’s share” out of the first instalments paid by Alice Springs home buyers in a scheme which had Randal Carey as the builder, said Mr Carey’s lawyer Peter Maley (pictured) in the Supreme Court this morning. KIERAN FINNANE reports.
UPDATE, 14 May 2013, 3.51pm:Mr Carey has been remanded for sentencing until next Tuesday, May 21. See FULL STORY.
Max and Jim (we’ve changed their names) are clearly not the kind of prisoners for whom the visionary “sentenced to a job and a future” scheme of Correctional Services Minister John Elferink is designed. He sees it as a step-up into the broader community for people, mostly Aboriginal, who’ve never worked before. Max and Jim are white and had significant backgrounds in employment and small business before their respective offences, which are in the mid-range of seriousness. But both have embraced the scheme so whole-heartedly that they seem set to have a major impact on its success. ERWIN CHLANDA reports. Photo:“Jim” in the supermarket where he now works, serving Clifford Tilmouth. FULL STORY »
An Australian tourist, a member of a group, emailed Mayor Damien Ryan and all councillors, saying he would be “embarrassed to recommend Alice Springs and Uluru to anyone” and stating in part: “We feared for our safety many times. You may be used to it, but the smell of many of the locals was unbearable. We left shopping, and we left the Casino because we could not bear the smell of some the people. Before you declare us racist, we would be concerned by any people with these issues.” COMMENT by ERWIN CHLANDA. Photo: Drinking and fighting in the town centre. FULL STORY »
Chamber of Commerce head Julie Ross and Mayor Damien Ryan had a low-key but positive reaction to the NT’s $5.7 billion Budget handed down by Treasurer Dave Tollner (pictured) today. ERWIN CHLANDA reports.FULL STORY »
No government politicians came to face their critics at today’s grog issues rally in Alice Springs. Russell Goldflam, speaking as President of the Criminal Lawyers Association of the Northern Territory, said the government was “hell bent on jamming as many of its citizens in the slammer as they can”. Particularly in his sights were the proposed new “Alcohol Protection Orders” (APOs) that Minister for Business Dave Tollner announced on Friday. Mr Tollner said the orders will further strengthen the tools available to NT Police in responding to alcohol-related offences. KIERAN FINNANE reports.
Pictured: Donna Ah Chee, Congress CEO, addresses the rally of around 80 people. FULL STORY »
The cover of The Long Weekend in Alice Springs suggests that the story between its covers will be road trip. And it is one, of sorts. You won’t find these roads on any map but they will lead you into the byways of this desert place, reaching back through history into stories of origin, reaching out through darkness, real and metaphoric, into stories of now. KIERAN FINNANE reviews. FULL STORY »
Randal Carey (pictured), the builder in the failed Frampton New Homes scheme, will today be interviewed by police about “other matters”, having pleaded guilty this morning to nine charges of obtaining benefit by deception. KIERAN FINNANE reports.FULL STORY »
The draft Bill prescribing the Government’s alcohol mandatory treatment reforms has been released for public scrutiny and will be introduced into the Territory Parliament this week and debated during the Estimates sittings on 27 June, writes John Elferink, Leader of Government Business. FULL STORY »
Orders will be introduced under the Liquor Act which will support the Government’s target of a 10 per cent reduction in crime and further strengthen the tools available to NT Police in responding to alcohol-related offences, including domestic violence, writes David Tollner,
The government are not being truthful in how they are explaining the new Alcohol Protection Orders (APOs), claiming that the previous Banned Drinkers Register (BDR) only banned people from purchasing take-away alcohol, says John Boffa (pictured), of the People’s Alcohol Action Coalition in Alice Springs. ERWIN CHLANDA reports.FULL STORY »
A restaurant on top of Mount Gillen and a cable car to take people up there are being discussed informally, as part of a wish list, by members of the town council, the Alice Springs News Online has learned. The idea has been raised many times in the past 40 years. This time the suggestion has been made to have the starting point at the Desert Park, reliable sources are saying. ERWIN CHLANDA reports. PHOTO: The visitors’ centre, with photoshopped gondola, at the Desert Park, suggested to be the lower terminal for the cable car.
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UPDATE Monday, May 6, 2pm: Cr Geoffrey Booth says it was he who raised the idea and explains why.FULL STORY »
PHOTOS: Top – Local and visiting women from Yuendumu celebrate the opening (from left) Janet Gordon, Maisie Kitson, Wendy Leichlitner, Ann Grace Kitson, Lisa Gordon, Serena Shannon, Julie Kitson and Janelle Ross. Below – the new centre.
Four Willowra men worked on the construction of the $3.2m Wirliyajarrayi learning centre for adults and pre-school children in their community of Willowra, north-west of Alice Springs, clocking up 1400 working hours and picking up skills including brick laying and plaster board fitting.
The Federal Government has spent $300,000 on a bid to remove a fatal “black spot” on the Stuart Highway just south of the The Gap. Yet some nearby residents ignore the facility, and cross the highway just a stone’s throw to the south, where they have no protection. ERWIN CHLANDA reports.FULL STORY »
There will be architecturally-designed semi-permanent campsites on the remote Larapinta Trail. The camps, which are the brainchild of tour company, World Expeditions, provide an oasis in the desert for trekkers – hot showers, quality food and a place to rest after exploring the spectacular red centre, writes Matt Conlan, Minister for Tourism. FULL STORY »
School Education Minister Peter Garrett has admitted today that the Gillard government has failed to close the gap in indigenous education, writes Senator Nigel Scullion, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs. FULL STORY »
On December 10, 2001 Randal Carey, a builder with a long record in construction in remote areas of the Northern Territory and Queensland, was declared bankrupt. It was the start of an unravelling that led to his 
Housing blocks will go on the market for $160,000 to $180,000 average in the new Kigariff suburb and its development is 18 months ahead of the former Labor Government’s schedule, Chief Minister Adam Giles told the Chamber of Commerce budget luncheon yesterday. ERWIN CHLANDA reports. PHOTO: Kilgariff – the lock will come off 18 months sooner. 
Given that the Territory’s two most powerful men were in the room, question time at the Chamber of Commerce Budget luncheon yesterday was a sedate affair. The most prickly query came from a builder, Paul, who asked Treasurer Dave Tollner why the government was negotiating with an interstate firm about the $10m redevelopment of the old police housing in Allchurch Street. ERWIN CHLANDA reports. PHOTO: The Chamber of Commerce Budget luncheon yesterday. In the foreground is Chief Minister Adam Giles. 
Max and Jim (we’ve changed their names) are clearly not the kind of prisoners for whom the visionary “sentenced to a job and a future” scheme of Correctional Services Minister John Elferink is designed. He sees it as a step-up into the broader community for people, mostly Aboriginal, who’ve never worked before. Max and Jim are white and had significant backgrounds in employment and small business before their respective offences, which are in the mid-range of seriousness. But both have embraced the scheme so whole-heartedly that they seem set to have a major impact on its success. ERWIN CHLANDA reports. Photo: “Jim” in the supermarket where he now works, serving Clifford Tilmouth. 
