By ERWIN CHLANDA
The NT Budget announced this morning provides for a capital works expenditure in Central Australia of a whopping $174m, including $102.8m worth of new works. The total is some five times last year’s figure.
Stand-outs – not already announced – are a new facility on the Larapinta Primary School site to provide integrated child and family services including preschool, long day care for 70 places, outside school hours care and vacation care, combined with targeted family support services ($5.5m) and a new preschool on the Braitling Primary School site to replace the Teppa Hill Preschool ($4m).
The hospital has a $21m re-vote earmarked.
DEPARTMENT OF CHIEF MINISTER
Revote: Alice Plaza fitout, as part of stage 2 of the Alice Springs office accommodation plan $83,000.
LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
New: Development of approximately 24 heavy industry lots in the Brewer Estate to support the natural gas, oil and ancillary industries in Central Australia $3m.
Revote: Construction of headworks and subdivision works to support the release of residential land in Ti Tree, Kilgariff and Larapinta Valley $2.5m.
LANDS AND PLANNING
New: Construction of a connector road linking Albrecht Drive and Mparntwe Drive (Stirling Heights) to support the development of residential and community-purpose land $4.5m.
Construction of an elevated water tank to support the future release of up to 1800 residential lots in Kilgariff $3m.
HEALTH
Revote: Alice Springs Hospital, Fire protection, airconditioning and remediation $21m.
Multidisciplinary teaching and training facility $4.6m.
Remediation and upgrade of operating theatres and wards $4.8m.
Upgrade emergency power, water reticulation and electrical systems $3.2m.
Construct a new remote health centre at Ntaria $3.2m.
Upgrade the health centre at Kaltukatjara $1.3m.
Upgrade the health centre at Papunya $584,000.
Upgrade the health centre at Titjikala $1.7m.
CORPORATE AND INFORMANTION
Revote: Increased courts capacity in Alice Springs $3m.
Revote: Expansion of police facilities in Alice Springs $496,000
Yuendumu Police Station – construct a multipurpose police station, residential housing and visiting officer quarters $528,000.
EDUCATION
Revote: Construct a child care centre on the school site at Ntaria $1.1m.
New: A new facility located on the Larapinta Primary School site to provide integrated child and family services including preschool, long day care for 70 places, outside school hours care and vacation care, combined with targeted family support services $5.5m.
A new preschool on the Braitling Primary School site to replace the Teppa Hill Preschool $4m.
TRANSPORT
Revote: Construct a grade-separated overpass on Stuart Highway over the railway south of Alice Springs $7m (under construction).
Heavy Vehicle Package – upgrade or construct truck parking bays on the Lasseter, Plenty and Tanami highways $321,000.
Improve Outback Way roads – upgrade and seal various sections of the Plenty Highway and Tjukururu Road $2.3m.
Red Centre Way – complete the seal on Namatjira Drive $526,000.
Strategic economic development roads – sealing selected sections of Tanami Road $5m.
Stuart Highway urban landscaping including planting and hard landscaping from Herbert Heritage Drive to the Motor Vehicle Registry $1.4m.
Tanami Road – continue to upgrade and seal targeted sections to improve accessibility and reduce access disruption to communities $173,000.
Upgrade and seal existing airstrip at Kaltukatjara $1.9m.
Upgrade and seal existing airstrip at Utopia $1.2m.
Upgrade the Larapinta Drive Lovegrove Drive intersection in Alice Springs $3m.
New: Complete the sealing of the Mereenie Inner Loop of the Red Centre Way tourist drive $25m.
Construction of a new off-street school bus interchange in Alice Springs $1.5m.
Extension of the existing Stuart Highway cycle path south of Alice Springs to the new suburb of Kilgariff $500,000.
Improve Outback Way roads – upgrade and seal various sections of the Plenty Highway and Tjukururu Road $32m.
Sadadeen Road bypass – review options to deliver high-level flood immunity access to Mount Johns Valley $7.5m.
Upgrade and sealing of targeted sections on Tanami Road $7m.
Upgrades to improve safety on the Stuart Highway near Willowra and Barrow Creek, including shoulder and seal widening, delineation and guard rails $2.5m.
PARKS
Revote: Upgrade walkways and signage across Alice Springs to enhance tourism amenity $2.5m.
SPORT AND RECREATION
New: Athletics track and field facility in Alice Springs $2m.
Upgrade netball facilities in Alice Springs $2m.
Infrastructure upgrades for the Alice Springs Speedway and go-karts $1.8m.
Replacement of the existing Central Australian Drag Racing Association track surface and extension of the track to a 1/4 mile $1m.
CAPITAL GRANTS
Showground upgrades across the Territory – Alice Springs $200,000.
Alice Springs Youth Centre upgrade and development stages three and four $2.7m.
Ilpeye Ilpeye project (2014-15) $9.5m.
PHOTO: Ormiston Gorge. The completing of the inner loop road will trigger a boom in the Western MacDonnells.
Saturday, April 20, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
Isn’t it peculiar how good news stories attract no comment?
Seems we are constantly prepared to whinge and a little pissed off when the objects of our dissent are diminished in some way.
This is very good news for the Alice and it shouldn’t be too long before we see signs of returning life, especially when you factor in a couple of large private projects which are steadily moving towards commencement.
It’s fantastic to see something positive for the Alice for a change. Onya, CLP Government! Very positive budget, a good start, now on with the job.
I suppose we shouldn’t count your little whinge here, Steve. What you are effectively saying is that those who don’t agree with you should pull their head in.
No, Russell, I wasn’t whinging, just stating my surprise that those like myself who do whinge long and loud for something to happen don’t seem prepared to step up and say thanks or congratulations when it does.
But pull your head in anyway Russell that will at least give me one less reason to whinge.
Tit for tat, Steve. This is how it works: some people don’t need to make comment on things that they approve of. They get on with what’s at hand and perhaps, they’d rather avoid sycophancy.
Let’s face it, you’re a whinger who accuses others of whinging. No big deal, old chap.