Council candidates wrap up campaign

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p2048-Jamie-DeBrenni-1By ERWIN CHLANDA
 
Fracking has emerged as a prominent issue in Saturday’s town council by-election, say candidates after checking the voters’ pulse on issues.
 
Jamie deBrenni (pictured at left) says he is impartial: “I will give everyone the courtesy of listening to them before making up my mind about fracking.
 
“It is not a council issue, but I am willing to listen to both sides.”
 
p2280-Jacinta-PriceJacinta Price (pictured at right) says she’s aware that conventional franking over some 50 years “has not impacted our environment, but we need to know more about unconventional franking before we do it”.
 
She says our groundwater is a major concern.
 
“Fracking is not necessary. We can do our part in lowering energy consumption, in our community and globally, boosting renewable and green energy. We’re in the sunniest part of the world.”
 
p2280-Jason-QuinJason Quin (pictured at left) is against fracking.
 
Council candidate Caroline Phelps says: “Fracking has been raised as a very important issue by many Alice Springs voters over the last week, and one that I hope to address if elected.
 
“Whilst a number of exploration licenses have been issued, to date no commencement has taken place.
 
“It is a huge issue and concern, but one that both the Local Government and the NT Government support.”
 
Ms Phelps is taking a cautious view of the functions of local government.
 
She says it should spend its money “wisely and fairly on recreational parks, sporting facilities, footpaths and investments on areas committed to, solar energy and roads.
 
“Council should support community events and initiatives.”
 
She says the commitment of the council to the community had been one reason for her choice of living in Alice Springs, along with the “red dust, community spirit, talented children and sports people”.
 
p2280-Caroline-PhelpsMs Phelps (pictured at right) says: “The council has formed great networks both within the Alice Springs CBD, local business, environmental groups and business supports, as well as individuals and Indigenous organisations.”
 
Meanwhile Mr deBrenni says canvassing has revealed a string of issues to him.
 
They include the Ida Standley school’s needs for better traffic control in South Terrace with the increase of vehicles from the Mt Johns subdivision.
 
If elected he will encourage the continuation of pop-up shops the Mall.
 
There is a market for local business crushing and recycling concrete and supply it as road construction material, saving money on the supply of the material as well as on dumping concrete. As a road base it even provides extra strength, says Mr deBrenni.
 
He is looking at using the well-lit quarter mile drag strip as an venue on summer evenings, for a Mall market style event on one side, and community stalls on the other, canvassing for members and promoting their activities.
 
Ms Price says changes to town planning, especially the eight storey building height, concerned many locals, impacting on “our wonderful skyline that draws people here”.
 
p1913gerogesmithMs Price says anti-social behaviour and youths on our street are issues “that we need to tackle as a community,” strengthening care “for children from families where alcohol is an issue”.
 
The other three candidates did not respond to invitations to be interviewed by the Alice Springs News Online. According to the Central Australian Frack Free Alliance, Ryan Callander, Vince Jeisman and Barb Shaw are opposed to fracking.
 
CARTOON: Flash-back to the town council elections of 1980. George Smith “St. George” slays the dragon – a cartoon by Butch Peverill published for George Smith’s campaign for re-election as Mayor. Most of Smith’s campaign rivals are depicted in the background. They are John Reeves holding a tree branch (a reference to his chairmanship of the local Australian Conservation Foundation branch), feminist Dawn Riley burning a bra, and Wayne Thomas, a prominent car salesman, bouncing on car springs. One campaign rival, Gino Marinucci, is missing from the line-up.
 
 

14 COMMENTS

  1. @ Melanie Ross: There are no “CLP candidates” or “Labor candidates” in council elections in the NT. Some candidates are members of the two major political parties but they are not candidates of either party.
    Both the Labor Party and the CLP have made a concerted effort to keep party politics out of local government in the NT, the only party that has so far run candidates in local government elections is the Greens.
    It would be logical that those candidates who are members of a political party agree with the majority of that party’s policies (that is after all why people join political parties) but that doesn’t mean they agree with ALL the party’s policies.

  2. Hi Daniel, thanks for your contribution.
    So do us all a favour and tell us simply: Are Jamie De Brenni or Jacinta Price or anyone else CLP members?
    Voters should know this so as to make up our minds about the truth behind the rhetorical commentaries and our town’s media reporting.

  3. Daniel, do take your time – but when you answer, can you also please make your own political affiliations clear when you next comment? Aren’t you the local CLP #1 chief strategist? Please clarify for us all.
    If you could answer before tomorrow that would be appreciated.
    Alice Springs voters are well within their rights to ask the people they vote for to NOT treat them like idiots.
    We have seen what a shambles CLP-aligned politicians have been across the Territory – including the aspiring would-bes who presently sit on the current council.

  4. Sick of this CLP bashing. CLP is about transparency, low taxes, free enterprise.
    Great that people on council have political affiliations as far as I am concerned. It might bring more investment, jobs and support for the business community like Adam Giles keeps getting us.
    And he brought us the red centre nats which brought lots of money into the town. Frank Bennett you are a dragon. Arise Sir Jamie.

  5. @ Daniel: Jactinta Price is on record as “running as a CLP candidate” in this Council election (ABC 783 Friday 9th October).

  6. @Frank Bennett: Yes I am a member of the CLP, I make no secret of that. So far the following candidates have publicly acknowledged their affiliations:
    Barb Shaw – Greens (running as a Greens candidate).
    Jacinta Price – CLP member.
    Jamie DeBrenni – CLP member.
    Vincent Jeisman – Labor member.
    I am unaware of whether others have any political affiliations.
    @ Phil Walcott: No she is not a CLP candidate and she released a statement as such after the ABC interviewer introduced her as a CLP candidate. The CLP and ALP do not run candidates in local government elections.

  7. @ Janice: I am not a fan of the CLP. Unless there is a MAJOR change in their current policies and leadership, they need to be THROWN OUT COMPLETELY. Their policies are taking the Territory BACKWARD and the few beneficiaries are mates, party hacks and industries that will take the lion’s share of the people’s wealth out of the Territory.
    We need to STOP allowing this type of PISS POOR governance before more damage can be done. We DO NOT need more of these types of CLP cronies voted in!
    @ others reading this thread: Take a look at what has happened here. All comments supporting the CLP and their strategies were either silly attempts to hide the obvious links to the party or more jobs and business hot air. Use of the word transparency is barely worth mentioning (except for a laugh).
    For the sensible among us how long are we going to tolerate this dismal state of affairs?
    For those who still vote and believe the CLP has a future, how long are you going to let them treat the rest of us like a bunch of idiots?
    Good on the Labor and Greens candidates for being honest about their affiliations.
    Good on Jacinta Price for being honest about running as a candidate with the CLP. Perhaps you are the change the CLP needs.
    Now be honest with us regarding your position on fracking, high rise apartment towers and all the rest of the current CLP’s rotten agenda. Who knows, play the politics right and you might be a contender as a future Chief Minister.

  8. It seems there was some delay in the publishing of my last comment and the publishing of Daniel Davis’s comment.
    Some of my statements may seem out of context given that I did not have access to the latest information provided by Daniel.
    Thanks for the reply Daniel. Great to see an attempt at transparency however it seems to me that the CLP don’t mind things murky when it suits them.
    Calling out the Greens as being “the only party to run candidates” is a cheap shot.
    If a bird quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck and swims like a duck, why not just call it a duck?
    As we Territorians face off with an unelected Chief Minister who is selling off public assets and spending the cash on infrastructure that most of us don’t want, we deserve to know who is backing this risky spending of taxpayer money with no mandate.

  9. @ Daniel: Jacinta said herself: “Yes, I am a CLP candidate” during the interview with Emma Haskin. Listen to the recording. The candidates for local council all have a political persuasion somewhere on the spectrum. They may not be endorsed by a particular political party / group / alliance as such but it’s pretty easy to see where they’re coming from.
    Jacinta joined the CLP last week, I believe. That is her right to choose. Of whatever affiliation, her record as a promoter of youth issues (in particular) is well known and respected.

  10. Yes Phil, and working on the polling booths, it was easy to see which candidate = which party. I think only Barb Shaw shown her true colour. But the majority has decided, therefore I wish all the best to our new councillors, hoping that they keep in mind that they will be working for the community (not their party) and especially for the ratepayers regardless of the political affiliations.
    Thank you to the other candidates for their efforts.

  11. Listen up – fracking is NOT a council issue.
    Microwaving (a less invasive procedure) is set to replace fracking for gas extraction.
    Having said that – Green and Labor – explain to me exactly how you plan to provide gas to users if you were to be in government?
    Well? Listening? Waiting? Answer the question!

  12. Hi Frackless. Your contribution to the public discussion is really not worth responding to but as someone who cares about the health of others I really wouldn’t want you to be walking around with the delusion that you made an amazing unanswerable argument in the public debate about fracking.
    No-one responded to your comment because you sound like a nutter who just wants to lump Green and Labor in the same basket. Take a closer look at the nuances of their policy.
    If you really believe that fracking is not a whole of government issue that’s fine. Believe what you want. The CLP is always in need of simple-minded voters come election time.
    P.s. Do tell us more about your microwave theories. What gas users are you talking about exactly?
    Oh, and why do you think the Territory should be throwing money made from SELLING OFF PUBLIC ASSETS to support this divisive industry supported by only a small section of our community?

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