By ERWIN CHLANDA
Real estate agent and outspoken town councillor Eli Melky is joining a long list of Independents to stand against Chief Minister Adam Giles in Braitling.
Mr Melky describes himself as a “conservative independent”.
He says in a release a few minutes ago: “In times of uncertainty it is expected of all of us to stand for what we believe in and when necessary, present ourselves with integrity to serve the community.
“I, like the rest of the town, have been witness to the most bizarre undoing and implosion of the current liberal representatives over the past three years.
“I hold serious concerns that the backlash against a broken CLP by the Darwin electorates in the northern suburbs will secure an ALP Government. As history attests, the old days under an ALP Government were disastrous for Alice Springs.
“I will be that important independent conservative voice for Alice in Braitling and will ensure that a new government is held to account.”
Mr Melky says he opposes fracking and the “sell off of our public assets”.
He told the Alice Springs News Online that he feels compelled to go a step above local government.
He says if Mr Giles retains the seat but loses government, he would be ready to contest a by-election in Braitling “because I don’t think Giles would stick around”.
If someone else wins in Braitling, Mr Melky says he will continue to be a conservative voice in local government.
UPDATE 5am August 2
Braedon Earley, the president of 1 Territory, said in a media release that he is “delighted” Mr Melky is standing as an independent.
Mr Earley says: “Not even Mr Giles’s own Party could remove him from office, even when they had the numbers. He has bullied his way to the top and no one is capable of removing him, except the good people in the seat of Braitling.
“1 Territory would support an independent candidate in the seat of Braitling and if that independent is Eli Melky, then the voters will have a real choice in the upcoming election.”
Sensational news. Giles cant beat Melky, and the stain on politics in the Northern Territory will be at an end.
Why’s that Braedon? Are you going somewhere? LOL
Guess I’m going to have to get you a new hat too Eli!
You’ll be stuck with the same agonised decision making you’ve been accusing me of for months.
Now which hat to wear? LOL
Didn’t you have a go at Steve Brown for not stepping down? And didn’t you say you weren’t going to run? All good man, I don’t care, just asking why the change of heart?
Supporting local business … I call shenanigans!
Wasn’t it Eli in the Advocate, dancing around the newly raised structure that was soon to become Bunnings, saying how great it was going to be and that local businesses will just have to work that little bit harder, and if you went under it was your fault for not adjusting to the new economic climate in Alice.
No-one who is a supposed champion of small business would even have those types of comments enter your head.
Oh, or unless your Kaye Eade, the champion gossiper from Chamber of Commerce … and don’t get me started on the irony of his having a go at people leaving the Council for similar reasons.Hey Pot, Kettle called!!
This man has no concept of the community of Alice in all of its uniqueness.
This was displayed to me when driving to SA over the Xmas break one year just recently.
I had two blowouts on the car I was driving, and it was decided that my husband would hitchhike to Marla bore, leaving myself and another young lady to wait for his return.
My husband had been gone for hours, and about sunset the family Melky drove up, slowed down and asked whether we were OK.
I thanked them for their kindness, said we had enough water, and asked whether they would be stopping at Marla … to which Eli said yes. I then asked whether they could just let my husband (after I described his appearance) know that everything was good and that we were waiting patiently for his return.
So Hubby gets back to us, lots of hugs and discussion of the dramas getting to Marla, and how worried he was … to which I said, “Didnt the Melky’s pass on my message?” NO THEY DID NOT.
Travelling the highway can be hazardous, particularly if you break down.
You rely on the kindness and the good in people, so if he can’t pass on a message for two stranded females on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, I have no confidence for him being about this town. Being about him self – yes.
Mature stuff from Councillor Brown. And whilst not being an Eli Melky fan Lachlan, it’s pretty clear from the article that he doesn’t want Braitling to lose a conservative voice in Government to the ALP. I’m not sure he could have been much clearer in that regard.
Ordinarily I’d agree with Cr Brown regarding the wearing of hats, although with the election just around the corner, I can’t see Cr Melky having much opportunity to pollute his obligation to represent the ratepayers of Alice Springs with his ambitions to represent a segment of them in the NT Parliament.
In fact, as an independent, I’d suggest there’s very little potential for conflicts of interest, whereas, a card carrying member of the CLP provides a vastly different risk in that regard.
@ Louise Stokes, Posted August 2, 2016 at 1:41 pm
Louise, my family and I are just glad you and your family ended up safe and OK.
I agree traveling the highway can be hazardous.
This is why I always stop and will continue to stop and assist with what we can.
Message to self: Don’t place family and self and others at risk, carry two spares on long road trips.
@ Harold: If “maturity” means that I lose my sense of humour, guess I’m just not ready for it.
Nobody from the Country Liberals could be described as card carrying there are however a number of members on Council, busy community minded people who get involved in things as opposed to manning the sidelines handing out sarcastic remarks.
The Country Liberals take no interest as a Party in Council politics and there are no obligations placed on members.
The Council also sports the local Labor Party branch president, a Green who ran her campaign as a Green and Mr Melky himself who was a Country Liberal before becoming last PUP Party man standing! Now an Independent!
So lots of hats, Harold, and very little conflict because in the end politics in its various forms is about looking after, advancing, making decisions for, seeking the best possible outcomes for, our common interest, our community.
Good to see we have a conservative candidate in Braitling. Voting for Giles is a wasted vote, in my book. At least this bloke will speak up for local businesses.
I have refrained from comments in the Alice Springs News Online over the previous weeks as election day draws near.
However, I must note that the scramble for nominees for the seat of Braitling is an indication of how effective the positive actions are of engaging with the citizens of Alice Springs such as by Phil Walcott.
He has been doing doing that since the very first protest of this CLP government’s actions and treatment of NT citizens.
This is now raising the hopes of latter day entrants who believe that yes, we can oust Giles after all.
It is rather like the jackals and scavengers seeking the lion’s share. Harsh but true.
I do hope those on the fringe remember to give the lion his dues with at least a preference vote.