Issue 5

Territorians have been blessed with abundant supplies of natural gas which can form an important part of Australia’s energy supply and security into the future, writes GARY HIGGINS (pictured), Leader of the Opposition.

Bushmob CEO Will Macgregor tells Territory Families chief Ken Davies (at left) that the organisation is pulling the pin on Loves Creek because of a litany of neglect and incompetence of the department, and how these problems are linked with alleged offences last week at the Ross River Resort (at right) by five absconders. ERWIN CHLANDA reports.

UPDATE 10:15am from police, Territory Families.

“We are not just numbers,” was the message at today's march against violence, led by town camp women. KIERAN FINNANE reports.

Territory Families department failed to come good with promises to fix up the phone communication system, lighting, security cameras, basic fencing and access to adequate water and power supply, says CEO Will MacGregor. ERWIN CHLANDA reports.

UPDATE 2:50pm

UPDATE 7:20pm: Statement by Minister Wakefield.

An agreement between Territory Generation and the Electrical Trades Union is still far from reality on issues of supply reliability, remote control from Darwin of the operations and scheduling the shut-down of the Ron Goodin power station near the centre of Alice Springs. ERWIN CHLANDA reports. IMAGE from a TGen brochure sent to Alice households after disclosures in the Alice Springs News Online about ongoing concerns over blackouts.

UPDATE July 13, 12:20pm from the Power and Water Corporation.

Far from simply trading off the art historical prestige of their community, a new generations of artists at Papunya are reinvigorating  its proud tradition. KIERAN FINNANE reports.

And as for the year ending June 30, the local L J Hooker boss Doug Fraser says there was a marked increase in the number of houses sold but unit sales were at the lowest rate since the company started to keep records. PHOTO: Araluen, where in the June quarter 13 houses were sold but the prices dropped 17% from the March quarter, while next-door in Gillen there was the same number of sales but prices rose 2.4%.

Town Councillor, conservative political activist and businessman STEVE BROWN, in a guest comment, calls for a local board to keep an ongoing check on the work of government instrumentalities, and for an overnight place for kids that is "the coolest in town" but that they can leave only if they are picked up by a parent or guardian, or are being bussed to a supervised home.

Average prices just under $5000. ERWIN CHLANDA reports.

 

See VIDEO.

Don't approach them, say police.

UPDATE Saturday 10am from Families Minister Dale Wakefield.

UPDATE Saturday 12:15pm: Three arrests.

UPDATE July 27: Last absconder arrested, charged.

Brilliant weather draws big crowd to Show. ERWIN CHLANDA reports.