If elected I am going to make a positive change
- for the entire community by:
Being actively vocal and persistent to ensure issues are not ignored by all three levels of Government. Addressing Alcohol and substance abuse by lobbying for a wide spectrum of healing programs to be made available. By driving key economic and regional development opportunities so local business are able to benefit. By actively lobbying and supporting key employment development initiatives so youth and others have every opportunity to gain local employment.
- for young people by:
Help establish a Trade and Technical Training Centre in Katherine. Support a local organisation to establish a Youth Hub. Re-Introduce the School Leaver Program.
Lobby for more new youth leadership development programs to be offered in Katherine and encourage Katherine youth to participate in programs elsewhere. Actively advocate for a wide range Self Harm Prevention programs for youth to be made available in Katherine. Lobby for NT Govt to recruit staff qualified to support Indigenous youth with mental health issues. Advocate for more programs that improve parenting skills and support parents who are working through the troubling teenage years. Advocate that companies who win commonwealth youth related contract base senior staff in Katherine, not run the programs from Darwin or worst interstate locations. Encourage the development of youth crisis accommodation facilities.
- for seniors by:
Lobby the NT Government to introduce a Public Transport service in town and eventually to the key Indigenous communities. Continue to actively contribute to the development of Katherine’s Health Knowledge Industry. Ultimately the level of health care and health care facilities will improve, enabling seniors to be better supported when they experience health issues. Encourage investment into more Aged Care facilities so we have a wide variety of living and elderly care options. Encourage more ways for people of all ages to interact with more actively with the elderly. Youth and parents learnt and gain support from the elderly. The elderly have lots of history, lessons to learn and much to offer. Encourage the expansion of respite care program so those caring for elderly relatives can be supported better.
- for local business owners by:
Supporting the Development a mining services industry. Supporting the development of a Health Knowledge industry
- for volunteer and not-for-profit groups by:
Lobbying Local, NT and Commonwealth department to simplify the funding application and acquittal processes for NFP to reduce the impost on volunteers writing applications. Identify and promote funding opportunities and improve access to information on grants, programs and services that assist organisations to develop. Write letters of support for funding applications. Facilitate Corporate organisations and Philanthropic organisations to link with local organisations to fund and support their activities. Attend meetings with local NFP to keep abreast of issues that individual organisation are facing. Lobby NT Govt to provide more funding for NFP orgs to have business plans and strategic plans developed. Lobby for more courses for NFP to be delivered in Katherine. Participate in events and activities that recognise and reward volunteers.
- for sporting groups by:
Lobbying for funding to maintain and expand sporting facility infrastructure. Participating in events that recognise and support sport people. Identify and promote funding opportunities and improve access to information on grants, programs and services that assist organisations to develop.
- for the arts and crafts community by:
Lobbying for funding to maintain and increased for arts facility infrastructure and operational funding. Participating in events that recognise and support artist and art workers. Identify and promote funding opportunities and improve access to information on grants, programs and services that assist organisations to develop. Promote the great programs and activities in Katherine and the region.
- for tourism in the Katherine region by:
Lobbying for Katherine Region Tourist Association to be resurrected and regaining local control of the marketing of our region. Continue discussions with investors to develop more tourism products in Katherine. Continue discussions with investors to develop a 5 Star accommodation motel in Katherine
- for the beautification of our town by:
Supporting Katherine Town Councils efforts.
My stance on Opal fuel in Katherine is:
Fund the Healing Pathways programs first so we can assist youth who are self harming. Right now the options are very limited and may youth are not be helped adequately.
Opal Fuel only if it is across the entire NT.
Each candidate was given a catalogue of questions relating to the life in the Katherine region.
In next week’s Katherine Times:
Read what the candidates have to say to public drinking problems and crime in Katherine, what they think the future holds for our town, how they would improve the quality of living in Katherine, what they think key weaknesses of their opponents in this election are, and what their plans are if they don’t win the election.