Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis needs to tell ratepayers the details of the deal he struck with a developer over his proposed high rise civic centre-cum-private office development, and he needs to address the legality of how he is using $40 million of car parking money to create a relatively small amount of public car parks, writes Dr Don Fuller.
Two men have been charged over Monday’s shooting in Coconut Grove, another person who was arrested has been released, while the gun that was used has not been found, NT Police said.
Latest highlights include the Federal Government splashing $24 million for infrastructure projects across the Territory, the NT Government falling behind on meeting its housing build goals, and the Darwin rental market tightening as demand increases. Also making resource news is Tanami Gold reporting promising drilling findings at the Jims gold mine.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said a permanent task force will continue its anti-crime efforts in Alice Springs following the return of 10 police officers to South Australia.
UPDATED: Airnorth is launching direct flights between Cairns and Alice Springs, with an undisclosed subsidy from taxpayers, while tickets started being sold on Monday for the first flight on April 14.
NT Health has issued a measles alert after a confirmed case in Greater Darwin with the department warning anyone who was on a plane with the infected person either to or from Cairns, or who was at a Berrimah takeaway food joint while they were there, need to be alert for symptoms.
More than 2,300 illegal nicotine vapes worth $140,000 and an undisclosed amount of marijuana were seized by NT Police on Friday, following a raid of a Palmerston residence after a tip-off that illicit substances were at the house.
UPDATE: A 23-year-old man was shot in Coconut Grove on Monday night and taken to hospital with injuries to his legs, NT Police said, in what they called a “targeted attack” by a group who fled the scene, but were later arrested.
Corrections Minister Gerard Maley has assured Territorians the CLP’s plans for dealing with overcrowded prisons and watch houses is “working” amid an influx of prisoners, while an independent MLA has raised human rights concerns with the UN about the ongoing conditions in the Territory’s jails.
The Federal Labor Government has announced $24 million for essential infrastructure and community facilities across the NT in another pre-election goody for the Territory.
A woman was allegedly stabbed in the head by her partner in a community outside of Alice Springs overnight while in an unrelated incident a man was allegedly stabbed on a street in the town by a man he knew who had pulled up in a car before driving off, NT Police said.
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he supports “in principle” all seven points of action requested of the Federal Government by Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro to help fight crime in Alice Springs, and pledged support should the Coalition secure victory at the next federal election.
