Transport
Restructure the government department into a ‘flatter’ structure that effectively removes ‘management clogs’.
Middle managers who are working well in their positions will be elevated to the senior management team (that includes the incumbent Minister). Each senior manager (with the exception of the Minister) will be directly responsible for a number of operational team members and they will report activity to each other in a two-way simplistic and meaningful manner with projected outcomes and time-lines for achieving them.
The sector is varied and complicated across a number of transport options (roads, bridges, sea-lanes, rail, airlines etc.)
You haven’t really said anything here other than your usual idea of ‘removing the middleman’ from the Goverment.
What areas in the transport system need to be fixed and how do you propose to fix them?
The transport system will continue to grow as the town and region thrives. I’ll continue to support the incumbent government’s policies on tax-payer funded bus travel for seniors and subsidised travel for school students.
The rail network will see a new station and freight yards south of The Gap out near the airport in a complex that will also hosts a road train depot making it a transport ‘hub’. The rail line will be moved away from it’s current location thereby freeing up all that land for a residential / light industrial build and removing the issue of traffic needing to traverse the tracks at the Larapinta Drive / Telegraph Terrace (Stuart Highway) intersection. More residential land close to town and the CBD will be good for business and good for all of us.
The airport will be expanded to accommodate direct international flights so that Alice Springs can become a national ‘hub’ for the tourism sector – people can fly into/out of Alice Springs from selected international cities. Just have to get the airlines to come on board!!
The Mereenie Loop will be sealed so that people can travel more safely on that stretch. The Red Centre Way from Boulia in Queensland through to Warburton in WA will also enhance the tourist experience.
A new Tourism Centre will be built down near The Gap (corner of Bradshaw Drive and the Stuart Highway) to accommodate our town’s visitor requirements. The Tourism Central Australia Visitor & Information Centre will move from its current location to be located there along with an Indigenous Australians Hall of Fame incorporating a Gallery and Conference Centre.
These all sound like great ideas Phil!
But if you move the Rail line, where will you move it to? Honeymoon gap?
And considering how long the merenie loop has been waiting, I am skeptical that it or the outback way will get finished on any reasonable timeframe.
What comes first? Getting the airlines inboard or expanding the airport? I mean if we invest a heap of money expanding it and they don’t commit…
Thanks Tom.
I believe it is necessary to consult the key stakeholders regarding where the alternative rail line should be. Community, traditional owners, business groups and government bodies will all be consulted as to their preferred sites. Honeymoon Gap is but one option.
The Mereenie Loop should be sealed within 5 years.
Getting the airlines on board is the first process. We need a commitment from them to build the ‘triangle’ to include Broome and Cairns. Both need to have international flight capacity (Cairns currently does so). It’s all going to take time, Tom. Day by day; success by success.
Broome? Really? Well I guess that makes sense. And I hope the loop is sealed, it’s been on the agenda for ages!
Other than Honeymoon Gap what options are there? Since we don’t want it cutting through the town it has to be moved out of Heavitree Gap. Especially if the town plans to expand southwards. I can’t think of any other places west of Alice and the only places east (Jesse and Emily gaps) are quite small and are already developed as peaceful, natural places for tourists (and locals) to visit.
Options, including Honeymoon Gap, will need to be evaluated. This is a ‘big picture’ issue and has to be carefully worked through via consultation and negotiation with key people and organisations. The investment will be massive if the line is moved and the benefits have to be weighed with this in mind. Like I’ve said, no one person or group (e.g. political parties) has all the answers. Demonstrating leadership into the discussions is an imperative ingredient.
Maralinga in South Australia is the area. The uranium currently underground near Alice Springs has not been mined or processed so it poses no threats to water supplies – provided it stays where it is!! The local hospital has more radioactivity!! Thanks for your vote of confidence in my future capacity.
To address your other questions:
Internet Censorship – we pride ourselves on being a democracy where freedom of speech and expression are valued. The internet revolution has exposed the planet to all kinds of new technology and capabilities. There is also legislation in place to protect innocence and childhood. The internet industry should be self-regulated with some aspects of it (e.g. people being allowed to swear and use foul language on facebook) being investigated. We are each responsible for the choices we make. If people choose to act outside the legal limitations, then they will have to accept the outcomes that come with those actions. I personally believe that people are well able to express their opinions without having to resort to foul language. The concerns around the industry need to be investigated and recommendations evolved. The graphic stuff that exposes people to imagery deemed ‘not suitable’ is created by someone. perhaps it could become a crime to produce the stuff rather than ‘punish’ people who may access it.
R18+ video game ratings – I don’t know anything about them. I choose to spend my time (and breaths) in other pursuits.
Australia will become a Republic in time. Change is the only permanence!! Events occur when they are meant to.
Immigration – people choosing to flee their homelands for what they perceive to be a better life need to be welcomed. We only have one planet (so far) to share so let’s do it. I believe that those of us who were born here in Australia or chose to move here for one reason of another are very fortunate indeed. We have a sensational country filled with a wealth of resources (human and otherwise) that have demonstrated our ability to be a global leader on many levels. How people who choose to come and live here are ‘processed’ remains to be sorted out. Those who live in fear will oppose the concept – those of us who live in hope will embrace it.
Kevin Rudd’s plan to tax the profits of international mining businesses needs to be thought through some more. The mining companies cannot, however, hold the country to ransom. The massive profits they are taking back overseas (not being spent within Australia) can be a drain on our capacity to be self-sufficient.
Greed on the part of the companies / organisations is the problem here. How much is ‘enough’? The rate we each pay for our Medicare levy is based on our incomes. Those who earn more are levied (taxed) at a higher rate because they can afford to have a larger part of their income ‘quarantined’ to help support those who are not generating as much. They still have plenty left to do other things with. I mean, how many cars can one drive or how many houses can one live in at any one time?
Look at the plight of so many people around the planet (including Central Australia) who live in abject poverty while some organisations that are clearly not transparent in their dealings or operations (e.g. Centrecorp, The Catholic Church) continue to thrive at the expense of others. In the end, we are one people experiencing different life journeys leading to one destiny. Enjoy your journey, Tom. Live in hope, not fear. And remember that you are a survivor not a victim.