Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, there's never any shortage of things to discuss on
this show, and yesterday we learned the City of Darwin
Council has two projects planned for Kavana Street in the CBD,
one of which includes replacing the aggregated concrete pavement and
planting more trees. Now, the Lord Mayor Combat Scalus joined
us on the show. He said there are plans to
trial pavers which have already been ordered in Indonesia, but
(00:23):
businesses we've spoken to said that they weren't aware of
the project and say that they've not been consulted with.
Now one counselor behind the project contacted us keen to
come on and explain what is happening, and that counselor
joins me in the studio right now. Mick Palmer, good
morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Good to have you on the show. Now, Mick, what
does the pavement project involve?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Well, it started some years ago when me and others
identified a problem with the exposed aggregate pavements forgot the
city in that you can wash them, you can't clean them. Yep,
they are in places absolutely filthy and some of our
visitors take the opportunity to defecate a urinate on our
pavements and on our foot paths, and that gets merely absorbed, so.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
It becomes pretty grass.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
It becomes pretty grass, and we decided to have a
look at alterned if so. The first onib we looked
at was replacing what's there with granite, but that's hideously expensive.
And then the opportunity raise to have a look at
these these porcelain tiles stone look tiles, which are a
(01:36):
lot better option and you don't need to do any digging.
They go straight over the top of the footpath, so
there is no excavations in.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah, right, okay, so you're not going to be having
to dig.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Up the No, no, no, no, okay. The people that
have been complaining know that they were told that, have
been told that the number of times.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
So you're saying that the retailers have been consulted with
a few with me, because retailers contact us after the
show yesterday saying they know nothing about this project.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Well, I faked, certainly, the one on the corner was faked.
The one across the raid I was faked, the one
in Alfred's.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
So just talk us.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Through exactly where it's going to sort of happen, So
our listeners have a really clear idea.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
From next to the old Dara cel yep, around the
corner and up up Knucky Street Street toward.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
The lane and so to then and how far across
the intersection like we're fishing in outdoor world is does
it sort of go across.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
It is indeed a trial Yep, we're trialing them to
see that.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And just the just the like the walkway area path,
just the footpath. So how many square meters are we talking?
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Do you know if the would be less than four hundred?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I think okay? And is it?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And then it sort of heads towards just towards the corner.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Of that block, Yeah, to the.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
To that ramp that takes you into the city, like
into the mall kind of thing, rain Tree Park into
these just trying to make sure.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Our listeners know exactly where we're talking about.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Now in terms of the pavers, So you've brought one
in for me today, which I know which old tile
I'll try and show. I'll try and get a photo
for our listeners to see. But so in terms of
choosing that tile, why was that chosen? Because are their
concerns it's going to be hot.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
I left it to the expert. YEP, they've had the
company concerned has had these titles, these particular ones tested
slip tested in Australia to Australian conditions and they've got
the they've got the certification for that. We could lay
them down in terms of our insurance, the public liability insurance,
(03:47):
we couldn't put them down our listener meet these Australian standards.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So Mick I got the I get the impression from
the retailers that it's probably not so much the project
that they've got an issue with, but the timing in
terms of work happening throughout the dry season.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
When they're only be a couple of days, so it'll
only take.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
A couple of days.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Takes a couple of days.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
It's not going to be like the Smith Street situation.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
We've got. These are tilers. They're in an out fast
very quickly. Yeah, we've got to and we've got to
put them in a place that's high traffic. We're trialing
a pavement. We can't stick them on a wall to
see how the work as a pavement.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
You've got you've got to put them a yeah, yeah,
fair enough mix so is the project already approved, because
when we spoke to the mayor yesterday he made it
sound like there is still consultation that needs to happen.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Well, it's approved, the tiles have been ordered, the contractor
has been appointed.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Ah, so it is, But obviously it does sound as
though there still needs to be a bit of liaising
with council starf.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
They went down there, Yes, the stuff went down there.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Yeah, they were on the corner talking.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
I think from what we'd heard from one of the
retailers yesterday, they're on the corner talking.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
He went out and asked some questions.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
But are they going to like are they going to
go back in and maybe consult or talk to them
a little bit more about the project?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
How long it's going to take.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
The project shouldn't take long at all. I mean, as
I said, it's only a few days.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
So a tender was obviously released, it's approved. How much
is it all costing.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
At this stage? I don't know. I'm not previate to that.
At this stage, surely we should know I can find out.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah, yep, all right, we'll follow you up for that
in terms of you know, like if this does work
and if it works out to be a you know,
like a really nice sort of area and something that
people like. What other areas would you consider?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Right, this is a test pad for the whole of
the CBD to replace or to overlay those as I said,
that exposed aggregate, which is just awful. It's just awful.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Yeah, Like I know you can see in some areas
how grows it gets.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Like, Look, my.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Biggest concern is that for any city business, after what
we've seen in Smith Straight and some of the concerns
that have been raised with me by those retailers in
Smith Street, that you know, for people that are working
really hard to try and make our city a great place,
the last thing you want is for their business to
be the.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
One on the corner we had access all the time.
There will be no denial of access. He's got two doors,
one on the corner, one about three meters up Nunkey Street.
You know he'll have access INDUI the whole of the time.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
So I guess, you know, it seems to me that
a discussion like that, a further discussion obviously needs to
be had with council staff to those retailers.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
I want to talk, I want spoke to them. I've
been there last year previous, but it's.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Start questions now, like you know, that's.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
The thing that changed.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Yeah, look, you know, to play devil's advocate though the
council can't be arrogant about it.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
You know, they've got to go in onto.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Not been arrogant. Yeah, nor can we go and live
in their pockets. And eventually you've got to do something.
Something has to happen. It will be a minor inconvenience.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
During peak tourism season.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Well, it depends when he does.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
It, as in when the contractor doesn't.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Well that's this is the thing, you know, it's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Not in a position to speak directly the council contractors, Ye.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
No, definitely, yes, we don't want you getting in trouble
for that. Well, let us know if there is you know,
if we are able to get some of that detail
in terms of how much it's going to cost and
whether they might be able to do it after hours
or what the situation is. As you said, you're not
you know, you're obviously not able to speak to those contractors.
You're a counselor not not in charge of those No,
(07:46):
so look we will see what else we can find out.
But Mick, I appreciate you coming in this morning, appreciate
you giving us some further detail as well about that project.
How long it's sort of you know, how long it's
going to take. I mean the fact that it's only
going to take a couple of days. I think we'll
probably make people feel much more at ease and having
the tiles laid on top of the current concrete.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I don't know where they got the idea that we're
going to dig up the concrete from. Nobody's ever suggested that.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Well, Mick Palmer, I always appreciate you coming in for
a chat. Thank you very much for your time this morning. Thanks,
thank you,
Now, there's never any shortage of things to discuss on
this show, and yesterday we learned the City of Darwin
Council has two projects planned for Kavana Street in the CBD,
one of which includes replacing the aggregated concrete pavement and
planting more trees. Now, the Lord Mayor Combat Scalus joined
us on the show. He said there are plans to
trial pavers which have already been ordered in Indonesia, but
(00:23):
businesses we've spoken to said that they weren't aware of
the project and say that they've not been consulted with.
Now one counselor behind the project contacted us keen to
come on and explain what is happening, and that counselor
joins me in the studio right now. Mick Palmer, good
morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Good to have you on the show. Now, Mick, what
does the pavement project involve?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Well, it started some years ago when me and others
identified a problem with the exposed aggregate pavements forgot the
city in that you can wash them, you can't clean them. Yep,
they are in places absolutely filthy and some of our
visitors take the opportunity to defecate a urinate on our
pavements and on our foot paths, and that gets merely absorbed, so.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
It becomes pretty grass.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
It becomes pretty grass, and we decided to have a
look at alterned if so. The first onib we looked
at was replacing what's there with granite, but that's hideously expensive.
And then the opportunity raise to have a look at
these these porcelain tiles stone look tiles, which are a
(01:36):
lot better option and you don't need to do any digging.
They go straight over the top of the footpath, so
there is no excavations in.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah, right, okay, so you're not going to be having
to dig.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Up the No, no, no, no, okay. The people that
have been complaining know that they were told that, have
been told that the number of times.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
So you're saying that the retailers have been consulted with
a few with me, because retailers contact us after the
show yesterday saying they know nothing about this project.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Well, I faked, certainly, the one on the corner was faked.
The one across the raid I was faked, the one
in Alfred's.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
So just talk us.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Through exactly where it's going to sort of happen, So
our listeners have a really clear idea.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
From next to the old Dara cel yep, around the
corner and up up Knucky Street Street toward.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
The lane and so to then and how far across
the intersection like we're fishing in outdoor world is does
it sort of go across.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
It is indeed a trial Yep, we're trialing them to
see that.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And just the just the like the walkway area path,
just the footpath. So how many square meters are we talking?
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Do you know if the would be less than four hundred?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I think okay? And is it?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And then it sort of heads towards just towards the corner.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Of that block, Yeah, to the.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
To that ramp that takes you into the city, like
into the mall kind of thing, rain Tree Park into
these just trying to make sure.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Our listeners know exactly where we're talking about.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Now in terms of the pavers, So you've brought one
in for me today, which I know which old tile
I'll try and show. I'll try and get a photo
for our listeners to see. But so in terms of
choosing that tile, why was that chosen? Because are their
concerns it's going to be hot.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
I left it to the expert. YEP, they've had the
company concerned has had these titles, these particular ones tested
slip tested in Australia to Australian conditions and they've got
the they've got the certification for that. We could lay
them down in terms of our insurance, the public liability insurance,
(03:47):
we couldn't put them down our listener meet these Australian standards.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So Mick I got the I get the impression from
the retailers that it's probably not so much the project
that they've got an issue with, but the timing in
terms of work happening throughout the dry season.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
When they're only be a couple of days, so it'll
only take.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
A couple of days.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Takes a couple of days.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
It's not going to be like the Smith Street situation.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
We've got. These are tilers. They're in an out fast
very quickly. Yeah, we've got to and we've got to
put them in a place that's high traffic. We're trialing
a pavement. We can't stick them on a wall to
see how the work as a pavement.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
You've got you've got to put them a yeah, yeah,
fair enough mix so is the project already approved, because
when we spoke to the mayor yesterday he made it
sound like there is still consultation that needs to happen.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Well, it's approved, the tiles have been ordered, the contractor
has been appointed.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Ah, so it is, But obviously it does sound as
though there still needs to be a bit of liaising
with council starf.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
They went down there, Yes, the stuff went down there.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Yeah, they were on the corner talking.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
I think from what we'd heard from one of the
retailers yesterday, they're on the corner talking.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
He went out and asked some questions.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
But are they going to like are they going to
go back in and maybe consult or talk to them
a little bit more about the project?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
How long it's going to take.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
The project shouldn't take long at all. I mean, as
I said, it's only a few days.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
So a tender was obviously released, it's approved. How much
is it all costing.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
At this stage? I don't know. I'm not previate to that.
At this stage, surely we should know I can find out.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah, yep, all right, we'll follow you up for that
in terms of you know, like if this does work
and if it works out to be a you know,
like a really nice sort of area and something that
people like. What other areas would you consider?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Right, this is a test pad for the whole of
the CBD to replace or to overlay those as I said,
that exposed aggregate, which is just awful. It's just awful.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Yeah, Like I know you can see in some areas
how grows it gets.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Like, Look, my.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Biggest concern is that for any city business, after what
we've seen in Smith Straight and some of the concerns
that have been raised with me by those retailers in
Smith Street, that you know, for people that are working
really hard to try and make our city a great place,
the last thing you want is for their business to
be the.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
One on the corner we had access all the time.
There will be no denial of access. He's got two doors,
one on the corner, one about three meters up Nunkey Street.
You know he'll have access INDUI the whole of the time.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
So I guess, you know, it seems to me that
a discussion like that, a further discussion obviously needs to
be had with council staff to those retailers.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
I want to talk, I want spoke to them. I've
been there last year previous, but it's.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Start questions now, like you know, that's.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
The thing that changed.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Yeah, look, you know, to play devil's advocate though the
council can't be arrogant about it.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
You know, they've got to go in onto.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Not been arrogant. Yeah, nor can we go and live
in their pockets. And eventually you've got to do something.
Something has to happen. It will be a minor inconvenience.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
During peak tourism season.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Well, it depends when he does.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
It, as in when the contractor doesn't.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Well that's this is the thing, you know, it's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Not in a position to speak directly the council contractors, Ye.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
No, definitely, yes, we don't want you getting in trouble
for that. Well, let us know if there is you know,
if we are able to get some of that detail
in terms of how much it's going to cost and
whether they might be able to do it after hours
or what the situation is. As you said, you're not
you know, you're obviously not able to speak to those contractors.
You're a counselor not not in charge of those No,
(07:46):
so look we will see what else we can find out.
But Mick, I appreciate you coming in this morning, appreciate
you giving us some further detail as well about that project.
How long it's sort of you know, how long it's
going to take. I mean the fact that it's only
going to take a couple of days. I think we'll
probably make people feel much more at ease and having
the tiles laid on top of the current concrete.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I don't know where they got the idea that we're
going to dig up the concrete from. Nobody's ever suggested that.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Well, Mick Palmer, I always appreciate you coming in for
a chat. Thank you very much for your time this morning. Thanks,
thank you,
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