September 2, 2026 • 9 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're going to catch up with Gira Kazakov. And I
mentioned this in the intro a little bit earlier. It
looks like there's a bit of trouble brewing in Alice Springs.
The Northern Territory News reporting this morning that the Alice
Springs Ratepayers Association is revolting against their local Greens mayor,
hoping to have her thrown out of office with a
no-confidence motion. If they can table, well, this no-confidence motion
(00:24):
at an upcoming council meeting, Kathleen Gazzola's in the studio
with me. Interesting stuff, isn't it? It is.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
I think it's not just obviously one issue but a
whole range of issues that the council has sort of
faced from ratepayers. Obviously there was the Australia Day motion
and then more recently around a council tent being used
for a protest against Pine Gap, which is obviously a
(00:50):
very big employer in the area. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Yeah, and these ratepayers saying that it's due to a
divisive political atmosphere is how they see the council. So
be keen to hear what Gira's got to say. He's
on the ground there and can let us know what
people are saying. But yeah, I think it's an interesting one.
It's an interesting one as well. When you go down
the path of having a mayor, whether it's here, whether
(01:16):
it's in Sydney, wherever it may be, where they're aligned
to a political party, when those political lines then sort
of start to come into play in the way in
which your council is run. Now, you and I don't
live in Alice Springs, so we're not privy to everything
that goes on, but it is certainly something that Robin
Lamley's raised with us in the past, isn't it? It is.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
And I mean, to be fair, she's not the first
member of that council to be politically aligned, obviously. The
former mayor before Matt Patterson, Damien Ryan, ran for the CLP.
I mean, I think Matt Patterson might have run himself,
but as an independent or for one of the outlying
parties in the past. Obviously, Jacinta Nampanjipa-Price was on council
(01:59):
at one point. I think Robin was also on council
as well. Yeah, she told us that. You know, with
a small community like that, of course, the council was
very grassroots and close to residents, I think. It feels,
I mean, from the outside, almost more than what those
local Territory Parliament representatives are. Like the council has a
lot of involvement a bit more locally there. So, yeah,
(02:23):
it's interesting.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Very interesting indeed. But we'll find out more about what's
happening there in Alice Springs when we catch up with Gira. Hey,
news today brought to you by Motor Accidents Compensation. If
you moved to the Territory recently, you must change or
update your registration within three months. Get NT registered today.
No rego, no cover.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
NT Police is searching for a man who allegedly stole
a cash register during an armed robbery in Berrima overnight.
The man is accused of entering a business in Northcrest
armed with an edged weapon just before 9pm where he
struck tables with the weapon multiple times and threatened staff.
He allegedly removed the entire cash register from the counter
(03:03):
before fleeing into nearby bushland. Witness statements have been provided
to police, however the man remains on the run. CCTV
is being reviewed and anyone with further information is urged
to contact police on 131 444. NT Police is also
investigating a crash in which a pedestrian was killed in
Berrima overnight. Around 9.30 a report was received a white
(03:24):
Toyota Hilux had struck a man as he crossed Berrima
Road between the cross intersection of Moo Street and Dennis Court.
The driver stayed at the scene and returned negative results
to alcohol and drugs. Despite resuscitation efforts by emergency services,
the man died at the scene. Anyone who was in
the area witnessed the crash and hasn't spoken to police
(03:44):
is urged to contact 131 444. Meanwhile, police believe speed
may have contributed to a three-vehicle crash at Koolalinga. Around
10.30 last night, police received reports a crash had taken
place near a takeaway restaurant at Koolalinga Central. Initial investigations
point to a vehicle travelling along the service road beside
the Stuart Highway before colliding with another vehicle as it
(04:07):
turned onto the service road. The impact pushed the second
car into the car park where it struck a parked vehicle.
The occupants of the first car left the scene before
emergency services arrived. A 29-year-old had to be freed from
the second vehicle and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,
while a 50-year-old in the parked car suffered minor injuries.
(04:27):
A short time later, a 17-year-old boy handed himself into
police and returned a positive alcohol reading and was arrested
to undergo further breath testing. He was later released into
the care of his mum. Investigations remain ongoing. And the
NT government has launched a new tourism campaign called Best
Kept Season to promote the Territory's off-peak tourism season. It's
(04:49):
the second time the campaign like this has been undertaken,
with the first Best Kept Season campaign reaching 55 million
people with the government claiming it led to a $ 49
million investment into the economy. Territorians are being invited to
share their best-kept tourism secrets with a chance to win
a travel voucher.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
What's yours?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
The competition runs until the 18th of October.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
What's yours, Kathleen?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I don't know if it's a secret. I mean, I
think going out on the billabongs in a boat is
always pretty spectacular.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
I would just say the food, basically. My whole world
revolves around food, as you know. I don't know. I
don't know how people go on diets.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
What food in particular?
Speaker 1 (05:28):
I'm not one of those people.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
What's your best kept secret?
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Oh, like just everything. I love going to Copy Stop,
love getting myself a laksa or some dumplings, some spicy dumplings.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Love going to, you know, like to Hunnaman. I like
getting takeaway and then going down to, what's it called there,
Javois Park and eating down there.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Take your Bushmans.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Yeah, yeah, definitely. Yeah, you need that for the midges.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Oh, look.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
I could just go on and on about food, really.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, it's pretty spectacular what we have up here, that's
for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
It really is. So definitely love the food. One thing
that I just think is so amazing in the Northern
Territory that I don't think people can comprehend until you
are here is our sunrises and our sunsets. So I
see a lot of those sunrises as I'm running around
East Point or when I'm out and about in the
mornings because I am up at an ungodly time every
(06:21):
day of the week. And I like it is pretty
magical when you are going around East Point and there's
not a lot of people around and that sun is
coming up or, you know, if you've got a young
person or an older person that's fishing and you just
see that sun coming up. It's pretty like it's hard
to feel sad about anything when you're up early in
the morning. And the air is fresh and you have
(06:42):
got the sun rising in front of you.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, I totally agree. For me, seeing those sunrises out
on the boat, out on the water, you know, I mean,
you're looking out over the water at that sunrise. It
is pretty spectacular with that landscape and the animals, like
out on a billabong when the sun's rising. I grumble
about having to get up early to do that, maybe
sleep in the car on the way.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Don't be a little sleepy.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
But when you're out there, you know, the serenity– it
is pretty spectacular that a lot of millions around Australia
wouldn't experience it.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
They wouldn't expect it either. And, you know, like you
see it, and I always have a bit of a
laugh if you go to the Mindal markets and people
clap when the sun sets. Oh, yeah, that cringes me.
But this is the thing, though. It's so, like our
sunsets and our sunrises are so amazing. It is, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yeah. I mean, it happens every single day.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah, I know. Well, unless there's lots of, you know, well,
sometimes if there's some smoke haze about it, it might
even be better than what you think.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I mean, granted, seeing the camels now along Mindal Beach
at that sunset is pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Yeah, it is nice.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
I think that's pretty amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Well, I'd be very keen to hear from our listeners.
What have they dubbed it? What's the name?
Speaker 2 (07:48):
The Best Kept Tourism Secret. The campaign it's called, let
me pull it up again, Best Kept Season. It's obviously
our off-peak season. And I think it's fair. Obviously, during
the build-up, it's awful temperature-wise because of the humidity and stuff.
But I always argue that winter... Isn't it a good time?
Let's face it. If you're bone deep cold, that's not fun.
(08:12):
At least here, go into the air conditioning, jump in
the pool.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
You've got one layer of clothing.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
That's great. Remind me that when I'm sweating in my
jeans and, you know, they're stuck to me. Then you
come in.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
The air conditioning when it's working. It's all good. Or
you jump in the pool.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Not if you're a trainee.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
No.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Oh, look, I'd be very keen.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Pull the water cooler over your head.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, exactly. I'd be very keen to hear from our
listeners what's their best kept secret. And look, don't make
it so secretive that you don't want to tell us.
But what do you like doing in this part of
the year or over this part of the year?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I mean, Territorians are very protective of our place. I
know that a few people I'm like are like, go away, tourists. Oh, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
I was talking to somebody earlier in the week about
that as well. They don't like extras coming.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
We were having a laugh about how it's not quite
as busy as it had been. It's gotten a little
bit warmer and we were having a laugh saying, oh yeah,
that's not a bad thing.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah, nah. Especially, you know, my weekly trip to markets
isn't quite as long.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Yeah, quite as hectic.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Although if you're a local business owner, you absolutely.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Want those tourists.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
I can see that side of it. I don't want
businesses to close.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
That's exactly right. Well, anyway, I'd be very keen to
hear from you, our listeners, what is your best kept
tourism secret? Send us a message and let us know.
And there's a few coming through already, so we'll get
to those. But Kathleen, thank you as always for keeping
us up to date with all things local news. Thank you.
We're going to catch up with Gira Kazakov. And I
mentioned this in the intro a little bit earlier. It
looks like there's a bit of trouble brewing in Alice Springs.
The Northern Territory News reporting this morning that the Alice
Springs Ratepayers Association is revolting against their local Greens mayor,
hoping to have her thrown out of office with a
no-confidence motion. If they can table, well, this no-confidence motion
(00:24):
at an upcoming council meeting, Kathleen Gazzola's in the studio
with me. Interesting stuff, isn't it? It is.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
I think it's not just obviously one issue but a
whole range of issues that the council has sort of
faced from ratepayers. Obviously there was the Australia Day motion
and then more recently around a council tent being used
for a protest against Pine Gap, which is obviously a
(00:50):
very big employer in the area. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Yeah, and these ratepayers saying that it's due to a
divisive political atmosphere is how they see the council. So
be keen to hear what Gira's got to say. He's
on the ground there and can let us know what
people are saying. But yeah, I think it's an interesting one.
It's an interesting one as well. When you go down
the path of having a mayor, whether it's here, whether
(01:16):
it's in Sydney, wherever it may be, where they're aligned
to a political party, when those political lines then sort
of start to come into play in the way in
which your council is run. Now, you and I don't
live in Alice Springs, so we're not privy to everything
that goes on, but it is certainly something that Robin
Lamley's raised with us in the past, isn't it? It is.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
And I mean, to be fair, she's not the first
member of that council to be politically aligned, obviously. The
former mayor before Matt Patterson, Damien Ryan, ran for the CLP.
I mean, I think Matt Patterson might have run himself,
but as an independent or for one of the outlying
parties in the past. Obviously, Jacinta Nampanjipa-Price was on council
(01:59):
at one point. I think Robin was also on council
as well. Yeah, she told us that. You know, with
a small community like that, of course, the council was
very grassroots and close to residents, I think. It feels,
I mean, from the outside, almost more than what those
local Territory Parliament representatives are. Like the council has a
lot of involvement a bit more locally there. So, yeah,
(02:23):
it's interesting.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Very interesting indeed. But we'll find out more about what's
happening there in Alice Springs when we catch up with Gira. Hey,
news today brought to you by Motor Accidents Compensation. If
you moved to the Territory recently, you must change or
update your registration within three months. Get NT registered today.
No rego, no cover.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
NT Police is searching for a man who allegedly stole
a cash register during an armed robbery in Berrima overnight.
The man is accused of entering a business in Northcrest
armed with an edged weapon just before 9pm where he
struck tables with the weapon multiple times and threatened staff.
He allegedly removed the entire cash register from the counter
(03:03):
before fleeing into nearby bushland. Witness statements have been provided
to police, however the man remains on the run. CCTV
is being reviewed and anyone with further information is urged
to contact police on 131 444. NT Police is also
investigating a crash in which a pedestrian was killed in
Berrima overnight. Around 9.30 a report was received a white
(03:24):
Toyota Hilux had struck a man as he crossed Berrima
Road between the cross intersection of Moo Street and Dennis Court.
The driver stayed at the scene and returned negative results
to alcohol and drugs. Despite resuscitation efforts by emergency services,
the man died at the scene. Anyone who was in
the area witnessed the crash and hasn't spoken to police
(03:44):
is urged to contact 131 444. Meanwhile, police believe speed
may have contributed to a three-vehicle crash at Koolalinga. Around
10.30 last night, police received reports a crash had taken
place near a takeaway restaurant at Koolalinga Central. Initial investigations
point to a vehicle travelling along the service road beside
the Stuart Highway before colliding with another vehicle as it
(04:07):
turned onto the service road. The impact pushed the second
car into the car park where it struck a parked vehicle.
The occupants of the first car left the scene before
emergency services arrived. A 29-year-old had to be freed from
the second vehicle and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,
while a 50-year-old in the parked car suffered minor injuries.
(04:27):
A short time later, a 17-year-old boy handed himself into
police and returned a positive alcohol reading and was arrested
to undergo further breath testing. He was later released into
the care of his mum. Investigations remain ongoing. And the
NT government has launched a new tourism campaign called Best
Kept Season to promote the Territory's off-peak tourism season. It's
(04:49):
the second time the campaign like this has been undertaken,
with the first Best Kept Season campaign reaching 55 million
people with the government claiming it led to a $ 49
million investment into the economy. Territorians are being invited to
share their best-kept tourism secrets with a chance to win
a travel voucher.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
What's yours?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
The competition runs until the 18th of October.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
What's yours, Kathleen?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I don't know if it's a secret. I mean, I
think going out on the billabongs in a boat is
always pretty spectacular.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
I would just say the food, basically. My whole world
revolves around food, as you know. I don't know. I
don't know how people go on diets.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
What food in particular?
Speaker 1 (05:28):
I'm not one of those people.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
What's your best kept secret?
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Oh, like just everything. I love going to Copy Stop,
love getting myself a laksa or some dumplings, some spicy dumplings.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Love going to, you know, like to Hunnaman. I like
getting takeaway and then going down to, what's it called there,
Javois Park and eating down there.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Take your Bushmans.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Yeah, yeah, definitely. Yeah, you need that for the midges.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Oh, look.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
I could just go on and on about food, really.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, it's pretty spectacular what we have up here, that's
for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
It really is. So definitely love the food. One thing
that I just think is so amazing in the Northern
Territory that I don't think people can comprehend until you
are here is our sunrises and our sunsets. So I
see a lot of those sunrises as I'm running around
East Point or when I'm out and about in the
mornings because I am up at an ungodly time every
(06:21):
day of the week. And I like it is pretty
magical when you are going around East Point and there's
not a lot of people around and that sun is
coming up or, you know, if you've got a young
person or an older person that's fishing and you just
see that sun coming up. It's pretty like it's hard
to feel sad about anything when you're up early in
the morning. And the air is fresh and you have
(06:42):
got the sun rising in front of you.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, I totally agree. For me, seeing those sunrises out
on the boat, out on the water, you know, I mean,
you're looking out over the water at that sunrise. It
is pretty spectacular with that landscape and the animals, like
out on a billabong when the sun's rising. I grumble
about having to get up early to do that, maybe
sleep in the car on the way.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Don't be a little sleepy.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
But when you're out there, you know, the serenity– it
is pretty spectacular that a lot of millions around Australia
wouldn't experience it.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
They wouldn't expect it either. And, you know, like you
see it, and I always have a bit of a
laugh if you go to the Mindal markets and people
clap when the sun sets. Oh, yeah, that cringes me.
But this is the thing, though. It's so, like our
sunsets and our sunrises are so amazing. It is, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yeah. I mean, it happens every single day.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah, I know. Well, unless there's lots of, you know, well,
sometimes if there's some smoke haze about it, it might
even be better than what you think.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I mean, granted, seeing the camels now along Mindal Beach
at that sunset is pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Yeah, it is nice.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
I think that's pretty amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Well, I'd be very keen to hear from our listeners.
What have they dubbed it? What's the name?
Speaker 2 (07:48):
The Best Kept Tourism Secret. The campaign it's called, let
me pull it up again, Best Kept Season. It's obviously
our off-peak season. And I think it's fair. Obviously, during
the build-up, it's awful temperature-wise because of the humidity and stuff.
But I always argue that winter... Isn't it a good time?
Let's face it. If you're bone deep cold, that's not fun.
(08:12):
At least here, go into the air conditioning, jump in
the pool.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
You've got one layer of clothing.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
That's great. Remind me that when I'm sweating in my
jeans and, you know, they're stuck to me. Then you
come in.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
The air conditioning when it's working. It's all good. Or
you jump in the pool.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Not if you're a trainee.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
No.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Oh, look, I'd be very keen.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Pull the water cooler over your head.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, exactly. I'd be very keen to hear from our
listeners what's their best kept secret. And look, don't make
it so secretive that you don't want to tell us.
But what do you like doing in this part of
the year or over this part of the year?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I mean, Territorians are very protective of our place. I
know that a few people I'm like are like, go away, tourists. Oh, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
I was talking to somebody earlier in the week about
that as well. They don't like extras coming.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
We were having a laugh about how it's not quite
as busy as it had been. It's gotten a little
bit warmer and we were having a laugh saying, oh yeah,
that's not a bad thing.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah, nah. Especially, you know, my weekly trip to markets
isn't quite as long.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Yeah, quite as hectic.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Although if you're a local business owner, you absolutely.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Want those tourists.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
I can see that side of it. I don't want
businesses to close.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
That's exactly right. Well, anyway, I'd be very keen to
hear from you, our listeners, what is your best kept
tourism secret? Send us a message and let us know.
And there's a few coming through already, so we'll get
to those. But Kathleen, thank you as always for keeping
us up to date with all things local news. Thank you.
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