Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now joining us in the studio is the Lord Mayor
of Darwin, Peter Styles. Good morning to your starz E.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good morning Katie. This is my favorite part of the week.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Thanks mate. Now there's plenty to cover off on this week.
If you know, to those that were listening to the
show last week, they would have heard us again talking
about the work happening on Smith Street. It's had a
massive impact on businesses in terms of access, those fences
being road limitations. The work does look as though it's
coming to a close, but a lot later I think
(00:32):
you'd have to say them was originally flagged, when is
it going to be entirely complaint?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
So, Katie, first of all, the extended wet season meant
that they couldn't start work at the end of April,
so it went into May. And there have been some
issues down there with tree roots and protecting trees and
bits and pieces. But as Judia's finished this week, actually
so this week this week, so I think on the
next Friday, okay, Friday, I think, and then next week
(00:59):
they'll be some line marking, but that'll be done at night,
so it won't impact any of the businesses all.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Right, So that is good to hear, and I'm sure
that those businesses are going to be really happy to
hear that. I mean the retailers, though they'd been seriously
concerned about the impact that it has on them, I
know that we've now got work happening on Chapel Lane
as well, and I mean it honestly, it looks like
the whole lane is sort of closed off because there's
(01:25):
such a big sort of fence up in front of
those wonderful little shops retailers that are there, beautiful businesses.
It's self fantastic food to anyone out there listening, but
it does make it appear as though they're not open. Now,
how long are you expecting that work to happen? And
what guarantee I suppose can you give those business owners
that they're not going to wind up in a situation
like Smith Street retailers feel like they were in where
(01:47):
it felt like it was happening forever.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah. The problem with scheduling work in the dry season
is that their businesses are impacted to a larger degree
than the wet However, some of this construction work can't
happen in the wet seasons. To happen in the dry
unfortunately Chapel Lane. I was there this morning. It's just
seeing what's going on, and there commenced work again, but
there's a gas pipeline that needs to be moved Katie
(02:11):
and getting the experts in to do that. We've got
to be slotted into their work program. It was unexpected
that they found the gas pipeline, but works is continuing
there today, so we're hoping to get that done as
soon as possible. But that'll be sort of hopefully finished
totally by January at the latest.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
All right, again, I hope. So I understand that things
like this can happen, you know that you can wind
up with different issues that you hadn't anticipated. But I mean,
can we sort of ensure that for some of those
future contracts that we're in a situation because I know
on Smith Street people really upset, some of the businesses
really upset that they felt as though, you know, work
(02:50):
was sort of finishing up at two o'clock in the afternoon.
It wasn't happening on the weekends. Meanwhile, the street was
closed and things were closed off for them. When they're
still open, they're still trying to to operate. Can there
be sort of a look at future contracts from the
council's perspective, that that work is expedited as quickly as
possible so it doesn't impact businesses in that way.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
It's gright you raise that, katiecause I've actually raised it
in council myself and said, why can't we actually try
to get some extra work done, you know, even working
under lights at nighttime so we can actually get the
job done. Because it does impact on those businesses and
I feel for them, so I've asked the question, can
we actually get them a short time frame over the
contractual period?
Speaker 1 (03:31):
All right, So that's something that you're looking at now
as the mayor. Good and I reckon that a lot
of our listeners, particularly those businesses, will be pleased to
hear that, so that it doesn't impact others in the
way that it has them. Now, tell me, I know
that Kavanagh Street they're set to get a landscape upgrade.
What's going on exactly there?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
So between CS Street and Garmilla Drive, which is where
the corner of the University sits on, there's landscaping going
on through there, trees planting. If you drive down Kavanagh
Street between Bennett Street and Nucky Street. You can see
the shade that's been crowded down there. I just came
down there on the way here, and it's really really
nice that you can drive down the street you're in shade.
(04:11):
It cools the city. So we're just doing more of that,
and we'll continue to do more of that to make
sure that the city's a livable and environment city where
people can walk through the city and enjoy the amenities
that are there.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah. Absolutely, that's what we all want. Nice shady city.
Is it going to cause any disruptions to the businesses
along there?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
No, they've there will be no disruption there. They've actually
just my close off part of one lane just while
the workers are there doing that. But basically there's no
huge disruption. So what's going on.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
There, Lord Mayor? I'm due to catch up with Jason
Hannah just after ten o'clock this morning and talk a
little bit more. He started a bit of a conversation
about the Rapid Creek markets calling for some investment into
the infrastructure. Is that something that the council would look into.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
I've read Jason's comments and the comments that followed. My
belief is that Council's got to be careful about investing
in private infrastructure. Council that doesn't have a lot of
money to do that sort of thing. But I think
we can talk to people, we can talk to government,
we can talk about getting grants. And I've already spoken
to the guy who runs the Rapid Greek Markets from
(05:15):
their building side of it and the owners in town
next week and I've arranged to catch up with him
so i can encourage him to put some shade up
over that bitumin area that's in the middle of the
U shape graphic and.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
By the sounds of it. If the council is not
able to sort of work that, you know, into the budget,
there could be grants or something that are accessible that
they might be able to access.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, we do. We're always looking for grants, Catie to
try and help the rate payer. So we'll continue to
look for those grants and if we can do anything
to help, we obviously will, but we're probably limited in
them now. Money that we can actually spend on those
sort of things.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Okes some would argue it's money well spent because it
is something that you know that people coming to the
Northern Territory to visit they like to go along to
the rapid Creek markets. So I mean it's a fantastic
draw card. But even for our locals you know that
have been going there for years and years.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
So, Katie, the issue that the council has is that
we can't go into deficit. We have a budget and
if we spend money there, we've got to find it
from somewhere else within that budget period. Otherwise it waits
till the next budget three period. But the other thing
is it's private. It's a private.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Building, so you can't be spending money on that.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Because the people who want their footpath fixed, yeah, we'll
give some money to that, but we'll take it from
the footpath through fair budget. And people want their footpaths,
they want all those other things that council responsible for,
they want them done. So we've got to actually do
that sort of stuff as well.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Well. Look, no doubt we'll talk more about that. We'll
continue that discussion after ten o'clock this morning. Starzy Halloween
Party on is it on this Friday.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Friday, the thirty first of October from four thirty to
seven thirty out at Malay Community Center. YEP. The waters
Ward Councils will be out there having a great time,
So jump down for a delicious free barbecue, get some
fantastic food and enjoy yourself for Halloween.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Yeah, a bit of fun. Hey, I know the Citizen
of the Year awards and also the Lord Mayor Awards
you're calling for. Are you calling for applicants and people
to put names forward?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Absolutely, Katie. Nominations are open from the seventh October through
to the eleventh of November, and there are four award categories,
so I mean just to name a couple of the
Rising Star Award, the Champion Awards, the Accessibility Innovator Awards,
and the Community Impact Awards. So there's a whole lot
of various awards there. We're asking people to get online,
have a look, see what the categories are, and make
(07:40):
some nominations.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
I reckon it's a fantastic thing to do. Many years
ago I got nominated for the work that i'd done
with Run with Dad, with the Father's Day Fund Run.
And what it actually does as well is, you know,
no one expects to be nominated or expects that recognition,
but what it does if you are somebody who organizes
an event is it really helps to raise the profile
of that event as well, So you might not want
(08:02):
that recognition yourself, which I didn't know. I was very
embarrassed by it. However, it's something that then you know,
the broader community is learning more about the work that
you do. So if you are somebody out there listening
this morning that does organize a phenomenal event, or you
know somebody that's organizing something that's really fantastic for the community,
nominate them because it's a wonderful thing to do, and
(08:24):
to give them not only that recognition, but to help
them raise the profile of the event or of the
work that they're doing. Well.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
It is, Katie. All those events start off as very
small events. But if you promote them and you award
people for what they do, then what you see is
what's happening with Run for Dad. Yeah, you know, the
crowd gets bigger every year and then it becomes a
huge event, another event for the tertory, for the sun
of Darwin.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's exactly right, STARSI before I let you go, somebody
had messaged through saying, morning, Katie, could you please ask
the Lord Mayor Peter Styles if the Darwin City Council
plans to do something to the much needed work or
much needed work on the public toilets at Rapid Creek
on the dripstone side of the little bridge. They're saying
that they went there and they were shocked to see
(09:07):
that the toilet doors don't close and the conditions of
the lady's toilet block is terrible, says Rosa. She's actually
in humpty doo, but it obviously been there visiting.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yep, Katie, that's good. I'll get that information and we'll
follow that up.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Sounds good well, Peter Styles, the Lord Mayor of Darwin.
Good to catch up with you this morning. Thanks so
much for your time.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Always a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Thank you, Thanks so much.
Now joining us in the studio is the Lord Mayor
of Darwin, Peter Styles. Good morning to your starz E.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good morning Katie. This is my favorite part of the week.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Thanks mate. Now there's plenty to cover off on this week.
If you know, to those that were listening to the
show last week, they would have heard us again talking
about the work happening on Smith Street. It's had a
massive impact on businesses in terms of access, those fences
being road limitations. The work does look as though it's
coming to a close, but a lot later I think
(00:32):
you'd have to say them was originally flagged, when is
it going to be entirely complaint?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
So, Katie, first of all, the extended wet season meant
that they couldn't start work at the end of April,
so it went into May. And there have been some
issues down there with tree roots and protecting trees and
bits and pieces. But as Judia's finished this week, actually
so this week this week, so I think on the
next Friday, okay, Friday, I think, and then next week
(00:59):
they'll be some line marking, but that'll be done at night,
so it won't impact any of the businesses all.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Right, So that is good to hear, and I'm sure
that those businesses are going to be really happy to
hear that. I mean the retailers, though they'd been seriously
concerned about the impact that it has on them, I
know that we've now got work happening on Chapel Lane
as well, and I mean it honestly, it looks like
the whole lane is sort of closed off because there's
(01:25):
such a big sort of fence up in front of
those wonderful little shops retailers that are there, beautiful businesses.
It's self fantastic food to anyone out there listening, but
it does make it appear as though they're not open. Now,
how long are you expecting that work to happen? And
what guarantee I suppose can you give those business owners
that they're not going to wind up in a situation
like Smith Street retailers feel like they were in where
(01:47):
it felt like it was happening forever.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah. The problem with scheduling work in the dry season
is that their businesses are impacted to a larger degree
than the wet However, some of this construction work can't
happen in the wet seasons. To happen in the dry
unfortunately Chapel Lane. I was there this morning. It's just
seeing what's going on, and there commenced work again, but
there's a gas pipeline that needs to be moved Katie
(02:11):
and getting the experts in to do that. We've got
to be slotted into their work program. It was unexpected
that they found the gas pipeline, but works is continuing
there today, so we're hoping to get that done as
soon as possible. But that'll be sort of hopefully finished
totally by January at the latest.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
All right, again, I hope. So I understand that things
like this can happen, you know that you can wind
up with different issues that you hadn't anticipated. But I mean,
can we sort of ensure that for some of those
future contracts that we're in a situation because I know
on Smith Street people really upset, some of the businesses
really upset that they felt as though, you know, work
(02:50):
was sort of finishing up at two o'clock in the afternoon.
It wasn't happening on the weekends. Meanwhile, the street was
closed and things were closed off for them. When they're
still open, they're still trying to to operate. Can there
be sort of a look at future contracts from the
council's perspective, that that work is expedited as quickly as
possible so it doesn't impact businesses in that way.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
It's gright you raise that, katiecause I've actually raised it
in council myself and said, why can't we actually try
to get some extra work done, you know, even working
under lights at nighttime so we can actually get the
job done. Because it does impact on those businesses and
I feel for them, so I've asked the question, can
we actually get them a short time frame over the
contractual period?
Speaker 1 (03:31):
All right, So that's something that you're looking at now
as the mayor. Good and I reckon that a lot
of our listeners, particularly those businesses, will be pleased to
hear that, so that it doesn't impact others in the
way that it has them. Now, tell me, I know
that Kavanagh Street they're set to get a landscape upgrade.
What's going on exactly there?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
So between CS Street and Garmilla Drive, which is where
the corner of the University sits on, there's landscaping going
on through there, trees planting. If you drive down Kavanagh
Street between Bennett Street and Nucky Street. You can see
the shade that's been crowded down there. I just came
down there on the way here, and it's really really
nice that you can drive down the street you're in shade.
(04:11):
It cools the city. So we're just doing more of that,
and we'll continue to do more of that to make
sure that the city's a livable and environment city where
people can walk through the city and enjoy the amenities
that are there.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah. Absolutely, that's what we all want. Nice shady city.
Is it going to cause any disruptions to the businesses
along there?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
No, they've there will be no disruption there. They've actually
just my close off part of one lane just while
the workers are there doing that. But basically there's no
huge disruption. So what's going on.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
There, Lord Mayor? I'm due to catch up with Jason
Hannah just after ten o'clock this morning and talk a
little bit more. He started a bit of a conversation
about the Rapid Creek markets calling for some investment into
the infrastructure. Is that something that the council would look into.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
I've read Jason's comments and the comments that followed. My
belief is that Council's got to be careful about investing
in private infrastructure. Council that doesn't have a lot of
money to do that sort of thing. But I think
we can talk to people, we can talk to government,
we can talk about getting grants. And I've already spoken
to the guy who runs the Rapid Greek Markets from
(05:15):
their building side of it and the owners in town
next week and I've arranged to catch up with him
so i can encourage him to put some shade up
over that bitumin area that's in the middle of the
U shape graphic and.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
By the sounds of it. If the council is not
able to sort of work that, you know, into the budget,
there could be grants or something that are accessible that
they might be able to access.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, we do. We're always looking for grants, Catie to
try and help the rate payer. So we'll continue to
look for those grants and if we can do anything
to help, we obviously will, but we're probably limited in
them now. Money that we can actually spend on those
sort of things.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Okes some would argue it's money well spent because it
is something that you know that people coming to the
Northern Territory to visit they like to go along to
the rapid Creek markets. So I mean it's a fantastic
draw card. But even for our locals you know that
have been going there for years and years.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
So, Katie, the issue that the council has is that
we can't go into deficit. We have a budget and
if we spend money there, we've got to find it
from somewhere else within that budget period. Otherwise it waits
till the next budget three period. But the other thing
is it's private. It's a private.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Building, so you can't be spending money on that.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Because the people who want their footpath fixed, yeah, we'll
give some money to that, but we'll take it from
the footpath through fair budget. And people want their footpaths,
they want all those other things that council responsible for,
they want them done. So we've got to actually do
that sort of stuff as well.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Well. Look, no doubt we'll talk more about that. We'll
continue that discussion after ten o'clock this morning. Starzy Halloween
Party on is it on this Friday.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Friday, the thirty first of October from four thirty to
seven thirty out at Malay Community Center. YEP. The waters
Ward Councils will be out there having a great time,
So jump down for a delicious free barbecue, get some
fantastic food and enjoy yourself for Halloween.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Yeah, a bit of fun. Hey, I know the Citizen
of the Year awards and also the Lord Mayor Awards
you're calling for. Are you calling for applicants and people
to put names forward?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Absolutely, Katie. Nominations are open from the seventh October through
to the eleventh of November, and there are four award categories,
so I mean just to name a couple of the
Rising Star Award, the Champion Awards, the Accessibility Innovator Awards,
and the Community Impact Awards. So there's a whole lot
of various awards there. We're asking people to get online,
have a look, see what the categories are, and make
(07:40):
some nominations.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
I reckon it's a fantastic thing to do. Many years
ago I got nominated for the work that i'd done
with Run with Dad, with the Father's Day Fund Run.
And what it actually does as well is, you know,
no one expects to be nominated or expects that recognition,
but what it does if you are somebody who organizes
an event is it really helps to raise the profile
of that event as well, So you might not want
(08:02):
that recognition yourself, which I didn't know. I was very
embarrassed by it. However, it's something that then you know,
the broader community is learning more about the work that
you do. So if you are somebody out there listening
this morning that does organize a phenomenal event, or you
know somebody that's organizing something that's really fantastic for the community,
nominate them because it's a wonderful thing to do, and
(08:24):
to give them not only that recognition, but to help
them raise the profile of the event or of the
work that they're doing. Well.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
It is, Katie. All those events start off as very
small events. But if you promote them and you award
people for what they do, then what you see is
what's happening with Run for Dad. Yeah, you know, the
crowd gets bigger every year and then it becomes a
huge event, another event for the tertory, for the sun
of Darwin.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's exactly right, STARSI before I let you go, somebody
had messaged through saying, morning, Katie, could you please ask
the Lord Mayor Peter Styles if the Darwin City Council
plans to do something to the much needed work or
much needed work on the public toilets at Rapid Creek
on the dripstone side of the little bridge. They're saying
that they went there and they were shocked to see
(09:07):
that the toilet doors don't close and the conditions of
the lady's toilet block is terrible, says Rosa. She's actually
in humpty doo, but it obviously been there visiting.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yep, Katie, that's good. I'll get that information and we'll
follow that up.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Sounds good well, Peter Styles, the Lord Mayor of Darwin.
Good to catch up with you this morning. Thanks so
much for your time.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Always a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Thank you, Thanks so much.
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