The Territory Government should demonstrate support
for the Barkly by establishing a Regional
Development Office here

says Elliot McAdam, ALP candidate for the Barkly

Only a few months back the Tennant Creek Community was pretty much doom and gloom with mine closures, families leaving and house prices at rock bottom. At the onset of the new millennium this has changed dramatically with a general feeling of optimism of the new century. The timely and welcome announcement of the railway and the significant contribution it can make to our local economy is a major contributor to this optimism. The presentation by the railway consortium attracted large audiences and indicated opportunities for training, real jobs, capital works and prospects for local businesses.
The communities and businesses along the proposed rail corridor must now make every effort to ensure we reap the rewards given a very, very tight timeline. It is absolutely imperative that the Territory government be super active in supporting and facilitating opportunities to the extent of appointing a Regional Development Officer to the region to assist as they have in Alice Springs. Tennant Creek and the Barkly deserves its own regional development office.
It is important that we use this opportunity to continue to develop sustainable projects such as tourism and mining, which will maintain a prosperous, and socially cohesive community long after the railway is constructed.
Partnerships with industry do work and have the capacity to provide long term opportunities with local businesses and communities. Giants Reef, Normandy Gold and others have developed solid and beneficial partnerships with the local Traditional Owners which will assist us all in the long term.
Tennant Creek and the Barkly Region have demonstrated strong self reliance over the years and the present time gives great prospects to build on that self reliance.
I wish every one a safe and peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Stop treating the people
of Tennant Creek
with contempt

says Bill Cross,
CLP candidate for the Barkly

I've been keeping a close watch on what the Labor Opposition Leader has been saying and she thinks she can trot out endless amounts of misinformation and she thinks the people of Tennant Creek and the Barkly will blindly believe her.
It's what Clare Martin doesn't tell you that is important.
It's been particularly noticeable with the railway which she said she supports yet has been trying to spread doubt about in the minds of Territorians ever since.
She's been saying Territorians have been committed to a very large amount of debt over the railway. What she's not telling them is that the Territorians have got themselves a $1.2billion railway project for only $165 million. A project everyone in Tennant Creek knows is going to benefit the town, a project that is going to generate 2000 jobs in the Territory during construction and a project that is going to be built wholly in the Territory.
Clare Martin has also been spreading misinformation among Territorians with her claim that Kim Beazley committed $300 million to a railway. What she doesn't tell them is that he actually said he would match a $100 million commitment from Prime Minister John Howard if he got elected in 1998. Beazley then said if I get re elected in three or four years time and only if its needed I'll give you up to $200 million more.
Any business operator in Tennant Creek would know that there is no way you could convince a bank to finance a project on the basis of a promise by one of your backers that they would give $100 million now and then if they are still in business in four years time they will give you another $200 million.
On that basis the railway would never have got up and Clare Martin knows it.
I'd like also to take Clare Martin to task for misinformation in a letter to Tennant Creek residents claiming restructuring of the Public Service and resulted in a $41m budget blow-out.
My inquiries have found that this can not be substantiated and is totally untrue. Most of this money was spend on buying a new generating set for Darwin's Channel Island Power Station. I challenge the Labor Opposition Leader to tell the people of Tennant Creek why she thinks they will believe the purchase of $33million in new power equipment is related to public service restructuring.
It's absolute fantasy and she is treating the people of Tennant Creek with contempt by thinking they will swallow any piece of misinformation she throws at them.
Another piece of fantasy Clare Martin has tried to get the people of Tennant Creek to believe is her claim that 50 nurses were going to resign from Alice Springs hospital by the end of November. November has been and gone and this claim was proven to be yet another piece of misinformation intended to cause fear among residents and hospital users.
I'll be watching everything that the Opposition Leader says to the people of Tennant Creek and the Barkly and checking to see how much truth there is in her claims.
Quite simply everything she says obviously needs to be checked.