Candidates for the mayoral race

Transcript of television interview on ABC program 'Territory Stateline'

MICHAEL COGGAN: Territorians will go to the polls tomorrow in local government elections.

In Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.

Dozens of candidates and a multitude of choices for voters.

In recent weeks Stateline has been following candidates in the Lord Mayoral race in Darwin city, allowing all seven candidates their say.

Earlier I spoke to John Nicolakis, Dorothy Fox and Stuart Highway.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Welcome to Stateline.

Thank you.

Thank you for having us.

MICHAEL COGGAN: I'd like to ask you individually first of all, John, why are you running for Lord Mayor?

JOHN NICOLAKIS, MAYORAL CANDIDATE: My involvement in the community has been for the last 30 years, in Darwin, especially in the supermarket arena, running supermarkets and shopping centres.

And I have a lot of support out there in the community, and my business knowledge, my expertise in business and development, and I believe I am the person to run the city of Darwin, and I believe the support that I have out there will push me up a little
bit higher so I can get myself into that role.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Okay, Dorothy, you've been an alderman before?

DOROTHY FOX: Yes, I stood in 1996 and was elected.

And then I resigned in 2000, which gave me an opportunity to stand back and have a look at what was happening in Darwin.

And I don't believe the people of Darwin have a voice.

We have elected members but we don't seem to know what's going on --

You don't hear anything about council, so I want to be the voice of the people.

I think Darwin is for Darwinites, the tourism and all the rest is pretty good, but that's the Government's responsibility, so I want to make Darwin a place that
people are proud to live in.

MICHAEL COGGAN: What about you, Stuart, what's driving your campaign?

STUART HIGHWAY: Well, Michael, I'm standing up for a more inclusive City Council policy.

For too long sections of the community have been marginalised and ignored.

And their needs have not been addressed.

There are longgrass people that are swept under the carpet, and another section of society are illicit drug users.

With the NT Government's drug house laws they've been under a lot of pressure.

Like Margot Laughton is in jail -- that's one person.

And also US military presence in Darwin, I think a lot of people are against that.

MICHAEL COGGAN: What would you change, John?

JOHN NICOLAKIS: I want to get better control of our rates, and give people better value for their money.

I want to keep Darwin as a tropical city.

MICHAEL COGGAN: So, what's "better value for money"?

JOHN NICOLAKIS: Better value for money is better management, and receiving rates from people and I believe we can spread those rates and develop Darwin in a better environment.

MICHAEL COGGAN: So, are you intending to make changes to the way services are delivered, or provide more services?

JOHN NICOLAKIS: I want to give ratepayers better value for money.

For instance, the parks are rundown, the footpaths, there's no toilets in most of the parks.

MICHAEL COGGAN: How about we go to Dorothy?

What sort of things would you change?

DOROTHY FOX: Council make all the decisions on the rates and how money is managed.

They tell the CEO, who does the daily management of council, but I'd like to see more colour in the parks.

We're a tropical city.

There are plenty of plants out there that don't need water and once you get those established, people will go into the parks and enjoy it.

I'd also like to take a lot of the partying that Darwin does out to the suburbs.

Things like Glenti and the main events that happen on the Esplanade probably have to stay there.

But it's very tiring grabbing your kids and going all the way to the city, when we've got beautiful parks out there that we could use.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Okay, what about you, Stuart, what would you change?

STUART HIGHWAY: Well, I want to see more facilities for longgrassers -- accommodation, shelter, and to look after their needs, and I'll be lobbying to legalise all drugs, so as to bring the illicit drug problem out into the open where it can be better addressed.

MICHAEL COGGAN: You've been quoted as wanting Darwin to become a small Amsterdam.

STUART HIGHWAY: Oh, yes, that would be a solution for the economic malaise with the empty shops and empty buildings it'd open up a lot of opportunities, like in
Amsterdam, you've got the hash cafes, and --

MICHAEL COGGAN: Do you think it really would make a difference, though?

Do you think people would come here for that?

STUART HIGHWAY: Yeah, I think it would be good, yeah.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Now, Dorothy, you've been quoted as feeling as though this is the last mayoral campaign that will be non-party political, but the council's been affiliated with parties for a long time, hasn't it -- councillors?

DOROTHY FOX: Yes, but it's changing.

The whole campaign for this election has changed.

And now people in politics are now trying to take over council and I think that's wrong because the NT Government manage the budget for the NT, Darwin City Council provide services for the residents of Darwin -- not just ratepayers, but for everyone.

MICHAEL COGGAN: What do you think about party politics in council, John?

JOHN NICOLAKIS: I don't believe party politics should be involved in council.

It should stay independent, and I believe that Darwin don't need party politics in the council.

MICHAEL COGGAN: So, your membership of the CLP doesn't play a role in your campaign?

JOHN NICOLAKIS: No, it doesn't, no.

Not at all.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Now, I'm interested in how much everyone is spending on campaigns.

Obviously, John, you're putting quite a bit of money into it.

JOHN NICOLAKIS: Yes, my campaign cost me over $20,000 and I have a lot of people supporting me and I need a lot of people to support me on the day of the elections and I have something like 130 people at the moment and I need a lot more for the day and I believe I will get the people there to support me.

MICHAEL COGGAN: What about you, Stuart?

Have you got a similar amount of money or people behind you?

STUART HIGHWAY: No, my campaign is more of a grassroots one, addressing grassroots issues like racism and poverty and I'm aiming to represent the poorer sections of the society -- longgrass people, Aboriginal people, the unemployed, young people, and working class people that normally feel disenfranchised and alienated from the political process.

MICHAEL COGGAN: What about you, Dorothy?

Do you have access to many resources in your campaign?

DOROTHY FOX: No, but I believe in door-knocking and going out and meeting people.

About the most expensive thing I would have is the printing.

I don't have 120 to hand out -- I'll be lucky to have 20.

But this is working with the people for the people.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Okay, just a brief comment from you all -- John?

JOHN NICOLAKIS: I believe that the council should play a major role to get involved with the tourist industry because we need tourist to come to Darwin and they need somewhere to go and I believe that council have a major role to play in that area.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Dorothy?

DOROTHY FOX: Well, there are a lot of people out there who never come out of their houses, especially in the northern suburbs, with the 6-foot high fences, and they deserve to have some sort of activity or attention because they are the residents of Darwin -- they are Darwin.

MICHAEL COGGAN: And Stuart, last comment?

STUART HIGHWAY: Legalise drugs, and put an end to racism and bigotry and we'll have a better we'll have a better, more inclusive society.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Okay, thank you all for joining us on Territory Stateline.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Thank you, Michael.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Fri 28 May 2004
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Url: http://www.abc.net.au
Email: comments@your.abc.net.au