1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,280 Speaker 1: Well, you know, the Lord Mayor is unavailable today bar 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:04,840 Speaker 1: in his place this morning. Joining us in the studio 3 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: is the City of Darwin CEO Simone Saunders. Good morning to. 4 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 2: You morning, Katie. 5 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: How are you yeah, really good? Thank you so much 6 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: for your time today. Hey, I want to ask so 7 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: much rain around the place. I mean, it has been 8 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 1: pretty crazy the last couple of days. Has there been 9 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: much damage or much to be concerned about from council's perspective. 10 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 2: Look what we are seeing around the city and this 11 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 2: did happen early in January as well as when we 12 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 2: have that you know, really intense rain, we get the 13 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,519 Speaker 2: potholes opening up on certain roads. So really encourage residents 14 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 2: click and fix. Our teams are working through a priority 15 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 2: of potholes and we'll continue to do that over the 16 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 2: period of time. And I just you know, take care 17 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 2: on the road, put your lights on, and if you 18 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,599 Speaker 2: notify any issues to counsel as and as possible. 19 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean yesterday there was that localized flooding. There 20 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: was different areas. There was just so much rain that 21 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: came through over such a period, such a short period 22 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: of time. But even this morning, earlier this morning, it 23 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: was back to those similar circumstances. 24 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, my understanding is yesterday that based on Bureau of 25 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 2: Meteorology seven year intensive rain that we had yesterday, there 26 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 2: was a king tider as I understand, at seven thirty yesterday, 27 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 2: so right coinciding with school drop off, we did see 28 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 2: that localized flooding along McMillan's Road and around that Rapid 29 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 2: Creek area, but also down Baggott Road, which which does 30 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 2: cause concern where we have sent improvement this year. Around 31 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,479 Speaker 2: the turf Club. There was a draining stall by City 32 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: of Darwin over just before the wet season, and I've 33 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 2: driven there a couple of times. There's no flooding there. 34 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: It's going under the road as it should. We have 35 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,559 Speaker 2: got potholes that we need to repair in that area, 36 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 2: but we're not seeing the flooding there. So we just 37 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 2: need to continue to work City of Darwin, Northern Territory 38 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 2: Government on reducing these hot spots and work together on 39 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: improving them. 40 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: And do take care if you're out and about on 41 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 1: the roads this morning. It is some pretty dangerous conditions 42 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: once that rain really starts to come down. The other 43 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: area that it is sort of causing some issues is 44 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: like Alexander. We know that we've sort of had a 45 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: situation where, like Alexander's been closed now for a little while. 46 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: It remains closed at this point, doesn't it. 47 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right, it's still closed. It's not not available 48 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 2: for swimming, and our team goes out there, they test 49 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 2: every day, and when the water quality is swimmable again, 50 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 2: we will open it again to the public. But the 51 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 2: rain doesn't doesn't help, you know, in getting it open again. 52 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 1: Is it like a you know, like I don't know, 53 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: an algae issue, or like a like a levels issue 54 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: in terms of you know what's in there. 55 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a bacterial level that that basically goes past 56 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 2: the limits for swimming. 57 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, look, I'm happy enough to not swim in there. 58 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 1: I was meant to do a triathlon in there on 59 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: the weekend, and if there's if there's elevated levels of bacteria, 60 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: I'd rather not. I do want to ask, though, you know, 61 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: there is always plenty happening. But we know that the 62 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,919 Speaker 1: Bombing of Darwin commemorations are coming up. It is something 63 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: that so many of our listeners are really passionate about 64 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: attending and making sure that they are there to commemorate 65 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: the bombing of Darwin. What have we got planned for 66 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 1: this year? 67 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, so the bombing of Darwin. It's the eighty second, 68 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 2: you know, commemoration for the bombing of Darwin. There's a 69 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 2: commemoration service starting at nine point thirty at the Centotaph 70 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 2: on the Esplanade on Monday the nineteenth, So we really 71 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 2: encourage the community to come down to the commemoration service, 72 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 2: but if you can't, you know, just just take a 73 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 2: moment to reflect. On Monday, there will be some road 74 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 2: closures along partially along the Esplanade, So we also encourage 75 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 2: people to have a look at City Dale website and 76 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 2: consider where you're going to park for the day because 77 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 2: it is a working day in the city as well. 78 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: Now, one of the other things that has been announced 79 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: in recent days, and we've got a question about this yesterday, 80 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: is this fifteen minute plan. What exactly is it? 81 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, so fifteen minute cities the concepts in place in 82 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 2: various cities around the world, and for Darwin it might 83 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 2: not be fifteen minutes, it might be ten minutes because 84 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 2: we're a small municipality, but it's really considering from where 85 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 2: you live within ten to fifteen minutes. You should have 86 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: access to a central service and activities within your community, 87 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 2: and that includes public transport, you know, shading, certain certain 88 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: types of shops, maybe chemists, childcare and what we find 89 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 2: in the Dama municipality. In some suburbs we've really got 90 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:18,239 Speaker 2: that and it works really well. But in other areas 91 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: we don't have that. City of Darwin doesn't have planning 92 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 2: that sits with the Northern Territory government and we're looking 93 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: to build this Place and Liveability plan to really complement 94 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 2: what the Northern Territory government does. It's a different approach. 95 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 2: It's a community and people first approach. So we will 96 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 2: talk to the community and consult with the community about 97 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 2: what they would like to see in the community and 98 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 2: then we build that plan out which looks at the 99 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 2: social infrastructure and also you know transport and opportunities as well. 100 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: So where's it at at the moment? Are you calling 101 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 1: for like calling for locals to have their say or 102 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 1: what are you calling for? 103 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: No? Not at this stage, we're just putting we put 104 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 2: out the request per proposal so for an organization to 105 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 2: build the Place and Livability plan with us. So we're 106 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 2: looking for you know, planners and you know social engineers. 107 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 2: Dare I say either locally which would be fantastic, or 108 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 2: domestically to propose propose how this would happen for Darwin. 109 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 2: And then once that group's awarded, we will then be 110 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 2: talking to the community and there'll be the focus groups 111 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 2: and real interaction with the community to what they'd like 112 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 2: to see in the place and livability plan. 113 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 1: Hey, one of the other things I did want to 114 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: ask about is the Bundela Beach redevelopment. What exactly is 115 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: going to sort of happen down there. I know we've 116 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: been like we've spoken about Bundela Beach on so many 117 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: occasions over the years. There's been different ideas touted, So 118 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: what exactly is going to happen? 119 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 2: So it really is a two kind of phased approach. 120 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 2: So sorry. There's a longer term master plan that is 121 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 2: being done at the moment and community will continue to 122 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 2: be consulted on that and that will be built in 123 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 2: a three stage master plan. The immediate works that have 124 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 2: been awarded and the detailed design is for the stage 125 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 2: one of those works, and that's the funding from the 126 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 2: Northern Territory Government. The three mellion dollars and half a 127 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 2: million dollars from City of Darwin, and that's got the 128 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 2: upgrades to the toilet block, the dog park that everybody's 129 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:10,720 Speaker 2: been waiting for in the area, upgraded recreational facilities as 130 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 2: well in the area, and that's the first stage lighting 131 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,840 Speaker 2: CCTV facilities for food vans to be able to plug 132 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 2: in there as well, and that's stage one. So that's 133 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 2: that they're the immediate deliverables that we're working through at 134 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 2: the moment and those that will start the middle of 135 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 2: this year, so we'll see those works kick off. 136 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: It is such a beautiful area, but it's so sort 137 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: of underutilized, isn't it Like it's one of those areas 138 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 1: that you go for a run along there and you think, 139 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: why are we're not doing more here? 140 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 2: Look it is. It is perfect waterfront, you know, real 141 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 2: estate for Darwin. We see beautiful activation along Nightcliff down 142 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: at Columbay and the real focus and what came back 143 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 2: from the community consultation is that people want to see 144 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 2: be able to sit along a grassed area there, potentially 145 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 2: have a look at the water, have access to food, 146 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: have the kids, have a play, maybe some sporting activities. 147 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 2: And then it also complementing what you've already got there 148 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 2: with ski club and the trailer and the sailing club 149 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 2: and the trailer boat Club, and really complement that whole 150 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 2: area beautiful walking tracks and the other thing that really 151 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 2: came from the consult is people wanting to maintain the 152 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 2: natural environment there. I mean, there's there's some great place 153 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 2: there for bird watchers and and other natural activities. 154 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: Well, Simone and Saunders, the CEO of the City of 155 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: dal and I really appreciate your time this morning. Thanks 156 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,239 Speaker 1: very much for joining us in the studio. Thanks Katie, 157 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: thank you.