City of Darwin Business

COUNCIL GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS

Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis says: “In these difficult times, we’re putting our money where our mouth is.” Council – reinvigorated after the 2017 election  and appointment of a new six-strong executive management team the following year – has allocated a record $54 million budget for capital expenditure. It is being spent in Darwin...

Darwin Convention Centre Business

BOSS BURSTING WITH OPTIMISM

He jumped at the chance of becoming the new general manager of the Darwin Convention Centre earlier this year. And not just because he has fond memories of spending time in the city more than a decade ago, but because he believes there is unlimited potential in attracting lucrative conferences to Darwin. “The people who organise conferences...

Red Centre Technology Partners Business

AN INSPIRING ALICE SUCCESS STORY

He was servicing gaming machines, Telstra pay phones and photocopiers in Alice Springs when NEC Australia put out a tender for IT servicing. “I thought it was something I could do,” he says. “NEC asked me if I had an IT company and I had to say ‘no’. They asked me if I had any IT staff and I had to say ‘no’. But I told them that...

Helping People Achieve Business

ACHIEVING THE POSSIBLE

The culture has been transformed from “sheltered workshop” to a proud and successful business inspiring the Territory on a daily basis – with private companies and government agencies increasingly giving the organisation the chance to tender for supply contracts and compete against other suppliers. Chief executive Tony Burns even looks...

Tanya Heaslip Business

A HOME LIKE ALICE

That’s a far cry from the dusty red soil of Central Australia where she was raised. Tanya is a true Territorian – she grew up on a cattle station north of Alice Springs. The property was a small pastoral lease that came into the family’s ownership deep into a drought in the 1960s. “My family worked day and night to stay afloat...

Chamber of Commerce Business

EXPORTERS OVER THE MOON

Darwin-based Australian Ilmenite Resources is mining only a small stretch of its leases in the Roper region. But exploration has shown that it has enough high-grade minerals to export 300,000 tonnes of ore a year to China and the United States for at least 16 years. Ilmenite, which is used to make plastic, paint and paper products, has been...

Mindil Beach Casino Resort Business

EVERYONE’S A WINNER AT OUR CASINO

New general manager Mark Bennett says his team is working hard to make the “guest experience” at the renamed Mindil Beach Casino Resort even more enjoyable. A major improvement will be how the resort recognises and rewards loyal guests. The venue, now owned by US-based Delaware North, has rolled out a new loyalty program called Lucky...

Australian Industry Defence Network Business

DEFENCE ALLIANCE

She is the chief executive of the NT chapter of the Australian Industry and Defence Network, which is playing a pivotal role in bringing Territory business and Defence together. The Defence Department is spending approximately $20 billion over the next 20 years to strengthen the military presence in the Territory.  This includes US-based...

Darwin Port Business

DARREN TAKES THE HELM

“I come from the floor,” he says. He understands life on the wharf and life in the boardroom. And he has had a great deal to do with winning more work for regional ports in Australia so also understands the importance of doing business. Mr Lambourn took over as chief executive of the Darwin Port in mid-August. He replaces Terry O’Connor,...

Arthur Hamilton Business

ARTHUR LAUGHS AT LARRIKIN PAST

He was working as a carpenter on Dunk Island in Queensland when he got into an argument with the foreman. “I decked him. I couldn’t help myself – he deserved it.” Arthur was sacked and sent back to the mainland.  “A mate suggested I drive to Darwin to look for work. I said, ‘Where  the hell’s Darwin?’ He told me,...

NT Cattlemen's Association Business

WE’RE READY TO GROW

It is a staggering figure when you consider the base from which the Territory provides this product and Indonesia’s population is around 260 million. It is just one part of the exciting story that makes up the Territory’s $1.2 billion beef industry. A story that involves a dedicated group of individuals along a very long supply chain....

Department of Trade, Business and Innovation Business

TAKE A MOMENT FOR NAB ADVICE

NAB Business Moments will be one of the highlights of October Business Month, the NT’s premier business event. The program is still being finalised, but it is likely to follow a format that has proved successful throughout Australia – panel discussions on the four stages of business: Starting Out, Growing, Managing and Securing the Future....