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Hedge fund boss sits on board of NGO alongside former Chinese government officialsNews Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News. It’s been a rough couple of years for the Territory. In fact, the past decade has been a bit of a battle. An economy stuck in neutral, spiralling public debt, rising crime and social dysfunction and a series of underwhelming governments have combined to leave the Territory on struggle street. There’s perhaps no better indicator of our plight than Darwin house prices. At its peak in May 2014, Darwin’s median house price was a tick over $645,000. More than 10 years on – and even with the benefit of an artificial spike driven by a temporarily shifting population and record low interests rates during Covid - that median house price has gone backwards by about 10 per cent. Today it sits at just over $580,000. For those who bought at or around the peak, it means they’ve spent a decade with little, no, or even negative equity in their most significant asset. Aerial view of Darwin's Waterfront Precinct. That factor alone can have a devastating impact on the local economy, drying up discretionary spending and in the process making it more difficult for businesses to turn a decent profit. Our net interstate migration, which has reached record lows in the past two years, would perhaps be worse if not for the fact so many people would be forced to sell their home at a loss if they wanted to up stumps and leave. But as we head into 2025, could there finally be cause for some optimism? Could this be the year we finally turn the corner? Real estate agents are not a traditionally reliable source of information when assessing the future prospects of a housing market, but many are quietly talking about a recent uptick that has the potential to continue. It’s being driven by many things, among them the fact that our housing market has fallen so far it now represents outstanding value to studious investors. You can buy an established home in Darwin for a price significantly less than what it costs to build a new one, and that’s before you add the cost of the land. But there are also signs the economy is turning. Gas from the Barossa field will be exported to Darwin LNG via a new export pipeline tied into the existing Bayu-Darwin Pipeline. Supplied Next year will see Santos process the first gas from its Barossa field at the Darwin LNG plant. After fighting off a series of legal challenges, Barossa will be full steam ahead in 2025, delivering 350 permanent jobs in the Top End for the next 20 years, with an estimated $2.5 billion worth of wages and contracts expected to flow for Territorians. Empire Energy and Tamboran Resources are expecting to produce their first gas from the Beetaloo Basin by the end of 2025. This will help keep out lights on in the short-term and has the potential to create thousands of jobs and provide much-needed royalties for the NT Government. Interestingly, Santos has had a recent change of heart on its position in relation to the Beetaloo. Tamboran Resources Shenandoah South Pilot Project site amid the vast Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory. Speaking at an Energy Club lunch in Darwin in February, Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher said the uncertain regulatory framework in Australia and the company’s bruising legal battles when trying to develop Barossa meant it was unlikely to pursue development in the Beetaloo any time soon. “Until we tighten up the (regulations) until approval means approval, it’s very difficult to see (investment),” he said. “Would I be throwing a lot of capital into the Beetaloo right now? Not on your Nellie because I don’t know when I’m ever going to get a return on it.” But a changing political landscape and a growing acceptance that there is no renewable energy future without gas playing a significant role has Santos singing from a different song sheet. “We’re looking to actually do some further appraisal in 2026 and we’re really excited about just how supportive the new Northern Territory government is to actually exploiting these opportunities,” Santos executive vice president Brett Darley said following the company’s Darwin board meeting earlier this month. “This is a fantastic resource for us.” Diggers on parade at Robertson Barracks. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL Darwin will also benefit from a shift in Defence resources. The Australian Army’s 7RAR has just returned to Darwin to rejoin 5RAR after a decade in Adelaide. Significant upgrades continue at Robertson Barracks and Tindal Air Base, and next year Japanese troops will join US Marines for training exercises in the Top End. All of this could mean the Territory’s economic prospects will finally show some improvement in 2025. This might be an overly optimistic view. But if your glass isn’t half full at the start of the year, when will it be? Here’s to better days ahead. More Coverage The Territory resource that’s driving a private investment boom Camden Smith Deploying the ADF domestically causes ‘tension’, report finds Harry Brill Originally published as Matt Cunningham analysis of major infrastructure impacts on NT economy Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories News Bill could top $35K after Katherine servo smash-and-grab: Police Katherine Police are investigating after a service station was targeted overnight , with tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes stolen, and damage caused. Read more News Deploying the ADF domestically causes ‘tension’, report finds While the tragedy of Cyclone Tracy provided the ADF a blueprint in how to deliver effective disaster relief, a new report notes a “perceived tension” lingers around the issue of deploying troops in a domestic context. Read more
Jean-Philippe Mateta struck in the second half with the only real piece of quality in a nervy encounter between two struggling teams. It is now two wins and three draws from the last six matches for Glasner’s side, whose winter revival is gathering pace nicely following a sticky start to the campaign. “I feel very happy, we’re all very pleased with the result, it was not the best performance but the result was more important,” said the Eagles boss. “Most of the time we controlled the game and we scored an amazing goal, a fantastic finish from JP. “We had more chances to decide the game but we couldn’t, but I think the win was well deserved. “We didn’t give them any chances from open play and with a clean sheet you can always take the win. “It’s a big win. Now it’s not time to sit back and relax but to keep going. In four days we face Manchester City. We stay humble. There are still many things to improve but we are on the right path.” Ipswich looked the likelier to score as a low-key first half drew to a close and were denied by a point-blank save by Dean Henderson from Harry Clarke’s near-post header. Shortly after the interval Wes Burns got clear down the right and lifted an inviting cross towards Liam Delap, whose header was straight at Henderson. However, from out of nowhere Palace conjured up a lightning counter-attack to go ahead on the hour. Eberechi Eze led the charge before feeding Mateta, who surged forward with a couple of stepovers before brushing off the attention of Jacob Greaves and finishing superbly past Arijanet Muric. It was the French forward’s sixth goal of the season, and his first away from Selhurst Park. Back came Ipswich with Leif Davis fizzing in another cross for Delap, who somehow mistimed his jump and completely missed the ball from six yards. As time ticked down Greaves looped a header against the far post, with the rebound just eluding substitute Ali-Al Hamadi. “Frustrating night,” said Town boss Kieran McKenna. “It was a tight first half, we weren’t fantastic in terms of the flow of the game and didn’t create as many opportunities as we wanted. But having said that neither did our opponents. “In the second half we conceded a really poor goal and that proved decisive. We can do better than we did tonight.”A major flaw of biopics in general, and music biopics specifically, is the tendency to sand down the rough edges of the person being profiled. For the most part, director and co-screenwriter James Mangold — along with co-screenwriter Jay Cocks — do a commendable job showing how the iconic Bob Dylan is not only talented but rather prickly and arrogant — a creative force with the talent and chutzpah to ennoble change. The warts-and-all approach and strong performances across the board elevate this absorbing, but overly long, look at the early professional and personal life of music legend and revered groundbreaker Bob Dylan. Above all, credit goes to Timothée Chalamet’s impressive achievement in not reducing Dylan to a caricature. Related Articles Another main reason “A Complete Unknown” works is that it hones in on a pivotal four-year span in Dylan’s life. It begins with Dylan’s shuffling arrival in 1961 New York with his beloved guitar and a burning desire to write and sing songs that make a difference. He meets and befriends folk music pioneers Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) — his hero who lies bedridden in a hospital due to Huntington’s Disease — and Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), a devoted colleague and musician who steers away from the wild side of fame and prefers the confines of tradition over music evolution. It concludes with Dylan evolving into a temperamental but visionary performer who takes the stage at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival — to the dismay and outrage of organizers, including Seeger, and fans — and performs amplified versions of several songs. The re-creation of that volatile “going electric” event is the film’s crowning achievement. But other times Mangold and Cocks don’t stick the landing, resorting to shorthand when detailing the tumultuous change that’s brewing in America and leaning too heavily on shopworn storytelling techniques such as having radio and news reports flash through those game-changing events. A more intense connection linking Dylan’s impact on music to the rebellious actions of other iconic artistic and political figures would have given “A Complete Unknown” more heft and a more solid dramatic arc. Still “A Complete Unknown” is entertaining — particularly to music fans worshipping that period – and trots along in the footsteps of a dynamic Dylan as he becomes a force on the Greenwich Village music scene and soon finds his star rising as he puts his stamp on folk music and a variety of other musical genres. Unlike most music biopics, Mangold blessedly devotes much of the time to its subject actually creating music and then performing it. The film’s all the better for it. Some of the best scenes occur between Dylan and longtime Woodside resident Joan Baez (an electrifying Monica Barbaro) as those two musical forces flirt, make love, perform together and squabble bitterly. The concert sequences include a brief re-creation of the first Monterey Folk Festival in 1963, where Dylan and Baez performed. Both actors are on fire when they’re together. The challenge for an actor portraying such a distinctive superstar is to not imitate him. (Too many comedic acts have done that.) Chalamet wobbles in initial scenes, and then finds his footing — surprising us with his astonishing vocals and his ability to adopt an irascible demeanor, all but downplaying his striking good looks to become a man who doesn’t give a damn about physical appearances, except for being the epitome of someone who is anti fashion forward. Diehard Dylan fans will likely find faults with Chalamet’s smart performance, but it deserves respect. The scenes involving Guthrie, Seeger, Baez and Dylan fuel the film. Less successful are the ones that revolve around his romance with Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning) — a character described as a “surrogate” for the real-life late artist and activist Suze Rotolo – which ran from 1961 to 1964. Her role intends to put a human face on the awful burden fame imposes on those who are sidelined from the ones in the addictive spotlight, but it’s presented in a contrived manner, even though Fanning gives it her all. Ditto the walk-on role of Boyd Holbrook as an inebriated Johnny Cash. It detracts from the overhaul story. “A Complete Unknown” isn’t a complete success, but it does have musical moments that soar and performances to match. It doesn’t shed any new light on who the real Dylan is, and maybe, just maybe, we will never become privy to that. 3 stars out of 4 R (language) Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro James Mangold 2 hours, 21 minutes In theaters Dec. 25
By BEN FINLEY The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Related Articles National News | Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights National News | Prosecutors withdraw appeal of dismissed case against Alec Baldwin in fatal movie set shooting National News | Judge rules Arkansas law allowing criminal charges against librarians is unconstitutional National News | Bill Clinton is hospitalized with a fever but in good spirits, spokesperson says National News | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . The tradition continues regardless of government shutdowns, such as the one in 2018 , and this year . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada —- known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, mountain standard time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.PEOPLES FINANCIAL CORPORATION ANNOUNCES A REGULAR CASH DIVIDEND AND THE PAYMENT OF A SPECIAL DIVIDEND
