Elected Members

His Worship, Mayor of Alice Springs

Damien Ryan

Postal Address: PO Box 1071, Alice Springs
Fax: 8953 0558
Mobile: 0428 825 392
Twitter: @damienjryan
Email

Damien Ryan was born in Alice Springs in 1955 and completed his primary education at 'Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School' in Alice Springs.  His business career commenced in 1972 when he started work at the Alice Springs Camera Shop which he purchased in 1974.  Since then, he has also gained invaluable knowledge of the tourism industry as licensee of the Mt Ebenezer Roadhouse (SW of Alice Springs) and later as co-owner of Dunmarra Roadhouse.  Damien is a Commissioner on the NT Grants Commission; Chair of the Regional Development Australia - NT Inc., Member of the Central Australian Chamber of Commerce Executive,  Co-chair of the 'Outback Way Development Council',  a Board Member of the Northern Territory 'Thunder' Football Club and Vice-President of the Finke Desert Race (also a Life Member).

Damien was awarded the prestigious "Photographic Imaging Council of Australia (PICA) Award" as "Photographic Dealer of the Year" in 2000.  During 2002, he achieved industry support for his proposal to raise over $250,000 in 3 years by selling photo frames to fund research into the causes of Dementia and Alzheimer's disease.  In 2005 he was honoured with the 'NT Achiever Award' presented by the NT Australia Day Council for his efforts.  

Damien was elected Mayor of Alice Springs in March 2008 and is passionate about promoting Alice Springs as a tourist destination.  Along with other Elected Members of Council, Council staff and the community, Damien works tirelessly to make "the Alice" the best possible place it can be for both those that live in Central Australia and for those who visit.

Mayor Ryan is currently involved in the Alice Springs Transformation Plan, Alice Springs Desert Knowledge Leadership Program, Alice Springs Planning for the Future, NT Grants Commission, Outback Highway Development Council, Tourism Central Australia Executive, Regional Development Australia Northern Terrritory (RDA NT), Centralian Girls Academy Advisory Committee, Indigenous Education and Employment Taskforce(IEET), Alice Springs Alcohol Reference Panel, NT Tobacco Control Advisory Committee and is Vice-President of the Finke Desert Race Committee.

Mayor Ryan is strongly committed to the sustainable development and advancement of Alice Springs.

Committees:

• Mayor of Alice Springs
• Northern Territory Grants Commissioner
• Justice of the Peace
• Regional Development Australia - Northern Territory (RDA-NT) Chair
• Local Government Association - Northern Territory (LGANT) Vice President - Municipals
• Outback Highway Development Council - Co-Deputy Chair
• Finke Desert Race - Vice President and Life Member
• Alice Springs Alcohol Reference Panel
• Araluen Cultural Precinct Community Reference Group
• NT Tobacco Control Advisory Committee
• Tourism Central Australia - Executive
• Alice Springs Town Council Access Advisory Committee
• Alice Springs Town Council Sports Facilities Advisory Committee
• Alice Springs Town Council Cemeteries Committee
• Alice Springs Town Council Public Art Advisory Committee
• Alice Springs Town Council Environment Advisory Committee
• Alice Springs Town Council Finance Sub-Committee
• Alice Springs Town Council Tourism Events Promotions Committee
• Squash NT - Patron
• Northern Territory Football Club - Board Member
• Holyoake Alice Springs Inc - Patron

Brendan Heenan

Street Address: 3 Palm Circuit, Alice Springs
Postal Address: PO Box 2412, Alice Springs
Mobile: 0418 897 029
Email

Brendan was born in Alice Springs and has worked for many years in Alice Springs as a market gardener, landscape gardener and nurseryman.

Brendan and wife Bev are the owners of a successful local caravan park and the owners of a pizzeria and restaurant. They have 6 children and 13 grandchildren with most of the family residing and working in Alice Springs.

Brendan's community involvement currently includes roles as President of the NT Caravan Park Association, CRVA National Board member and Bindi board member.

Brendan has been and currently remains Patron of the AFL CA for many years and a sponsor of the under 17 community football with the Heenan Cup and is now the sponsor of the town under 17 AFL CA football.

A Rotarian of the Stuart Rotary Club since 1970 was President in 1977 -78 and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow for services to Rotary and the community. Brendan enjoys spending time with family and friends, gardening, reading, politics, walking, AFL football and is a member of the Essendon Football Club.

John Rawnsley

Street Address: 48 Patterson Crescent, Alice Springs
Postal Address: PO Box 4391, Alice Springs
Mobile: 0427 066 279
Email

John Rawnsley was born in Darwin in 1981 and was raised in the Territory. At a young age he lived at Uluru and Kakadu and moved to Darwin in 1989 where he spent his primary, secondary and tertiary education years. In 2007 John attained a Bachelor of Laws and Batchelor of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies from Charles Darwin University.

John has worked in a range of sectors including retail, mining, public service, non-government, and currently manages the Alice Springs Desert Leadership Program with Desert Knowledge Australia. John has been involved as a committee member for a number of Aboriginal Corporations in the Territory. Previously he has coached an under 10s basketball team and facilitated workshops for young people in Turntablism.

John was President of the Rotary Club of Alice Springs Mbantua in 2007-2008 and serves as a volunteer in a range of community roles. John's recreational interests include spending time with family, gym, chess, reading and turntablism.

John's blog can be found at www.rawnsleyj.wordpress.com.

Murray Stewart

Street Address: 28 Lackman Terrace, Alice Springs
Postal Address: PO Box 1805, Alice Springs
Fax: 8952 1335
Mobile: 0407 256 428
Email

Murray Stewart is a qualified myotherapist and co-managing director of “Stoutback Australia”, a company specializing in back care products and therapeutic pillows.

After graduating from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1989, Murray owned and operated commercial ventures in the health and fitness industry.

Recreationally, Murray has been both a participant and sports administrator. Murray is a member of the St Kilda Football Club and is currently the president of the Central Australian Athletics Club.

In the past, Murray has represented Australia in blind cricket and in athletics and was the second fastest vision impaired sprinter in the world, still holding the Australian 60 metre record at 7.7 seconds.

Murray's interests include community work, sport and politics and he is the president of the Heroes Under the Sun Museum, a local organisation attempting to raise funds to establish a site that will recognise the work of the nation’s emergency services, workers and volunteers.

Samih Habib Bitar

Street Address: 33 Cavenagh Crescent, Alice Springs
Postal Address: PO Box 3160, Alice Springs
Mobile: 0411 661 963
Email

Samih Habib Bitar arrived in Australia in 1974 after working with the Lebanese police force. He started out as a builder’s labourer and went on to become a service station proprietor for six years while obtaining his mechanics qualifications through TAFE college.

Samih has been a taxi owner and driver since 1980 while operating a range of businesses.

Samih developed a number of subdivisions including Clough Court. He has built blocks of flats on six properties and developed the Larapinta Supermarket where he was proprietor for two years. Samih was also the proprietor of BA Parts for more than two years.

Samih is director of Alice Springs Taxis and a foundation member of the Alice Enterprises. Until recently he was a member of the Apex Club.

Samih enjoys reading, gardening and spending time with his family.

Deputy Mayor

Liz Martin OAM

Street Address: 2 Norris Bell Avenue, Alice Springs
Postal Address: PO Box 3387, Alice Springs
Mobile: 0429 201 549
Email

Liz Martin is currently CEO of the National Road Transport Hall of Fame, located in Alice Springs. She has worked as a consultant and lobbyist on all matters pertaining to the road transport industry. Liz has been involved in events and public relations in the tourism industry and is the author of "Australia's Road Transport Heritage: Stories from the Road". Liz gained one of the highest accolades in the Territory Tourism industry at the 2009 Brolgas where she was awarded the Tourism Minister's Perpetual Trophy.

Liz's community involvement includes service as Director of Transport Women Australia Ltd, the NT Rest Areas representative for the Campervan and Motor Home Club of Australia, the NT representative for the Australasian Motor Museums Association, and 10 years as Public Officer of Holyoake Alice Springs Inc.

Liz's interests include Alice Springs and NT history and heritage, particularly road transport and the Old Ghan train, indigenous/cultural issues, the natural landscape and the connectivity between them all.

Jane Clark

Street Address: 13 Abrahams Crescent, Alice Springs
Postal Address: PO Box 1008, Alice Springs
Mobile: 0417 864 935
Email
Website

Jane Clark has lived in Alice Springs since 1980 and raised 3 children there. Jane has owned a number of local businesses including restaurants and a therapeutic health centre.

Known to many as 'Netgrrl' since opening the first dedicated web site development business in the NT, she is currently running her own business in the IT industry focussing on strengthening indigenous language and culture using new media. Jane has been convenor of the Alice Springs ICT industry forum, a member of the ICT Industry Development Group, on the executive of the Australian Information Industry Association and a founding member of the ICT & Creative Industries Business Cluster.

She was elected to Alice Springs Town Council in 2004 and re-elected as a Greens candidate in 2008. During that time, she has been Chair of Corporate and Community Services Committee, the Environment Advisory Committee, Araluen Arts Centre Grants Committee and an Executive Member of the Local Government Association of NT (LGANT).

"I see my role on Council as a powerful platform for lobbying on behalf of Alice Spring residents about issues relating to:

• environmental sustainability and in particular representing community views about uranium mining;
• social fairness especially regarding matters such as the Federal Intervention;
• accountability and honesty in government;
• good service provision to all corners of the Territory."

To keep up to date with Jane online, visit www.janeclark.com.au and you will find links to her blog, facebook and latest projects and ideas.

Sandy Taylor

Street Address: 10 Kempeana Crescent, Alice Springs
Mobile: 0411 531 344
Email

Sandra Taylor works as an Aboriginal and Islander Education Worker (AIEW) at St Philips College since 2000, where she provides a valuable role model for Indigenous students. She has acquired a broad range of managerial skills in previous positions in the retail sector, tourism industry, and public service in both the Commonwealth and Northern Territory Governments. Prior to commencing at St Philips, she worked for 10 years with the NT government in the office of Aboriginal Development and Aboriginal Lands Branch as a Senior Advisor to the Minister of the day.

Sandra has been a recognised sporting identity for more than 35 years as a horsewoman, poddy calf rider, and softball player, as well as a committee member, Baseball and Softball umpire and coach and member of the Sports Facility Advisory Committee. She was awarded Life Membership of the Alice Springs Softball Association in 1996.

Sandra enjoys reading, surfing the net, horse riding, camping and travelling, early morning walks, and being with family and friends as much as possible.

 Eli Melky

Postal Address: PO Box 4495, Alice Springs
Mobile: 0427 012 699
Email

Eli Melky has lived in Alice Springs for 11 years and is the Principal Director of Golden Homes Real Estate and Home Loans.

As an avid sportsman, Eli has been involved in the Athletics Club as the "Team Alice Athletics Coach" for 10 years.  He has also been a Coach for the OLSH Marist and Rockets Basketball teams, plus aided in coaching with acclaimed Robert De Castella "The Marathon Project" in 2010.

Eli's involvement in community groups includes being part of the Rotary Club of Alice Springs and has been awarded the esteemed "Paul Harris Fellow".
His recreational interests include keeping fit by long distance running, cross country mountain biking and martial arts.