Elected Members
Mayor Matt Paterson
Phone: 0424 652 640
Email: mpaterson@alicesprings.nt.gov.au
Alice Springs Town Council Mayor Matt Paterson was elected to the role in 2021 as a 30-year-old, making him the youngest Mayor in Alice Springs history. Qualified as an electrician, Mayor Paterson is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Vice President of LGANT and sits on the board of Tourism Central Australia, Chamber of Commerce and Regional Capitals Australia. Mayor Paterson has an extensive history of working in various communities in Central Australia which has given him an intimate knowledge of the community.
Driven to continually improve the liveability of Alice Springs, Mayor Paterson is focused on delivering better infrastructure for Alice Springs families. He served as a Councillor previous to being elected Mayor and is passionate about providing opportunities for all residents in Alice Springs. Being a father to two young children, Mayor Paterson is focused on delivering better infrastructure for families in Alice Springs and making the community a better place for generations to come.
A decorated sportsperson, Mayor Paterson has represented Alice Springs and the Northern Territory on the cricket field and has also dedicated time off the field to growing sport in the community. He has served as a Cricket Australia Community Ambassador, committee member of the Alice Springs Turf Club and a long-time president of his local cricket club. Mayor Paterson is also heavily involved in the community outside of sport, putting a great deal of effort into connecting meaningfully with community members from all walks of life.
Deputy Mayor Mark Coffey
Phone: 0401 116 166
Email: mcoffey@alicesprings.nt.gov.au
Having spent considerable time across a variety of industries in the Red Centre, Deputy Mayor Coffey brings a wealth of experience to the Chamber.
Deputy Mayor Coffey spent 22 years as part of the Northern Territory Police Force and a further 12 years as a Senior Executive in the Australian Government. Never one to put himself first, Deputy Mayor Coffey has also volunteered his time to a range of community organisations in Alice Springs.
Deputy Mayor Coffey has lent his expertise as a board member of CASA Services, Parole Board, St John Ambulance NT, Health and Community Services Complaints Review Committee, and is the Chair of the Connellan Airways Trust.
When he has an occasional spare minute Deputy Mayor Coffey enjoys his sport, camping and loves a good bush walk.
Councillor Marli Banks
Phone: 0417 681 111
Email: mbanks@alicesprings.nt.gov.au
Councillor Marli Banks, a dedicated mother of four and small business owner, embodies a profound commitment to our community’s well-being. Her values are at the heart of her leadership, and they resonate with many of us.
Marli is an advocate for social and economic development, believing in the power of informed decision-making processes and participatory government practices. She envisions safer public spaces, inclusive design, and a robust democracy where individual voices are heard and valued within the broader community context. Her passion extends to creative urban design that harmonises with our environment and her advocacy for women in government. Marli also recognises the importance of good access to public spaces, civil liberty, and building safe, close-knit communities.
Currently studying Politics, Enterprise and Innovation at Flinders University, her academic focus underscores her commitment to staying informed and contributing to our town’s growth. With these values as her compass, Councillor Banks inspires us to work together toward a safer, more inclusive, and prosperous Alice Springs. Her dedication to these principles fuels her leadership, and she encourages us all to participate actively in shaping our community’s future.
Councillor Allison Bitar
Phone: 0491 055 224
Email: abitar@alicesprings.nt.gov.au
A self-made entrepreneur, Councillor Allison Bitar has been a fantastic role model for young Centralians since moving to the region in 2002.
Along with her husband, Councillor Bitar is a proud local business owner and will bring a strong business mind to the Council Chamber.
Councillor Bitar also has valuable experience working in cultural heritage management, policy design and town planning, as well as a Bachelor of Social Science (Hons Anthropology) and a Graduate Diploma of Urban and Regional Town Planning. Councillor Bitar has been a member of the NT Heritage Council. This will assist her in bringing a nuanced approach to a range of issues to the 14th Alice Springs Town Council.
Councillor Bitar is a strong believer in working together with people from all walks of life for the good of the community and will work hard to make Alice Springs a place people want to move to and stay.
Councillor Kim Hopper
Phone: 0423 397 235
Email: khopper@alicesprings.nt.gov.au
Councillor Hopper has been an active member of Alice Springs for 12 years. She has a background in youth work, crisis accommodation and project management.
Having been on Boards at a state and National level and now running a small business, Councillor Hopper brings knowledge of governance, management and community development to her role at Council.
Councillor Hopper has been a strong supporter of our local performing arts and through her business supports local not-for-profits such as ALEC, Watch This Space, and the Community Garden.
Councillor Hopper and her partner are now bringing up their young family here and are committed to making Alice Springs a thriving community into the future.
Councillor Michael Liddle
Phone: 0456 529 769
Email: mliddle@alicesprings.nt.gov.au
Spending his whole life in Alice Springs, there are few people more in tune with the Alice Springs community than Councillor Michael Liddle.
Born and raised in Central Australia, Councillor Liddle becomes part of the 14th Alice Springs Town Council with a wealth of knowledge across various sectors.
A strong advocate for mental health and wellbeing, in particular in Indigenous men, Councillor Liddle has spent the past eight years working for Desert Knowledge Australia in various roles.
His dedication to building strong communities in Central Australia led him to nominating for Council and he will work hard for the betterment of Alice Springs.
Councillor Eli Melky
Phone: 0427 012 699
Email: emelky@alicesprings.nt.gov.au
Councillor Eli Melky has always put the community of Alice Springs first, as evidenced by his long serving commitment to Council.
Cr Melky has served as part of the 11th, 12th, 13th and now 14th Alice Springs Town Councils, having spent more than 10 years in the Chamber fighting for a better Alice Springs.
Taking a proactive approach, Cr Melky is passionate about addressing law and order concerns in the Red Centre. As well as wanting a safe and tidy town, he supports business and tourism growth initiatives and many other sporting and special events in our town. His years of experience as a Councillor, coupled with a wealth of knowledge of the Alice Springs business community, gives Cr Melky a unique perspective and he maintains the hunger to continue advocating for Alice Springs.
Councillor Gavin Morris
Phone: 0413 964 838
Email: gmorris@alicesprings.nt.gov.au
An active member of the Alice Springs community, Councillor Gavin Morris has spent more than two decades helping young people across Australia develop tools to be successful in life. Councillor Morris is currently the Principal at Yipirinya School and a lecturer at Charles Darwin University after having gained experience is schools around the country.
Holding a Bachelor of Education, Master of Education and PHD, Councillor Morris has a vivid understanding of Central Australia and our past having done his PHD investigating Aboriginal trauma associated with the experience of colonisation in a remote Aboriginal community.
Councillor Morris is extremely active outside of his professional role and is a current board member of the NT Board of Studies, Director of Association on Independent Schools, a board member of Council of Government Schools Organisation and a member of the College of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership group. His dedication to equity for all will be brought to the 14th Alice Springs Town Council as a first-time member of the Chamber.
Regulation 11 (3)
Council is required under Regulation 11 (3) of the Local Government (Administration) Regulations to keep a register of the results of all elections and polls. In compliance with this requirement, recent election results documents can be found here.
For further information please follow the link to the Northern Territory Electoral Commission website, here.