Kate Lyons-Dawson

With the guilty verdict in the court case for the 27 Nov 2023 Pine Gap blockade to stop genocide only recently handed down, the local group Mparntwe for Falastin set up another blockade on 9 October 2025 to stop the 800-odd Pine Gap employees from getting to work for some nine hours. The work conducted at Pine Gap was substantiated during the case to have direct links to the genocide in Palestine, by Professor Richard Tanter's evidence and the group have vowed to continue to stop such crimes. The two protestors Yul and Jorgen spoke on 8CCC's Brekky Show.

Ursula Williams, director of the documentary which opened MASIFF 2025 Marlon Williams NGĀ AO E RUA: Two Worlds, spoke with 8CCC's Kate Lyons-Dawson about how the movie came about. It's an intimate four-year portrait of performer Marlon Williams as he writes and records his first te reo Māori language album Te Whare Tīwekaweka and won the First Nations Award at the Sydney Film Festival.

Danzal Baker from Milingimbi and Maningrida, otherwise known as BAKER BOY, is a multi-talented, multi-lingual, Indigenous Australian rapper, dancer, and actor. Six-time ARIA Award winner and proud Yolŋu artitist has released his long-awaited album DJANDJAY, 8CCC's Feature Album this week. This album shows his sonic evolution since Gela and his vulnerability shines through the strength and solidarity in his music. Watch the music videos to see him step out of the remote community into the glamour, history and sophistication of the world stage and music scene represented in the two-storey heritage building many of the music was filmed inside. "...from Baker Boy to Baker Man." BAKER BOY on NITVThe album is named after his late grandmother, while also being the creature who takes the spiritual form of the octopus in Yolŋu culture that guides all the souls to the afterlife. Collaboration abounds throughout the 14 tracks, involving the likes of Thelma Plum, Kee'ahn, Jada Weazel, REDD, Pardyalone to name a few. Emma Donovan's vocals soar into another dimension in Thick Skin: everyone means business.

Mic Conway was in the Brekky studio with longtime musical partner Robbie Long to speak with Kate Lyons-Dawson about their gig at the Watertank on Friday night from 6.30pm. Mic is also in town to share his film Whoopee Blues, a documentary directed and produced by Fiona Cochrane about the life and times of the Conway Brothers. On at Alice Springs Cinema at 7pm tonight Thursday 9th Oct, it will be followed by an exclusive Q&A. Find out more about the musical history of this country from the 70s and about Mic and Jim Conway's musical journey through Captain Matchbox and the Backsliders to name but a small part of the road together and apart.

As part of the series on Central Australian housing and architecture, Owen Kelly, director at Dogspike Design & Architecture spoke with 8CCC's Kate Lyons-Dawson on the importance of orientation in building design, especially in our harsh climate in the arid interior. He also spoke about resources that can help achieve better outcomes.

Roland Bull is an NT-based a writer, comedian and doctor with an interest in life writing, health and LGBTIQA+ issues. He spoke with 8CCC's Kate Lyons-Dawson about winning one of six residencies at Varuna, the National Writers House offered to NT writers as part of NT Arts Fellowship in 2025. 

Recorded across two months in late mid 2025, Border Band's new album 'Terrain' pushes the 4 piece back to their minimalist roots. Bending between post hardcore, sun city experimental rock & industrial flood music, Border Band, originally formed in 2014 as the Urban Sound Corp house band, exists as a group of like minded freaks constantly chopping and changing. Border Band Is currently - Liam Beale ( Strings, Vocals), Ricci Waters (Drums),  Ryba Rygiel (Percussion, Synths) & Eloise de Chateaub (Mangled Vocals, Brass), split across the Central Desert, São Paulo, Vienna & Allauch. While the band has played, played on and released dozens of recordings in recent years, Terrain marks their first new mainline album since 2015s triple album 'Slow Burn'.Terrain can be purchased and/or streamed on Bandcamp & Nina, and will soon be available on CD, for those who still have a player for the best media format around. Border Band is happy to provide a copy of the album at a discounted price to those whole are struggling financially or are unable to make payments digitally.

The NT Arts Residency fellowship offers six writers living in the Northern Territory the opportunity to undertake a two-week residency at Varuna. The number of applicants for this Fellowship almost doubled this year and entries were so competitive that the assessors were compelled to highlight four writers who made their Highly Commended list: Alex Eve, Nikki Moyes, Matthew Nixon and Emma Trenorden. 8CCC Big Brekky spoke with Mparntwe-based teacher Amanda Grace who was one of the winners for 2025. She is interested in fiction which blends speculative elements with emotional realism, particularly for young people. Her stories have been published in Astray, and her first novel-length manuscript, Geo Vs the Whole Wide Worlds, secured her the Arts NT Residential Fellowship.

The 15th Council of Mparntwe Alice Springs has officiated it's first Council meeting, where the Deputy Mayor Alison Bitar was elected, the Committees were allocated and a new meeting time chosen of 5pm to assist in the community getting involved. Mayor Asta Hill spoke about the meeting on 8CCC Brekky Show, as well as some of the challenges transitioning into the new role.

Carmen Robinson and Tommy Walker pleaded not guilty based on their knowledge and belief that Pine Gap is participating in the crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity when they and a group of activists blockaded the road into the Pine Gap Joint Military Facility Intelligence Base on 27 November 2023. Nearly two years later, with more than 66 000 Palestinians and just under 2000 Israelis reported dead, and the UN Commission finding of genocide being committed in Gaza, these "exemplary citizens" have been found guilty, while Pine Gap's role was not contested.

This week's 8CCC Feature Album is a collation of lists; lists of ways colonial states conspire with capitalist forces to murder black, brown, queer, trans and womens lives; lists of life and loss and love and rage; lists reminding us of our interconnection; that none of us are free until we are all free.melt is queer laden doompunk rising from the dust of the central desert by band members - saar on guitar, meret on bass, bec on drums and mia on vocals. Melt writes tracks as a f# you to the patriarchy, colonial havoc and the warmachine - forever together in resistance and shared devastation.this ep was written and recorded on Central Arrernte Country Country that was stolen from its Traditional Owners and Custodians by the illegitimate colonial project of so-called australia. sovereignty has never been ceded or surrendered and resistance has never ceased. melt pays our respects to the Traditional Custodians of Mparntwe, and to all First Nations peoples resisting ongoing colonisation. Always was, always will be Aboriginal landthis ep was recorded and mixed by Jez Conlon from Left Of Elephant Sound at the Black Wreath in July 2024 <3 big thanks to Vito and Cam for cassette production support.

Interplay CEO Shez Cairney visited 8CCC Brekky Show to speak about the Social Good Summit Australia (SGSA) being organised for 17 October at the cinema at Desert Park. SGSA: A Better Future through Indigenous Wisdom is an event affiliated with the United Nations, where visionary leaders come together to share their ideas and initiatives aimed at educating and inspiring collective efforts for a brighter future for everyone. A full day of inspiring speakers and conversation in the beautiful grounds of the Desert Park.