Lutheran Care was proud to partner with Indigenous Community Television (ICTV) as a broadcast sponsor of the AFL NT Town Competition Grand Finals in Mparntwe – Alice Springs last month.
Thanks to Lutheran Care’s support, two additional team members could be employed to assist with the live broadcast, providing valuable skills development and employment opportunities in media for local Indigenous talent.
The Grand Finals were held on Saturday, 13 September 2025 at TIO Traeger Park, with Federal and the Pioneer Eagles facing off in the men’s competition, and Federal v Rovers in the women’s match.
Micah Williams was employed as a casual camera operator on the day, building on his previous experience with ICTV and PAW Media in Yuendumu. Tevice Ronson, who had worked at ICTV as a media cadet last year, also returned to handle camera work and manage replay operations during the semi-finals and Grand Final.
Lisa McLean, Business Development Manager at ICTV, said, “I’m not sure anyone realises the amount of people hours that go into a live broadcast – certainly a good quality one! Making sure we had four cameras on ground meant that we could do what we are here for, giving our remote audiences a great game to watch! But it’s also about supporting skill development and providing opportunities.”
ICTV exists to celebrate and strengthen remote community life through the power of story, producing programs in local languages, showcasing culture, music, youth programs, language lessons, sports, and live events. Over half of ICTV’s staff are Indigenous, bringing cultural knowledge, creativity, and technical expertise to every project.
This partnership also highlights Lutheran Care’s commitment to community participation and workforce development, helping people gain hands-on experience and build pathways to future employment.
“It’s with genuine thanks from all of us at ICTV for Lutheran Care’s support of the CAFL Broadcast,” Lisa added.
“Without your support, we could not have done such a great job with the game or provided as many training and employment opportunities as we did. Truly, your support was so vital and so appreciated.”
“Aussie Rules football is the lifeblood of many local communities, and something that brings people together,” said Katrina Ranford, Head of Public Relations at Lutheran Care.
“Lutheran Care was thrilled to be part of Grand Final day and to support ICTV’s coverage,” she said. “It’s wonderful that these events are televised — families and friends can watch, re-watch, and share the coverage, and having the broadcast produced to a professional standard is exciting for the clubs, the league, the players, and their families. That we could assist with the transmission is something we were very pleased to do, and having caught some of the game ourselves, it was fantastic to see the community come alive around it.
“Supporting people to build skills and access opportunities is at the heart of what we do at Lutheran Care, so this was a perfect fit.”
With the men’s grand final accruing upwards of 6,500 views and the women’s attracting close to 2,500 views at time of writing, with more views expected, the sponsorship was also an important opportunity to raise awareness of Lutheran Care’s services and presence in the Northern Territory.
Lutheran Care has been in Central Australia since 2009, operating out of Alice Springs and providing outreach to 28 remote communities. Services include crisis support and financial wellbeing programs, to help people build skills and confidence to improve their lives.
With a growing presence in the region, Lutheran Care is expanding services into the Top End, including a new Central Intake Service for homelessness set to launch in November.
For more on ICTV’s work, visit ICTV Play, and you can also watch the replays of the AFL NT Town Competition Grand Finals on youtube, below:
For more on Lutheran Care’s work in the NT, visit: https://www.lutherancare.org.au/nt-services/
