A powerful and passionate Territorian who many political observers thought would enter NT Parliament at some point has resigned as executive director of the Environment Centre NT, to take up a national role after six years holding successive governments and industry to account for their environmental failings. Kirsty Howey’s last day will be August 14.
The week’s business highlights include Tivan partnering with Aboriginal Investment NT for the Molyhil Tungsten Project, AT-PAC expanding its network with a new branch in Darwin, and the NT Government’s eConveyancing platform streamlining land transactions, plus more.
Timor-Leste’s national carrier, Aero Dili, has launched its first-ever direct service to Australia, with the first flight touching down in Darwin on Sunday morning.
Approximately 5,000 Jacana Energy customers across the Territory are experiencing significant billing delays attributed to a major issue with the rollout of smart meters, the company revealed at Estimates hearings, while it is owed tens of millions in unpaid bills.
An in-principle deal between gas giant Inpex and the union representing striking workers has been struck that will see operations at the company’s sites return to normal, with a formal vote to accept the deal scheduled soon.
The Finnochiaro Government has released a “climate resilience plan” aiming to position the Territory as a major global player in carbon capture and storage, with Environment Minister Josh Burgoyne stating the plan builds on efforts to promote the NT’s role in the power transition and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, despite the government scrapping its renewable energy target and emissions reduction pledge.
Inpex’s legal move to stop strike action at its Darwin facility after unions rejected the company’s latest pay hike proposal, arguing any work stoppage would damage the nation’s economy, has been rejected by the Fair Work Commission, with the union stating protected industrial action will continue until the dispute is resolved.
Male construction workers in the Northern Territory have a suicide rate close to double that of other employed men, national coronial data shows, with a support platform founder warning the industry can no longer treat bullying, isolation and psychological pressure as secondary workplace issues.
City of Darwin staff did not provide enough detail about staffing costs and contracted service provider expenses to councillors to justify the recent 5.5 per cent rates increase for 2026-27, a lone councillor has said while calling for better transparency on operational expenditure at council.
Two fuel stations in the Greater Darwin area are facing nearly $20,000 in fines each for allegedly charging motorists more for fuel at the bowser than advertised, following compliance checks by NT Consumer Affairs, but it remains unclear why the national corporation that owns them was not hit with higher fines the government implemented earlier this year.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro on Monday ruled out referring the now $850 million Labor-led ship lift project for a proper investigation, after a parliamentary inquiry late last year found the deal to build the facility for the Paspaley Group lacked transparency, any trace of public accountability and was carried out with questionable public benefit involving multiple unexplained contract variations.
The $1.6 billion Arafura Rare Earths Nolans Project north of Alice Springs has been declared the Northern Territory’s first “significant project” under the Territory Coordinator Act, that the Chief Minister says will see the project given “the full attention of the government” to assist it move through “all of the risk processes and systems”, which follows last week’s final investment decision.
