Chief Minister Eva Lawler appears to have lifted the Labor Government’s ban on the NT Independent, inviting this publication to her first press conference on Thursday afternoon where she took questions.
The Labor Government under Michael Gunner first banned the NT Independent on questionable legal grounds shortly after it was launched in early 2020. Despite the ban being heavily condemned by journalistic bodies around the country and the world – as well as by the federal Senate – Natasha Fyles continued to bar this publication from attending ministerial press conferences and obtaining information from government departments during her tenure.
However, Ms Lawler, who became Chief Minister on Wednesday following Ms Fyles’ resignation brought on by a special investigation series by the NT Independent into multiple integrity issues, recognised editor Christopher Walsh at Thursday’s press conference.
“Chris, it’s lovely to have you here,” Ms Lawler said after her opening remarks, before taking a question by Walsh on how her government intends to restore the public’s trust following Ms Fyles’ undisclosed shares scandal and lingering questions about integrity in government.
Following the press conference, Ms Lawler and Deputy Chief Minister Chansey Paech approached Walsh to shake his hand and commit to allowing the NT Independent into all ministerial press conferences.
“We just want to get on with doing our jobs,” Walsh said later. “We appreciate that the new Chief Minister appears to have lifted the illegal ban on the Independent, but really, this is the bare minimum in respecting the freedom of the press, something her predecessors in this same Labor Government failed to do for nearly four years.
“We had called for support from the heads of other local news organisations, but it appears we had to do it ourselves, by continuing to hold politicians to account to the public that elected them.
“It shows the positive effect journalism can have when done right and we never waivered in our commitment to providing Territorians the information they needed to know, even when faced with government bans and threats from the police executive to raid our offices and potentially arrest our journalists.”
The NT Independent has sought clarification from the Lawler Government about whether government departments, including the NT Police, will now be responding to the online paper’s questions.
“That’s a major part of this and something we always felt was unfair and improperly politically motivated,” Walsh said.
A government spokeswoman said the government would get back to the NT Independent on that issue “as we are able”.
The NT Independent has won four NT media awards in its three-and-a-half years in existence, including multiple times for Best News Coverage, and was a finalist for a Walkley Award last month.
The ongoing government ban on the NT Independent has made national and international headlines over the years.
READ what others have said about the Labor Government’s ban on the NT Independent here.
Love your work NT Independent. Well done. Keep the bastards honest.
Merry Christmas, congratulations on your tenaciousness & courage to expose the truth. Regional/remote media organisations including Newscorp NT News & Darwin ABC need to stop being funded by the NTG & City of Darwin Council, tax-payers money, for failing their charter with disgraceful editorial choices; the political influence is killing democracy in the NT. Vigorous free press is the cornerstone of communities.
A task undertaken by NT Independent is a task that will turn up all kinds of strange and weird happenings – especially from the highest office holders in the NT…. thankyou for keeping the bastards honest.. this publication is the ONLY trustworthy publication in the NT, likely the country…. keep up the good work 🎄🎄🎄🎄🤩🤩🤩🤩
Good job fellas
GO HARD NOW
Bloody well done…enjoy Chrissy
Well, credit to Lawler where it’s due.
This is a surprising step, but it’s a step in the right direction.
I still don’t think she’ll be any better than the last two buffoons, but full credit where it’s deserved.
Well done NT Independent on your fantastic political/news coverage. Absolute best news source in the NT!
At least one wrong has been righted, good to hear.
Welcome back inside the tent…keep up your great work. So much more in 24!!!
Great news. Compliments of the season to you. Just maybe?? more good news in 2024.
Good on you NT Independent. Thankyou for keeping the bar stools honest. Nice to see there are still some vestiges of a true Fourth Estate left in this dying ‘democracy’.
Great Work.
Now if the new CM wants to really address the Governments integrity issues left after all the Fyles scandals, why would she have installed Chansey as deputy when his integrity has been under question since last Christmas, for using tax payer dollars to fund his personal interstate holidays, and is currently under ICAC investigation for such!
Like we know she had to take some deals to get in as CM, but really, to install Chansey who is already under ICAC investigation for improper use of Tax Payer Dollars to a role even if he is in for one day, gets the golden retirement from the NT taxpayer for the rest of his life, after already ripping the tax payer off to pay for his personal holidays!
I have always felt slighted by the NT Govt as one of their constituents, that as an NT Independent supporter, we had been short changed with our right to access to Government by this excellent on line news platform.
I commend Eva Lawler for acting as an adult. Although she has well seen the power of this apolitical media when directed against her predecessor.
Well done to you Chris.
Can anyone suggest a title of any future Books covering the Gunner Fyles Manison and Lawler Years?
Ill start it off:
“How to totally sodomize a Government and bankrupt an entire jurisdiction for generations, with the assistance of cocaine and hookers!”
Foreword by Bob Collins and Kent Rowe.