Former chief minister Michael Gunner has announced he will be taking a new role as the head of billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest’s renewable energy company’s northern office, in spite of what the Environment Centre NT called Mr Gunner’s “legacy of climate-wrecking projects” across the Northern Territory during his tenure as leader.

Mr Gunner made the announcement on social media over the weekend, including numerous pictures from an exclusive NT News photo shoot with his two children to accompany his announcement, saying he was taking the job with Fortescue Future Industries to improve climate outcomes, “make a meaningful contribution to the world” and to do it “for [his] kids”.

“And if I can also make a meaningful contribution to the world, do my bit to make it better – for them – then I know I’m not wasting that time I am away from them,” he said.

“I think this new job does that.

“I also want my sons to see me being fulfilled and passionate about my work.”

Mr Gunner had previously called himself the “chief minister for children” during his nearly six-year tenure as the NT’s leader, once pledging in a statement “to put children at the centre of our decision-making, because we want a brighter future for our kids”.

He follows fellow former chief minister Adam Giles in jumping on the “green energy” movement, with Mr Giles last June being named “chairman-elect” of Verdant Earth Technologies – a small energy group that signed a non-binding agreement with Darwin Port owner Landbridge Group to further explore the joint development of a proposed $300 million hydrogen project at the port that would see green energy exported from the NT to Asia.

Mr Giles had previously worked for mining magnate Gina Rinehart after leaving office.

Mr Gunner said his new role at FFI would see him focussed on creating renewable energy jobs across the NT and northern WA that would bring about “world-changing, economy building projects”.

“We must bring the same urgency to the climate change race to real zero that we did with the global COVID pandemic,” he said.

He will start the position in November, in accordance with ministerial guidelines that forbid a former minister from taking up work relating to any of their previous portfolios for six months.

Mr Forrest said Mr Gunner was the right man for the job.

“We see enormous potential in the Northern Territory, with abundant wind and solar energy, and a community enthusiastic to embrace renewable energy and the employment intensive industries that come with it,” he said.

“It is people like Michael Gunner who will help us ensure that our ambitions become a reality.”

Before resigning as chief minister in May, Mr Gunner had been pushing a petrochemical precinct at Middle Arm that the current Fyles Government continues to pursue, that would see manufacturing of products like plastics and paint, and which an early environmental assessment flagged as contributing to possible health-related issues for Territorians who live nearby.

Environment Centre NT co-director Kirsty Howey said while the centre congratulates Mr Gunner on his new role and “finally seeing the light on climate”, Territorians cannot “forget the devastating legacy of climate-wrecking projects” he left during his tenure as chief minister.

“No one has pushed harder for new fossil fuel development in the Territory than Mr Gunner,” she said.

“Mr Gunner green-lit the carbon bomb of fracking the Beetaloo Basin, which could increase Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 22 per cent.

“He appointed gas and petrochemicals industry lobbyists Andrew Liveris and Paul Henderson to chair the Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission, which recommended establishing a vast petrochemicals precinct in the middle of Darwin Harbour using fracked Beetaloo gas.”

Mr Gunner resigned as chief minister in May, and as the Member for Fannie Bay in July, stating that he wanted to spend more time with his young family, and while under investigation by the ICAC for at least two publicly known issues; one involving alleged campaign travel rorts and the other involving allegations of political interference in the charging of Constable Zachary Rolfe with murder in the 2019 shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker.

He also resigned before his friend, former senior adviser and ex-Labor Party secretary Kent Rowe was convicted for historical sex offences against a child.