Today’s national news includes Australia’s barley exports to China up, PM pledges support for waning nickel industry, Australia joining Exercise Milan 24, and Canberra celebrating 26 years of the Greek Glendi.
Union calls on CDU vice-chancellor to apologise to workers
A union has demanded Charles Darwin University vice-chancellor Scott Bowman apologise for blaming workers for the delayed opening of the university’s city campus, saying it is “despicable” to blame workers for mismanagement on the project.
Darwin City posts highest vacancy rate of all Australian capital cities
Darwin City continues to have the highest vacancy rate of capital cities in the country after recording an increase of 0.23 per cent for the previous quarter, to a 2.69 per cent vacancy rate in January, a new report shows.
Potter referred to ICAC over allegations he attempted to influence police investigation into CLP MLA with public comments
Police Minister Brent Potter has been referred to the NT’s anti-corruption body over allegations he attempted to influence the police investigation into CLP politician Josh Burgoyne’s car crash last August by making public comments that an independent MLA says could be seen as a “breach of the separation of powers” and ultimately “misconduct”.
‘Told him he was going to die’: Senior bashed in head with iron bar nearly dies after treatment delays
A Tennant Creek senior who was struck in the head with an iron bar during a violent home invasion in December was rushed to Darwin to stop bleeding on his brain after days of delays to proper health treatment, a source has said.
Charges laid: Burgoyne breaks silence over vehicle crash that injured healthcare workers
Alice Springs CLP MLA Josh Burgoyne has spoken publicly about a vehicle crash he was involved in last August that sent two healthcare workers to hospital, four days after the incident was made public in the media, and the same day police charged him over the crash.
Lawler putting political ambitions of one pollie over the integrity of government and the Territory
ANALYSIS: What’s clear after this week is that Chansey Paech discussed the lifting of the remote grog bans and regardless of whether he told his colleagues about his shares or not, he failed to properly manage his conflict of interest by engaging in the Cabinet discussions. That is a serious ethical breach that needs to be investigated by a proper body while he stands down.
CLP MLA facing charges in connection to car crash last year that injured health workers
UPDATED: Alice Springs CLP MLA Josh Burgoyne is facing dangerous driving charges in connection to a car crash last August that injured two healthcare workers, which was not made public until Thursday evening.
Trip around the Nation: Free to Read National News for February 19
Today’s national news includes 10,000 homes and businesses still without electricity in Victoria; PM Albanese saying there would be no negotiations with Greens on housing help-to-buy legislation; Rippling starting operations in Sydney; and Philippine immigration agency allies with the Australian gov’t for better border management.
NT Police calling for witnesses into fatal Bagot Road crash
NT Police are seeking any witnesses who may have information about a fatal single-vehicle crash that happened near Bagot Road and Fitzer Drive around 11 pm on Monday.
Paech blocks censure motion in Parliament against CM as federal Labor members refuse to back him
Under fire Labor Minister Chansey Peach used his parliamentary powers to shut down a censure motion against Chief Minister Eva Lawler brought by the CLP over her failure to hold him responsible for his actions, while senior federal Labor politicians have refused to voice support for Mr Paech.
Solar power stations connected to grid but not producing electricity, as questions raised in Parliament
Three solar power stations built four years ago were finally connected to the grid late last year, but two are still unable to generate power to the grid, with the other one providing only 25 per cent of its capacity, while the Lawler Government will not say when they will be operating at full capacity or if it is in talks to purchase the solar farms.