Today’s national news includes China’s ambassador airing a ‘grossly inappropriate’ threat to Canberra, Australians saying the government failed to tackle the cost of living crisis, work stoppages growing at DP Australia terminals due to pay dispute, and Australia admits providing support for US, UK strikes in Yemen.
Core Lithium has announced temporarily suspending mining operations at its lithium mine is one of the options the company is considering after a massive drop in the price of spodumene concentrate, which is a high-purity lithium ore.
Shahleena Musk has been announced as the new Northern Territory Children’s Commissioner, an appointment which follows the undisclosed payout of the previous commissioner Colleen Gwynne, whose charge of abuse of office was thrown out of court earlier this year.
Chief Minister Eva Lawler has unveiled her Cabinet team after being sworn in on Thursday afternoon, that will see minor changes and a new minister, marking the second reshuffle in as many months for the Territory Labor Government, just eight months out from August’s general election.
Alice Springs staff members of the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education were flown to Darwin and put up in hotel rooms for two nights at the public’s expense for its Christmas party, sources have told the NT Independent.
Treasurer Eva Lawler is the Territory’s next Chief Minister in a surprise move that will see Attorney General Chansey Paech become the new Deputy Chief Minister.
The opening of the $270 million United States Defence Force bulk fuel depot at Darwin’s East Arm has been delayed again, due to equipment not being ordered earlier enough, the media has reported.
A man who allegedly assaulted a 76-year-old woman, and was involved in a series of other assaults, thefts and criminal damage in Darwin this week, is still on the run, although police said they have identified him, they have not provided a description of him, in apparent contravention of the their transparency guidelines.
The resignation of chief minister Natasha Fyles has thrown Territory Labor into chaos as different factions fight over who the next leader will be, which as of last night appeared to be Eva Lawler as chief minister and Chansey Paech as her deputy, but the unions attempted to kibosh that, fighting for Joel Bowden to take on the top job.
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has resigned following the NT Independent revealing her secret shareholdings in the company that runs the Groote Eylandt manganese mine, which she refused as Health Minister to investigate earlier this year after health issues suspected to be related to the mine were raised by Indigenous Territorians.
Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison has formally indicated she will run to be Territory Labor’s next leader in a statement issued from Bali, telling Territorians she is “proud” of her good friend Natasha Fyles for “putting Territorians first”, while questions have been raised about why the Labor Cabinet team failed to take action against Ms Fyles’ ethical breaches, which they were obligated to do.
Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Michael Riches has issued an extraordinary warning to Territory politicians to disclose all their conflicts to him directly, while indicating “recent matters” involving “conflicts of interest, lobbying and related matters” presumably involving Natasha Fyles would be “addressed”.
