Fresh off ‘restoring national pride’ by mandating all public schools sing the national anthem, Education Minister Jo Hersey has announced all Territory public schools will participate in a government initiative aimed at “celebrating and learning about Territory pride” by getting children to explore the theme of “identity” and what it means to be a Territorian.
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.
NT Health has said it will not comment on NT Work Safe charges over the death of a mental health patient who had a history of volatile substance abuse, was considered at risk of self-harm, and died after inhaling the contents of a deodorant can purchased from a Royal Darwin Hospital pharmacy.
A new youth festival will be held in Alice Springs to mark the conclusion of NAIDOC Week, featuring live music from local talent alongside a national headline act, organisers have said.
Fire and rescue crews are at the site of a road train that caught on fire Tuesday morning following a crash on the Arnhem Highway east of the Adelaide River bridge.
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.
NT Police are investigating toxic workplace allegations linked to the Acacia IT system, which family members of deceased employee Shaun Joyce said contributed to his death, after the Department of Corporate and Digital Development’s internal investigation found “inappropriate” conduct occurred.
The Northern Territory’s “problematic Super Inspector” position to oversee the recently created Office of the Integrity and Ethics Commissioner, that the CLP Government filled with former ICAC inspector Bruce McClintock, has been flagged by a national organisation as “a good example of how oversight can go wrong” with integrity bodies.
The Environment Centre NT is seeking a Federal Court judicial review of federal Environment Minister Murray Watt’s decision not to assess Top End Pastoral Company’s plans to clear almost 3,000ha at Claravale Station, the organisation said.
Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has reminded her NT counterpart Marie-Clare Boothby that the NT Government has an obligation to maintain proper funding for legal aid for Territorians, amid fears from the Federal Government that increased pressure on NT courts and corrections has been exacerbated by funding cuts, which has produced “heightened risks to fairness and access to justice” that may be in breach of international human rights obligations.
The red-collared lorikeet, followed by the magpie-lark and Torresian imperial-pigeon, were the most sighted birds in the Northern Territory according to respondents to Bird Life Australia’s Aussie Bird Count survey.
NT Police say an investigation into the death of a 24-year-old disabled Warlpiri man who died after being restrained by two plainclothes police officers at an Alice Springs supermarket last May will not proceed to court with charges, following advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions. The death will still be subject to a coronial inquiry with a directions hearing scheduled for June 15.
