Police Commissioner Michael Murphy has visited the troubled remote community of Peppimenarti where residents have lodged a human rights complaint about inadequate policing while being terrorised by a gang known as the Jovi Boys in a situation that has been labelled a “national disgrace”.
The Northern Territory economy has shrunk by one per cent in the June quarter, while the national economy grew, according to ABS data, which comes at the same time Darwin recorded the highest cost of living increase in the country.
Australia Post has launched its limited edition $1 coin collection featuring the Northern Territory’s Big Jumping Crocodile at Wak Wak and other peculiar effigies dotting townships around Australia.
After initially appearing to state the public will no longer be informed of serious sexual assaults, Assistant Police Commissioner Travis Wurst changed tack this morning, claiming the NT Police’s failure to publicly report a violent sexual assault at Casuarina Square last week was due to an agency “oversight”.
Today’s national news includes Aussies being hit hard by the affordability crisis, increased military export to Saudi Arabia regarded as being ‘disturbing’, Westpac being sued for neglect of financial hardship notifications, and mediation between Chevron and unions beginning to deter Australia LNG strike.
The federal Senate has voted to hold an inquiry into Darwin’s controversial Middle Arm industrial estate – which the Albanese Government is backing with $1.5 billion – including investigating the likely and intended future uses on the site, which follows the Fyles Government earlier attempting to deny petrochemical production at the site.
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles’s trip to Washington has come under scrutiny by the Opposition who called the $90,000 price tag “ridiculous”, while the local state media outlet finally released a rough breakdown of costings for what they reported was a “vital” trip.
Territorians are advised to take extra precautions following a rise in cases of rotavirus, norovirus and other causes of infectious gastroenteritis, NT Health has said.
UPDATED: Treasurer Eva Lawler will fly to Singapore to attract private investment to the Northern Territory this week, state media and her office reported over the weekend, which comes amid the Chief Minister’s reported high-level meetings in the US with unnamed defence officials, while Business Minister Paul Kirby’s office said on Saturday he was busy overseeing the NT’s first ever “kite festival”.
Former Darwin councillor Paul Arnold has had another complaint filed against him with NT Police, this time by a sitting councillor who alleges he verbally abused and harassed her at Saturday’s Lyons Ward by-election polling station while appearing to wear an electronic ankle monitoring device.
Today’s national news includes Australian opposition LP holding a second referendum if the national vote on The Voice fails on October 14, Qantas employees outraged over CEO getting $10 M bonus, Australia extending security mission in Solomon Islands, Home values going up in August, and Bill outlawing ‘Wage Theft’ to be introduced.
Lyons Ward by-election Greens candidate Suki Dorras-Walker is currently leading Mad Snake Cafe owner Sam Weston to be Darwin’s next councillor, in a tight race that will come down to preference votes.
