A new ‘Boosting Literacy and Numeracy Plan’ will be implemented across Territory schools in response to steadily declining standardised test results that the government hopes will lead to improved basic reading and maths skills for students.
Guy Sebastian to play at new venue at Darwin Festival
Australian pop star Guy Sebastian will perform on the opening weekend of Darwin Festival at the new location of Fort Hill Parklands at Darwin Waterfront, the organisers have said.
Major drug bust involving Vietnamese crime syndicate ends in three arrests, 113kgs of cannabis seized
Three men are facing multiple drug charges following an NT Police bust in Holtze on Monday that resulted in 113 kilograms of cannabis being seized along with $170,000 in cash, which police said has “significantly disrupted” a Vietnamese organised crime syndicate operating across state borders.
Coroner’s findings into death of Kumanjayi Walker delayed until next month
Coroner Elisabeth Armitage has delayed the release of her findings into the death of Kumanjayi Walker for nearly another month at the request of the families involved, which follows the death in custody of another Yuendumu man last week in Alice Springs during a failed arrest.
Woman dies in hospital following alleged domestic violence incident
A 22-year-old woman has died at the Royal Darwin Hospital following an alleged domestic violence incident in Palmerston on May 21, NT Police said.
NT Police reject calls for independent investigation into fatal Alice Springs arrest
Acting NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole has ruled out independent oversight of the police investigation into the death of a Yuendumu man during an arrest at an Alice Springs supermarket this week despite Mr Dole’s close ties to the community and his questionable involvement in the flawed murder investigation into former constable Zach Rolfe in 2019.
First ‘Doctor of Pharmacy’ students graduate from CDU
The first students to complete a ‘Doctor of Pharmacy’ course in Australia have graduated from Charles Darwin University following an accreditation change announced by the federal government late last year.
Alice Springs cop involved in fatal supermarket arrest of Aboriginal man identified
EXCLUSIVE: One of two ‘plain-clothes’ police officers who pinned a disabled Aboriginal man to the ground at an Alice Springs supermarket where he lost consciousness and subsequently died, has been identified as a police “liaison sergeant” who was not on frontline duties at the time of the fatal incident, the NT Independent can reveal, with the officer previously the subject of complaints over his use of force against Indigenous people. *NOTE: The feature image in this article is of a previous arrest by the officer, not a picture of the incident on Tuesday*
Opinion: The Failed State Part III – The politicisation of the public service and police, with the added muzzling of the free press
Ministerial staff sitting on selection panels for public service positions, a department CEO keeping his job after a judge found he inflicted a mental health injury on an employee, and allegations of a police commissioner being influenced by politicians to lay a murder charge against a police officer, have all contributed to the NT’s status as a failed state, Dr Don Fuller writes.
Wangi Falls reopens for the Dry with a new crocodile fence to be installed
The iconic Wangi Falls has reopened for the Dry season earlier than anticipated and will see a new “crocodile deterrent fence” installed to replace the previous structure, the government said, in an effort to keep visitors and rangers safe.
NT Government signs three-year deal with NRL as Chief Minister takes in State of Origin in corporate box
The CLP Government has signed a deal with the Dolphins National Rugby League team to host three matches in Darwin over the next three years, with the announcement coming a day after the Chief Minister reportedly attended the State of Origin match in the NRL’s corporate box, while the costs of the taxpayer-funded deal are being kept secret.
Parliamentary inquiry into Darwin Waterfront scandal scheduled for Tuesday
A two-hour hearing into the potential misuse of taxpayer money and other misconduct at the Darwin Waterfront Corporation has been quickly scheduled for Tuesday by a CLP-dominated parliamentary committee, following a referral from the Opposition last week, but the committee has yet to seek internal documents from the corporation as evidence to inform its investigation, the NT Independent understands.