The NT Independent has been nominated for three NT Media Awards at the upcoming awards ceremony to be held on November 6.

The nominations are the first for the independent online publication that started in March 2020, and was quickly banned from attending press conferences and accessing information by the Gunner Government.

The illegal ban has been widely condemned by media rights organisations across the world.

Despite the condemnations, the ban remains in place to this day, with the attack on the free press exacerbated by Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker’s announcement in June that the NT Independent was under investigation for how it obtained the information that exposed massive police executive failings in a series of articles that it has now been nominated for.

Editor Christopher Walsh was named as a finalist for Best News Coverage (print/text) for his investigative series on the failings at the NT Police College that revealed the institution employed unqualified instructors, failed to keep proper training records and graduated recruits without properly assessing them for competency.

Walsh and digital editor David Wood have also been nominated for Best Crime/Court Reporting (all media) for their series exposing the NT Police executive and its media unit’s continued cover-up of sex crimes across the Northern Territory – some involving children.

The NT Independent’s campaign that resulted in improved reporting of sex assaults to the public was also recognised with a nomination for the Pete Davies Memorial Campaigning Journalism Award.

Walsh said the recognition of the NT Independent was further proof that the online news outlet was a legitimate media player in the NT that is trusted by thousands of Territorians every day.

“The NT Independent is honoured to be recognised by our peers and the judges from across the country, even as the Gunner Government continue to refuse to recognise us and our contributions over the last year and a half,” he said.

“While it’s been a struggle at times, these nominations are vindication that what we do is having a positive impact on the Northern Territory. The Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues can continue to run from us, continue to ban us from asking questions, continue to illegally ban the public service from responding to us, but we’ve shown we can still expose stories that matter to Territorians – crucial stories that need to be told.

“I’d like to thank everyone who supported us over the last 18 months, including all who donated and advertised, as well as all the brave sources who came forward to trust us to get the real story out.”

The awards are organised by the Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance, the Walkley Foundation and the NT Press Club and will be held on Saturday November 6 at 6:30pm in the theatre at Crocosaurus Cove on Mitchell St.

More information, including the full list of nominees is available here.

Tickets are available here.