Tuesday’s NT budget is expected to show little to no progress has been made on reigning in government expenditure, as taxpayers picked up an $18 million tab for government spin doctors last year that led to a departmental budget blow-out.
CLP renews calls for truancy officers in NT schools as attendance drops
The Country Liberal Party has renewed calls for truancy officers amid revelations that less than a third of Indigenous students attend school more than four days per week, but the education union says there is no evidence to support the “punitive approach”.
ABC increases ‘oversight’ at Darwin newsroom as potentially conflicted reporting emerges
The integrity of ABC Darwin’s reporting has been called into question with at least three stories written by Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s wife Kristy O’Brien over the last two years flagged as potentially biased and serving Mr Gunner’s political interests.
The ABC needs to address its Gunner Government conflict of interest
EDITORIAL: The bigger problem for the ABC is that they cannot refute the notion that stories have been suppressed due to a soft spot for their reporter’s husband. The irony here is also striking. The ABC is conducting its business the same way the Gunner Government does: disregarding its own integrity policies because adhering to them is too difficult.
ABC ignores conflict of interest as Chief Minister’s Office helps arrange speaking gig for reporter
The Chief Minister’s Office helped arrange for an ABC journalist to deliver a political “morning tea” speaking engagement, sparking fresh concerns over an unresolved conflict of interest at the public broadcaster and how it covers the Gunner Government.
New campaign disclosures show Terry Mills’s massive donation to party
Newly amended disclosure returns show Territory Alliance raised more than three quarters of a million dollars during its disastrous 2020 NT election campaign – more than the now Opposition CLP did – with the bulk of that coming from leader Terry Mills’ newly amended donation of $366,000, the NT Electoral Commission reported.
‘Stop! Stop! Stop!’: Gunner rebukes journalist for questioning his response
A visibly angry Chief Minister Michael Gunner demanded a journalist stop asking questions at a press conference Friday afternoon after she said his explanation for scrapping the legislative scrutiny committee “doesn’t pass the pub test”.
‘Great hoax’: NT Senator Sam McMahon lashes out at plans for world’s largest solar farm
NT Country Liberals Senator Sam McMahon has lashed out at an ambitious solar project earmarked for the Barkly region – billed to be the largest in the world – labelling it a “great hoax”.
More than 400 public servants hired since government hiring freeze implemented: report
The NT public service continues to grow at a higher rate than the population despite the Gunner Government’s repeated pledges over the last two years to implement a hiring freeze, the annual State of the Service report shows.
Territory Alliance dumps Lambley from party – Lambley returns serve, says she will resign from ‘debacle’
Territory Alliance has helped make up Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley’s mind on whether to leave the party by booting her out, but she has hit back announcing she will resign as their only elected representative.
‘You have fogged up’: Gunner cops heat in Parliament for scrapping integrity measures
The Opposition CLP and Territory Alliance used the first sittings of the new Parliament to attack the Gunner Government over its move to scrap integrity measures it introduced in 2016 that it said would “restore trust in government”.
Gunner Government to scrap scrutiny body after being sworn in for second term
One of the Gunner Government’s first orders of business after being sworn in for its second term today will be to scrap the scrutiny body that provided oversight of its proposed laws, which critics say will reduce government transparency.