Police Minister Kate Worden says she will now allow the Opposition to visit NT police and fire stations after first banning CLP Leader Lia Finocchiaro from attending the Tennant Creek police station on Wednesday, in a move the Opposition called a “total abuse of power”.

Ms Finocchiaro said she was in Tennant Creek to visit the police and fire stations and speak with frontline workers, but had her request knocked back by the Minister with “no justification”.

“The Opposition has an important role to play and it’s pretty clear the Fyles government will stop at nothing to shut us down,” she said.

“Why won’t Labor allow police to speak with us? Is the Minister afraid that officers will speak frankly and fearlessly?”

Ms Finocchiaro said she was looking to investigate a range of issues with police, including the 11 per cent attrition rate, the levels of crime in Tennant Creek, the lack of mental health support for police across the NT and the “tragically low morale rate” within the police force.

“This just proves, the shuffling of portfolios has done absolutely nothing to combat Labor’s lack of transparency or accountability,” she said.

Member for Barkly Steve Edgington said the Labor government was acting like a “dictatorship” again.

“What the hell is going on here? As part of our job representing Territorians, all we wanted to do was to tour the police station to thank our dedicated police officers and hear about pressing matters in the community,” he said on Facebook.

Ms Worden, who assumed the role from Nicole Manison earlier this week, said it was her first week in the top job and that she was busy doing a tour herself to meet with frontline officers, but would permit future visits from the Opposition.

“This is my first week as the Minister for Police Fire and Emergency Service and I am in the process myself of visiting the major regional centres throughout the Territory to meet with our police personnel to listen and learn,” she said in a statement.

“NT Police have busy jobs and visits from Ministers and Opposition members require planning and take police officers away from frontline duties.”

Meanwhile, NT firefighters are still negotiating their ongoing enterprise bargaining agreement with the NT Government.

“If a Labor Minister attends a fire station it is highly unlikely that any member would remain on that fire station,” a firie who asked not to be named said in a message sent to the NT Independent.

“This is due to the pettiness and embarrassing behaviour of a politician that has no right to deny access to an apolitical police or fire service complex.”