Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has broken her silence over the Jamie Chalker affair, but still refused to explain to Territorians the status of the police commissioner, telling reporters that she is engaged with him in “private conversations” about his contract.

The contract “discussions”, that would appear to be around money, are the latest bizarre twist in the ongoing police commissioner saga, with Ms Fyles still not stating whether she has confidence in Mr Chalker.

It was reported on Saturday that Mr Chalker had taken indefinite leave after the Labor Government requested he resign on Friday. It remains unclear why Mr Chalker was not fired outright if the government had lost confidence in him.

Ms Fyles and her Cabinet have repeatedly refused to explain to the public if they have confidence in Mr Chalker or if he has left, or is leaving, the role.

However, pressure has mounted on Ms Fyles to explain, necessitating the Wednesday afternoon press conference, but she fell short of providing what the police union said should have been an “urgent and direct” explanation.

“We have been having, in good faith, conversations with the police commissioner around his tenure in that role,” she said.

“I won’t be making comments publicly whilst there is private confidential conversations around commissioner Chalker’s … contract.

“As you would appreciate, these matters are private and of a confidential nature in the sense that they [are in] regard to his employment.”

Ms Fyles said Mr Chalker’s contract was “due to expire towards the end of this year”.

In the closed press conference, Ms Fyles also said she had full confidence in Deputy Commissioner Michael Murphy to act as commissioner, but would not comment on whether she still had confidence in Mr Chalker or if he would return from his alleged “planned leave”.

“Ahead of his recorded tenure ending towards the end of this year, it is appropriate to have those conversations,” she said.

“As I said, as Chief Minister, I’m not afraid to have those conversations, particularly when it’s in the best interests of the Territory.”

The NT Independent confirmed on Saturday from different sources that Mr Chalker was asked to resign following a Cabinet meeting on Friday ahead of planned holiday leave. Ms Fyles said on Wednesday that she had met with him then to discuss his contract.

He then went on “indefinite leave” with Mr Murphy named acting commissioner, as the Darwin region is plagued by ongoing crime concerns.

Mr Chalker was photographed in a golf shirt on Monday in Palmerston by The Australian, with its reporter allegedly threatened by detectives with arrest on “stalking” charges for being outside the apparently outgoing commissioner’s home.

The union representing police had called on Ms Fyles all week to “urgently and directly” address Mr Chalker’s status as commissioner for the good of the police force.

“It’s frustrating and disappointing that the Chief Minister refused to clarify these reports, or whether she has confidence in Commissioner Chalker,” NTPA president Paul McCue said on Monday.

“Every single day our members are faced with challenging, volatile, and dangerous situations, and the last thing they need is the added stress and uncertainty caused by rumours about the leadership.”

Ms Fyles said she was providing certainty by backing the Deputy Commissioner in the role of acting commissioner.

“I have provided absolute certainty for Territorians that there is an acting commissioner providing that strong leadership, that is what is important to Territorians, supporting our hard working police,” she said.

Mr Murphy is interstate with Police Minister Kate Worden this week for national police meetings, but remained in the acting commissioner role, police media said.

Opposition CLP Leader Lia Finocchiaro said Territorians needed an explanation and that Ms Fyles was “continuing to show a lack of leadership”.

“Today, Natasha Flyes disrespected every Territorian and police officer when she again would not confirm the status of Jamie Chalker,” she said.

“His position is untenable and her lack of leadership is unacceptable.”

Chalker deeply unpopular with rank-and-file, executive sacked Zach Rolfe yesterday while Chalker still under ICAC probe

Mr Chalker was deeply unpopular with the NT Police’s rank-and-file during his time as the NT’s top cop, coming into the role shortly after the 2019 Yuendumu shooting with criticism levelled at his handling of that matter from the beginning.

An August 2022 NT Police Association survey found that nearly 80 per cent of respondents had no confidence in Mr Chalker to continue in the role, but Mr Chalker repeatedly downplayed the results and refused to resign.

The number one reason offered for why Mr Chalker had lost the confidence of his officers was his handling of the Yuendumu matter and Constable Zach Rolfe.

A more recent NTPA survey in February found 85 per cent of current officers had considered an exit strategy and that nearly 81 per cent of respondents rated morale as low or very low, but again neither Mr Chalker nor the government addressed the problems in the police force.

Mr Chalker is also the subject of an Independent Commissioner Against Corruption investigation into allegations of political interference in the charging of Constable Rolfe with murder over the shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker in 2019.

ICAC Michael Riches has previously stated his report is complete but will not be released until the coronial inquest into Mr Walker’s death is finalised.

Questions have also been raised around Mr Chalker’s involvement in the murder investigation into Constable Rolfe and allegations of potentially attempting to pervert the course of justice. Rolfe was found not guilty by a Supreme Court jury last March.

Constable Rolfe was officially sacked by the NT Police executive yesterday, reportedly for writing an opinion piece published in the NT Independent in February in which he called Mr Chalker a “clown” and criticised the executive and those running the ongoing coronial inquest.

That piece had Mr Chalker’s coronial lawyer Ian Freckelton threatening Constable Rolfe with disciplinary action, telling the inquest that “a robust consequence will follow” for the opinion piece, seemingly a reference to an infamous line former chief minister Michael Gunner made ahead of Constable Rolfe’s murder charge that “consequences will flow”.