The Finocchiaro Government is pushing ahead with its proposed Territory Coordinator role following a travelling roadshow throughout the Territory, while the Opposition has called on the government to properly consult with the public before rushing through the legislation it says will give an unelected official special powers to circumvent regulations.

Territorians have until this Friday January 17, to share their feedback on the proposed Territory Coordinator legislation.

The government sent its interim coordinator and former Inpex executive Stuart Knowles around the Territory for town hall meetings last month, which were described as “farcical” and “shambolic” by some in attendance, with Territorians raising concerns about the new role “cutting corners” and undermining important regulations.

“The audience received nothing more than vague assurances that their contributions at these community information forums would be ‘taken on board'”, one attendee at last month’s Alice Springs forum told the NT Independent.

“The interim Territory Coordinator also insisted that the powers granted…in the legislation would be used sparingly and only in exceptional circumstances. When pressed on why the legislation allows for such broad and sweeping powers if the intention is to use them only sparingly, the interim TC could not give a credible response,” Jorgen Asmussen Doyle said.

“When he couldn’t answer an audience member’s question, which was a lot of the time, he simply encouraged them to ‘put it in your submission’.”

Mr Knowles reportedly said at the Palmerston forum last month that submissions from each meeting would be complied into a report to government and that the role was necessary to “streamline approvals” , provide certainty to investors and get more private investment into the NT.

Six forums were held to engage residents, businesses, and stakeholders.

“The Territory Coordinator is about action, ambition, and outcomes,” Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said.

“It’s about creating a clear, efficient path for projects that will define the next chapter of the Northern Territory – projects that generate jobs, grow businesses, and attract global investment to our doorstep.”

According to the proposed legislation, once a project is declared “significant”, the Territory Coordinator can then set deadlines for government departments to provide approvals. If the project is considered to be of “major importance”, the Chief Minister and the controller could “step in” and run the assessment process to “ensure processes and decisions are made in a timely way”. An “exemption notice” could also be issued to exclude existing regulations from being used on the proposed project.

“The Territory Coordinator’s work will unlock the Territory’s potential as an economic powerhouse, ensuring we lead the nation in attracting large-scale developments,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“Every Territorian has a stake in this – every job created, every dollar invested, and every project completed will strengthen our communities. I urge all Territorians to take this final opportunity to have their say.

“This is all part of our plan to rebuild the economy.”

But the Opposition ALP said on Wednesday it wanted answers to questions raised at the forums, including what principles or strategies will guide the coordinator in prioritising projects, what current projects could justify the “step-in” powers and why an unelected official would be given the authority to approve “high-risk activities, such as nuclear waste storage, bypassing laws designed to protect Territorians”.

“The Chief Minister must respect Territorians by addressing their genuine questions and real concerns,” Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said.

“Real leadership isn’t about scoring political points—it’s about putting the Territory first and listening to its people. We urge the Chief Minister to step up and do just that.

“Territory Labor wants to see a comprehensive consultation process with meaningful community engagement before this Bill is introduced into Parliament.”

Territorians can lodge their submissions and read the legislation by visiting https://cmc.nt.gov.au/advancing-industry/the-territory-coordinator.