Category Archives: Northern Territory politics

NT attorney general criticised after confirming family link to hit-and-run driver

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Marie-Clare Boothby faces questions after revealing she is related to man spared prison over a crash that killed Aboriginal pedestrian

The Northern Territory’s attorney general, Marie-Clare Boothby, has faced criticism after confirming she is related to a man who was spared prison last week over a hit-and-run car crash that killed an Aboriginal man.

Jack Danby, 24, was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order in relation to the crash in June 2024. Danby hit two Aboriginal pedestrians, killing one, and fled the scene.

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NT police commissioner ousted amid jobs-for-mates scandal

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Michael Murphy outed himself as subject of Icac investigation that found he had mismanaged a conflict of interest

The Northern Territory’s police commissioner has been given his marching orders after a jobs-for-mates scandal uncovered by a corruption watchdog.

Michael Murphy outed himself as the subject of an Independent Commissioner Against Corruption investigation that found improper and unsatisfactory conduct against an unnamed public official who had mismanaged a conflict of interest in the recruitment of a senior officer.

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‘Crisis’ of domestic violence in NT needs immediate action, advocates say after landmark report released

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Northern Territory domestic homicide rate seven times the national rate, with systemic failings contributing to deaths, coroner’s report finds

Women’s safety advocates are urging governments and the police to take immediate action after a landmark coroner’s report exposed systemic failings that contributed to the deaths of four Aboriginal women in the Northern Territory.

The NT coroner Elisabeth Armitage on Monday handed down findings into the deaths of Miss Yunupiŋu, Ngeygo Ragurrk, Kumarn Rubuntja and Kumanjayi Haywood, making 35 recommendations aimed at stemming what she called the “epidemic of violence”.

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Proposed powers to exempt NT projects from environmental assessments criticised as ‘terrifying’ and ‘authoritarian’

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The Labor opposition, conservationists and Indigenous groups have expressed shock at the move

The newly elected Northern Territory government wants to grant itself sweeping new powers to exempt major projects from environmental assessments in a move described by conservationists and Indigenous groups as authoritarian and anti-democratic.

A leaked consultation document, seen by Guardian Australia, outlines how a new Territory Coordinator (TC) would have powers to “step in” and take the role of government agencies to make assessments and approvals and could order other agencies to make decisions within a specific timeframe.

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Spit hoods to be used on Northern Territory children again as ban ends, police chief confirms

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Controversial devices were barred by former Labor government but will return to watch houses after tough-on-crime CLP’s election win

Spit hoods will again be used to restrain children in the Northern Territory, the police commissioner has confirmed.

The controversial devices were banned in NT youth detention centres following a landmark royal commission established in 2016 and were subsequently eliminated in South Australia and New South Wales in all custodial settings.

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NT government denies that planned crime reforms are form of ‘racial control’

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Former NT attorney general alleges Country Liberal party is planning law-and-order changes aimed at controlling Indigenous people

The former Northern Territory Labor attorney general Chansey Paech has accused the new Country Liberal party government of planning to introduce a set of tough law-and-order measures as a form of “racial control” aimed at Indigenous people.

Ahead of the first sitting of the reconfigured NT parliament since the election wiped out the Labor government, Paech has launched a broadside at the new government’s legislative agenda in an interview with Guardian Australia’s Australian Politics podcast.

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NT Labor makes history appointing Australia’s first Indigenous woman to lead a major political party

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Nunggubuyu woman Selena Uibo is NT Labor’s new leader, with an almost entirely Aboriginal caucus

After a crushing defeat, Territory Labor has appointed the first Aboriginal woman to lead a major party in the nation’s history.

The member for Arnhem, Nunggubuyu woman Selena Uibo, has taken up the top job alongside an almost entirely Aboriginal caucus.

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‘Time to be fearless’: NT attorney general urges Australian leaders to pursue treaty after voice defeat

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Chansey Paech says the Uluru statement is ‘not finished’ despite the result of the voice referendum

The Northern Territory’s attorney general is urging the nation’s leaders to put last year’s voice referendum result behind them and move to forge treaties with Indigenous people because “the time for sorry business is over”.

The attorney general and deputy chief minister, Chansey Paech, is urging the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and state and territory colleagues not to allow the referendum result to stall progress on the other elements of the Uluru statement from the heart.

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Australia’s poorest schools to be fully funded in ‘landmark’ commonwealth investment in NT

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Commonwealth moves closer to fully funding all public schools in deal that will make ‘immediate difference’ in Northern Territory

The federal government is one step closer to fully funding all public schools after reaching an agreement with the Northern Territory to double the commonwealth’s funding contribution.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, chief minister of the NT, Eva Lawler, and education minister Jason Clare and his counterpart Mark Monaghan will sign the statement of intent on Wednesday morning.

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Indigenous leader accuses NT government of ‘clear conflict of interest’ with online gambling industry

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Exclusive: Yingiya Mark Guyula says companies are ‘making big money’ off some of the poorest in the community

An Indigenous leader and independent MP has accused the Northern Territory government of having “a clear conflict of interest” with the $50bn online gambling industry and of ignoring First Nations health and advocacy groups.

Yingiya Mark Guyula, a Liya-dhälinymirr Djambarrpuyngu man, said online gambling was an increasing problem in remote areas. He accused some companies of “making big money off some of the poorest people in our communities”.

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Only one harm reduction group and 28 betting companies consulted over contentious NT gambling bill

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Alliance for Gambling Reform criticises closed consultation process for draft bill regulating $50bn industry, accusing territory of being ‘out of its depth’

The Northern Territory government – which regulates Australia’s $50bn online wagering industry – consulted just one harm reduction group before introducing laws welcomed by the gambling giants whose advice was sought during their drafting.

The Racing and Wagering Act 2024, which was tabled last month and could be voted on in coming weeks, would allow the chief minister to direct the NT gambling regulator and its director in “the exercise of their powers and the performance of their functions”.

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Threat of another cyclone looms for Queensland as heavy rain continues across Australia’s north

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Damaging weather and heavy rain pummels Darwin as BoM forecasts another cyclone could cross Queensland’s east coast from Tuesday

Queensland residents face the threat of another cyclone reaching their shores within days as intense rain continues across Australia’s north.

A tropical low building in the Coral Sea is expected to turn towards the coast from Sunday, with the system most likely becoming a tropical cyclone by Monday.

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‘Betrayed’: NT communities angered after learning only industry was consulted on scrapped net zero policy

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Advocates say territory government choice to only consult directly with fossil fuel companies before walking away from emissions laws is ‘bitterly disappointing’

Northern Territory community members say they feel “betrayed” and unheard after revelations the Fyles government quietly consulted the gas industry before walking away from a net zero emissions requirement for new onshore gas projects.

Guardian Australia revealed on Monday that the NT government abandoned a proposal to set net zero rules for direct emissions from new onshore gas projects after companies including Santos and Inpex objected, according to documents released under freedom of information.

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Northern Territory coroner brought to tears by testimony as she adjourns domestic violence inquest

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After eight weeks of evidence that heard of ‘chronic and shocking’ underfunding, Elisabeth Armitage wraps up landmark inquiry into killings of four women at hands of their partner

The words of a grieving family have brought a coroner to tears in the final day of an inquest examining the killing of four Aboriginal women in the Northern Territory.

“It cannot be normal that men hurt us women. Everyone must do more from the start, not just after women get hurt or killed,” wrote Ngeygo Ragurrk’s sister, Edna.

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Australian politician’s speech at tobacco conference in September allegedly in breach of WHO treaty

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Exclusive: Discussion on panel came as federal government was developing reforms to address high rates of youth nicotine addiction

An Australian politician spoke at the tobacco industry’s flagship conference in South Korea, despite the federal government developing reforms to address alarming rates of youth nicotine addiction.

It is the first time in more than a decade that a serving Australian politician has spoken at a tobacco industry-funded conference. Attending such events could breach a World Health Organization (WHO) treaty, to which Australia is a signatory.

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NT ordered to pay $1m in damages to youths teargassed in 2014 Don Dale disturbance

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Justice rules use of gas was unlawful and says there was ‘high-handedness or disparaging comments’ by officers towards Indigenous detainees

The Northern Territory government has been ordered to pay almost $1m in damages to four former detainees who were unlawfully teargassed during an incident at the notorious Don Dale youth detention centre.

According to a supreme court judgment delivered last week, Keiran Webster, Leroy O’Shea, Ethan Austral and Josiah Binsaris were entitled to exemplary damages after officers in the centre deployed CS gas, a form of teargas, to “incapacitate” another boy during a “serious disturbance” in 2014.

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Activists want NT to make spit hoods illegal after report found they were used on children 27 times

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Campaigners says case of child who may have lost consciousness while restrained in spit hood highlights need to legislate ban

The sibling of an Aboriginal man who died after being placed in a spit hood while detained in South Australia has criticised the Northern Territory government for refusing to legislate a ban as recommended by the territory’s ombudsman.

Northern Territory police have used spit hoods on children at least 27 times since 2016, in a move labelled “extraordinary” by the NT ombudsman last week.

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NT government knew it could not reduce climate risk when it greenlit ‘carbon bomb’ gas production in Beetaloo Basin

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Exclusive: New documents also reveal federal government admitted Australia did not have policies to ensure project would meet key recommendation in full

New documents reveal the Northern Territory government knew it could not meet a key recommendation to reduce the climate risk of its planned massive expansion of gas production, and asked the Albanese government for help.

Federal climate change officials in turn admitted Australia did not have any existing policies that would meet the recommendation in full.

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Australia politics live: Philip Lowe says RBA ‘still unsure’ how high interest rates will go during Senate estimates grilling

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RBA boss tells Senate estimates about rationale for rate rises as Adam Bandt demands end to new coal and gas projects. Follow live

Around and around we go …

So CBA shareholders are to get a (fully franked) dividend of $2.10 for each of their share – 20% more than the last time dividends were sent out.

We reported strong financial and operational performance in our financial results for the six months ended 31 December 2022. Our cash net profit after tax of $5,153 million reflects the Bank’s customer focus and disciplined strategic execution. Our continued balance sheet strength and capital position creates flexibility to support our customers and manage potential economic headwinds, while delivering sustainable returns to shareholders. A fully franked interim dividend of $2.10 per share was determined, an increase of 20% on 1H22, driven by organic capital generation and a reduction in share count from share buy-backs. Despite the current uncertainty, your Board and management feel optimistic for the future and are committed to delivering for our customers and for you, our shareholders

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NT reinstates alcohol bans in effort to curb crime surge in Alice Springs

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Federal government agreed to $250m in additional funding for measures including youth engagement programs and job creation

Alcohol bans are set to be reintroduced in central Australia after a snap review recommended tighter restrictions to address a surge of crime and antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs.

The measures announced Monday mean that Aboriginal people living in remote communities and town camps in the Northern Territory will not be able to buy takeaway alcohol, although communities will be able to lift the bans if 60% of residents vote in favour of an alcohol management plan.

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