Minister Ken Vowles furious over Fifth Floor internal leaks around Blue Mud Bay fishing zone

FIFTH Floor leaks by unnamed ministerial staff have damaged the Government’s relationship with the powerful Northern Land Council, Amateur Fishers Association and NT Seafood Council, according to Fisheries Minister Ken Vowles

Fifth Floor leaks by ministerial staff are damaging the Gunner Government, says Minister Ken Vowles. Picture: Justin Kennedy

FIFTH Floor leaks by unnamed ministerial staff have damaged the Government’s relationship with the powerful Northern Land Council, Amateur Fishers Association and NT Seafood Council, Fisheries Minister Ken Vowles says.

Mr Vowles was scathing of the leak to the NT News of a confidential letter he sent to the NLC late last week.

The letter contained details of a $10 million offer he made to the NLC for the purchase of commercial fishing licences and increased participation of Aboriginal Territorians in the fishing industry.

Mr Vowles wouldn’t name those he believed were responsible for the leak, but laid the blame on those in his own party.

He said he had to “scramble” to placate stakeholders including the NLC after confidentiality was breached.

The leak came at a “delicate point” in negotiations, he said.

“Within a couple of hours of the letter coming from my office to the NLC I’m reading about it on the NT News website.

“That’s not good enough,” he said.

“I’m deeply disappointed and it’s not how I want to do business and it’s not how I would expect this Government would want to do its business, negotiating through the media,” he said.

“It doesn’t do anyone any favours and in any negotiations there needs to be (confidentiality).”

He said he had felt compelled to apologise to his caucus colleagues after the contents of the letter became public as they hadn’t yet been informed of the proposal.

Mr Vowles said he hadn’t received an apology from the leaker.

It is well documented Mr Vowles has a tumultuous relationship with Chief Minister Michael Gunner.

The pair tussled over the role of Aboriginal Affairs Minister, which was held by Mr Gunner before he gave it up to Mr Vowles in the August reshuffle.

Mr Vowles said he accepted criticism from fishing tour operators that they had been left out of discussions.

“I do apologise for that but we will make sure we include them because we need to give certainty and that certainty can only come from the NLC,” he said.