New chairman elected following sacking of outspoken former head of Manufacturers Council, Owen Pike

DESPITE a resignation in protest by a member of the Manufacturers Council of the NT, a new chairman has been elected following the sacking of outspoken former head Owen Pike by the Chamber of Commerce NT

A new chairman for the NT Manufacturers Council has been elected following the sacking of outspoken former head, Owen Pike (pictured). Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

DESPITE a resignation in protest by a member of the Manufacturers Council of the NT, a new chairman has been elected following the sacking of outspoken former head Owen Pike by the Chamber of Commerce NT.

Northern Cement’s Tony Roach is the new chairman and his deputy is Best Bar reinforcements’ Tony Hewitt.

Thursday’s NT Manufacturers Council (MC) meeting to elect a new chair began with the confirmation that Winnellie Hydraulics Max Nicholson had quit the executive following Mr Pike’s sacking.

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The 4pm meeting went for more than two hours while concerns around Mr Pike’s sacking were aired and the new chair and his deputy were elected.

Chamber of Commerce chief executive Greg Bicknell said the meeting had been open and frank.

“There was talk about the sacking of Mr Pike,” Mr Bicknell said.

“The executive wanted to know why it happened the way it did.”

Mr Bicknell said the letter from the Chief Minister Michael Gunner, which preceded Mr Pike’s sacking, was raised by the MC executive.

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“Yes there was definitely questions raised about that,” Mr Bicknell said.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner wrote to the Chamber of Commerce NT President Greg Ireland, before it sacked Manufacturers Council chairman Owen Pike from his key industry position, complaining about comments he made about Tourism Minister Lauren Moss. However Mr Gunner said he did not pressure the Chamber of Commerce NT to sack Mr Pike despite saying in the a letter on February 19 that “the Northern Territory Government will no longer engage with Owen Pike as your representative.”

Mr Pike said he was shocked by the Chief Minister’s admission

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“The NT Government gives $500,000 to the Chamber of Commerce NT annually and I can think of 500,000 reasons it removed me as Manufacturers Council chairman without even bothering to ask to meet with me,” Mr Pike said.

Mr Bicknell said the chamber is now moving forward focused on economic issues important to the members the Manufacturers Council represent.