Lia Finocchiaro responds to Natasha Fyles resignation as Chief Minister

The opposition leader declared it would be left to ‘the people of Nightcliff’ to judge Natasha Fyles following the Chief Minister’s resignation on Tuesday. Read more for she said.

Lia Finocchiaro says it will be up to the voters of Nightcliff to judge outgoing Chief Minister Natasha Fyles at next year’s election, saying her resignation has left the government “a rudderless ship”.

Speaking outside Parliament House after Ms Fyles stepped down from the top job on Tuesday, the Opposition Leader said the South32 shares scandal showed Labor was “more interested in jobs for themselves” than governing.

“What we have is a rudderless ship with no leadership at that government level at the top,” she said.

“It is very clear to Territorians that Labor don’t have a plan and as they move forward onto their third Chief Minister, it shows that this government is more interested in jobs for themselves than they are doing the job that Territorians elected them to and that’s growing the Territory.”

Ms Finocchiaro said Ms Fyles’ failure to disclose her shares in the mining company was “just one” among a series of missteps throughout her tenure as Chief Minister.

“At this point, whether or not it was malicious, intentional or unintentional, what we know is that this is just one incident in a long series of behaviour from Natasha Fyles where she has shown she is willing to mislead Territorians,” she said.

Lia Finocchiaro said the government was a ‘rudderless ship’ following Natasha Fyles’ resignation as chief minister on Tuesday. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

After previously pledging Country Liberal Party members would divest any problematic shares if they were elected to government, Ms Finocchiaro said “proactive measures” were already under way.

“The CLP has already taken proactive measures to make sure that shares are being divested or have been divested to make sure that we show Territorians we’re ready to govern,” she said.

“The ministerial code of conduct is an important document — it’s an important rule book for Territory ministers to hold themselves accountable to and, importantly, it’s for the cabinet to hold the cabinet accountable to.

“And what we’ve seen here in the Territory is not only Natasha Fyles fail to meet that standard but the cabinet failed to enforce it.”

Ms Finocchiaro said it would now be left to “the people of Nightcliff” to judge Ms Fyles, who said she would contest the 2024 election as Labor’s candidate in the northern suburbs electorate.

“It will be her community who judges her on her actions – she has a lot be responsible for when it comes to significant policy failure,” she said.

Ms Finocchiaro said the Territory was worse off for Ms Fyles’ leadership during her 18 months as Chief Minister.

“Crime is worse under Natasha Fyles, our economy is worse under Natasha Fyles, so the people of Nightcliff have a very big decision to make in 2024 and whether or not they’re going to give her another chance,” she said.