10 stories you could have missed last week if you weren’t an NT News+ subscriber
THE NT News breaks more big Territory news stories most days than all the other news outlets combined. Not convinced? Well, these are just 10 of the stories you could have missed this past week if you weren’t an NT News digital subscriber
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THE NT News is world famous (or should that be infamous) for its quirky yarns ... Cracker up the clacker, anyone? But it also breaks more big Northern Territory news stories most days than all the other news outlets combined.
Not convinced? Well, these are just some of the stories you could have missed this past week if you weren’t an NT News digitial subscriber.
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Even most conservative politicians today can’t deny climate change: Perron
FORMER CLP Chief Minister Marshall Perron has told the NT News that even the most conservative politicians today could not deny climate change.
Perron’s conservative CLP government warned about the dangers of climate change and the need to take action 30 years ago, newly released cabinet records reveal.
As bushfires rage across the country today, NT cabinet records from 1989, released on January 1, reveal the Territory made a submission to a federal inquiry called for an exploration of alternative energy sources and a national co-ordinated approach to the issue of climate change.
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Award-winning Mitchell St backpackers shuts its doors
A WELL-KNOWN, award-winning backpackers’ lodge on Mitchell St has shut its doors.
The Melaleuca on Mitchell – Darwin YHA, as well as the Value Inn Darwin, shut up shop on January 1.
No indication about when or if they will reopen or the reason for the closure has been given.
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Terry Mills open to CLP deal on election preferences
A PREFERENCE deal with the Country Liberal Party could be on the cards for the Territory’s newest political party this election.
Territory Alliance founder Terry Mills said he was “definitely open” to considering placing the CLP second on his party’s how-to-vote cards for the upcoming Johnston by-election.
Residents in the electorate are expected to head to the polls early this year with the resignation of exiled Labor MLA Ken Vowles – expected to be made official on January 31 – to trigger a Johnston by-election.
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Fears for Darwin soldiers in Iraq firing line
FAMILY and friends of the 270 Darwin Task Force Taji soldiers currently in Iraq are anxiously watching the rapidly escalating tensions after the United States killed Iran’s most prominent military commander, Qassem Soleimani, in Baghdad.
The growing hostile response from within Iraq has the Territory soldiers in a heightened state of alert with growing fears the Territory soldiers, which are part of the coalition forces, may be targeted in retaliation to the United States action.
The Iranian government has taken responsibility for rocket attacks at multiple Iraqi bases hosting American soldiers.
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James Sing asked to resign at DBA Darwin
OUTSPOKEN Darwin Basketball Association board member James Sing has sensationally been asked to resign from his role – but the passionate basketball father says he isn’t going anywhere.
Sing was critical of his own organisation after all Round 9 men’s and women’s top-league fixtures were called off, the DBA saying its referees could not do their jobs properly due to perceived abuse from spectators.
Sing was one of those spectators under the blowtorch, fronting a bizarre tribunal against fellow board members for alleged behavioural breaches at a Challenge game this season, before the charges against him were dismissed.
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Dying to fart: Rhea the green sea turtle raring to let one rip
A GREEN sea turtle has been receiving lifesaving treatment at the Ark Aid Animal Hospital for a peculiar problem – she can’t fart, which prevents her from diving underwater.
Veterinarian Jamaya Monteiro-Pereira said the 50kg turtle, now affectionately named Rhea, wasn’t able to submerge because she’s been full of gas that can’t pass through her digestive system.
The gassy issue is potentially life-threatening. Without the ability to dive underwater for food, Rhea may have perished were it not for the good will of the fishermen who found her.
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Darwin hotels feel pinch as occupancy rates fall
DARWIN hotels recorded the lowest occupancy rate of those in any Australian major city in the year to November 2019 with just over half of all available rooms filled, according to industry data.
Recent Australian hotel industry statistics obtained by the NT News show for the year to date up until November 2019, Darwin hotels were a further 10 per cent down on the year before, averaging only 57.5 per cent occupied and earning just $84.97 revenue per available room.
Ramada Suites Zen Quarter director Michael Anthony said his four-star hotel was doing better than most with 75 per cent occupancy, but was still struggling with $20-$30 a room less coming in a day compared to last year.
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Government admits pool fencing review shelved
JUSTIN Morgan-Parke was just three years old when he drowned in an unfenced backyard spa.
But as his family mourns the fourth anniversary of his death, the NT News can reveal the NT Government has backflipped on its promise to review pool fencing laws that could have seen an end to exemptions on fences in the rural area.
In the months after Justin’s death, his family pushed for pool fencing laws to be reviewed and updated.
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Plane carrying group of prisoners forced to land
A PLANE carrying prisoners was forced to make an emergency landing in Tennant Creek after a panel “fell off”.
NT Corrections officers were transporting the prisoners from Darwin to Alice Springs when the “panel fell off midair and they had to land in Tennant Creek”, a source within Corrections has told the Sunday Territorian.
It’s understood officers were forced to call in NT Police and extra security to guard the prisoners.
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Former NT Labor backbencher says change is needed
FORMER Labor backbencher and now independent Member for Fong Lim Jeff Collins says Territorians have nothing to fear about minority government and alliances with independents as an outcome of this year’s NT election.
Mr Collins, who left the Labor Party after being banned from caucus over views he expressed about the Gunner Government’s economic strategy, pointed to previous minority government successes at both Territory and federal levels as proof.
“A minority government should not be feared in isolation, but alternatively an arrogant, ill-equipped and inexperienced one should be,” Mr Collins said.
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REPLAY: Southern Districts downs Waratah in NTFL Round 1
Southern Districts’ star-studded line-up featuring the likes of Steven Motlop and Jarrod Brander was too much for Waratah in round 1 of the NTFL. Check out the REPLAY.
REPLAY: PINT too strong for Darwin Buffaloes
PINT’s new regime, featuring ex-AFL footballer Lochie O’Brien, was too good for Darwin in round one of the NTFL. Watch the REPLAY here.