Today she is the minister responsible for the release of these and other confidential cabinet documents that give a glimpse at what our decision- makers were wrestling with in the Territory 30 years ago

Several cabinet decisions, such as statehood, control of cane toads and a mature-age community near Alice Springs are still being talked about today.

Ms Moss announced the public release of the 1986 cabinet papers at the NT Archives at Millner.

For the few, who do not know it by heart, Mrs Chamberlain was sent to prison in 1982, found guilty by a jury of killing her nine-and-a-half-week-old daughter Azaria between about 7.50pm and 8.10pm on August 17, 1980. The crime was said to have happened in the front passenger seat of the family car. Lindy said a dingo did it. The subsequent Commission of Inquiry set up in 1986 agreed.

The second reading speech contained in the Chamberlain cabinet documents of 1986, while bland and straightforward, does indicate that the government of the day had been influenced in some degree by the shift in public sentiment towards the Chamberlains’ guilt.

It made specific reference to the “other doubts and questions in the minds of some of the public” when deciding on terms of reference for the Commission of Inquiry.

“The whole Chamberlain case and how it played out in cabinet is fascinating,” Ms Moss said. “There were so many differing opinions it must have been interesting dialogue around the cabinet table

“The establishment of the Commission of Inquiry by the NT Government was a crucial milestone in the Chamberlain story.

“Cabinet approved the commissioning of Justice Trevor Morling to inquire into the whole case. A year later he brought down a report which said that the Chamberlains would not have been convicted on all of the evidence which was currently available.

“Justice Trevor Morling supported the view that baby Azaria was taken by a dingo.

“Interestingly statehood was also on the agenda with cabinet approving a range of positions that would see the NT achieve constitutional equality.”

Cabinet approved a set of objectives in respect of statehood for the Northern Territory. Sadly 30 years down the track Territorians are still waiting and appear to be no closer to statehood.

Likewise the people of Alice Springs, who as recently as the 2016 Territory election, were still lobbying for a mature-age community to be built on vacant land near the golf course.

The 1986 cabinet also gave birth to the NT Theatre Company at its January 28 meeting following a 1983 election promise.

The two standout events of 1986 were Lindy Chamberlain’s February release and the subsequent Commission of Inquiry and the May resignation of Chief Minister Ian Tuxworth.

The Sunday Territorian was one of the very few Lindy Chamberlain granted an interview with while she was in Berrimah Women’s Prison. Michael Chamberlain was a regular visitor to the newspaper after his regular Saturday visits to Lindy at the prison. Accompanying him on many of these occasions was former Labor Territory senator, the late Bob Collins, who was a passionate crusader for Lindy’s release. She paid special tribute to him for his support.

The Sunday Territorian broke the news of former CLP Chief Minister Ian Tuxworth’s impending resignation after a split within the party and parliamentary team over revelations he had wrongly collected $9443 in travel allowances. The week before Mr Tuxworth’s resignation the paper was reporting on his secret police probe into underworld connections with Sydney drug distributors and Darwin prostitution. It also reported on George Michael’s farewell concert as Wham!.

Something that wasn’t in the 1986 cabinet papers released today was its discussions recommending Government go ahead and fund the Alice Springs to Darwin railway. On September 21 we reported cabinet was to look at a revolutionary financing plan.

Indigenous issues were also front-and-centre with Aboriginal leader Galawrruy Yunupingu attacking the NT Government for refusing to resolve the long-running Kenbi land claim and rows breaking out over Central Australia’s first commercial television licence being granted to Aboriginal-backed Imparja Television.

The often talked about US-Darwin military base was first reported in the Sunday Territorian on April 13, 1986. The same issue reported on “racist” courts being blamed for the high Aboriginal imprisonment rates.

The multi-million dollar Frances Bay marina development, affectionately referred to as the Duck Pond, began in 1986.

While Dire Straits’ Darwin Showgrounds performance and the visit by Pope John Paul II attracted plenty of attention, so too did the escape of three lions which had circus goers running for their lives at Mindil Beach. Likewise the sale of the Darwin Casino and the go-ahead for the Marrara Football stadium.

And the NTFL football season in 1986 finished in a blaze of glory with St Mary’s recording a record-breaking 32-19 to 4-9 win over Nightcliff. Some things just never change.

Territory Cabinet records can be viewed in full detail at https://nt.gov/cabinet records