Chief Minister denies being ‘evasive’ in parliament on Turf Club

It’s been the scandal which has dogged the government for weeks, but the Chief Minister has claimed he’s not being evasive in answering questions in parliament about the Turf Club saga.

CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner has given a one-word response as to whether he’s being evasive about the Darwin Turf Club saga in parliament.

Mr Gunner has come under sustained pressure from the CLP over whether he and his Labor ministry have been dodging important questions about the cabinet process in parliament.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro on Thursday accused Mr Gunner of trying to avoid the scrutiny of the parliament’s Privileges Committee.

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“We have been calling on the government for two days to start answering questions about the Turf Club,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“It’s very clear to us and they’re happy to stand out in the community, and lie to the faces of Territorians, but they’re not going to do that in the parliament.”

Ms Finocchiaro asked multiple questions about the saga in Question Time on Wednesday, including to Racing Minister Natasha Fyles and Infrastructure Minister Eva Lawler, over the $12m grandstand tender.

The Chief Minister Michael Gunner. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“When government ministers were asked about their involvement in the Turf Club, they stuck to reading very well worded scripts,” Ms Finocchiaro said on Thursday.

When asked whether he was happy to repeat his media statements in parliament, Mr Gunner replied to the NT News: “Yes”.

Mr Gunner’s office were unwilling to provide any further statements.

His office claimed Mr Gunner had answered every question put to him by the CLP about the Turf Club scandal.

Mr Gunner has long insisted the ICAC report has cleared him and his ministry of wrongdoing.

The bombshell report found misconduct was committed by Mr Gunner’s former chief-of-staff, Alf Leonardi.

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