Robyn Lambley to move legislation banning alcohol on grounds of NT Parliament

The government have voted down a move for politicians and their staff to be randomly drug tested.

GROG could be banned from the premises of Parliament House if a new push by independent MLA Robyn Lambley is successful.

But the government spent Wednesday afternoon voting down another motion that would have seen the Northern Territory’s politicians drug tested.

The CLP introduced the testing proposal to parliament after a video emerged of NT Young Labor president Harvie Stiller snorting a line of white powder. It is not known what substance the powder was.

Mr Stiller remained the president of the organisation on Wednesday but resigned from a role in the office of federal MP Luke Gosling.

At the start of question time on Wednesday, Ms Lambley gave notice she would put up new legislation to make the Legislative Assembly an “alcohol-free workplace”.

Robyn Lambley has called for alcohol to be prohibited on the grounds of parliament. Photograph: Che Chorley

Ms Lambley said she was pushing for the change in response to the shocking revelations made in Canberra about alcohol abuse and the treatment of women.

“With the event of the Jenkins Review into the workplace culture in the federal parliament, it is time for the NT parliament to look inward and take check of our own culture,” she said.

Ms Lambley said she was not aware of any alcohol-related incidents in parliament, but cited last year’s cocaine sex scandal as an indication changes needed to be made.

The CLP motion on random drug testing for politicians failed after the government voted against it.

CLP Leader of the Opposition Lia Finocchiaro called for politicians to submit themselves and their staffers to regular drug tests. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Speaking before the vote, Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the measure would restore confidence in ­politicians.

“We don’t think members of parliament and their staff should be held to a different standard,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

Small Business Minister Paul Kirby said he had “full confidence” in parliamentary workers and the government would vote against the changes.

“We absolutely cannot support a motion that just explains we’re going to pick a particular workplace and demand they are tested for drugs and alcohol,” Mr Kirby said.

He urged any illegal activities to be reported to police.

Push to drug test pollies after snorting scandal

THE Opposition will move to drug test all of the Territory’s politicians after a now-former Labor staffer was filmed snorting a white substance.

NT Young Labor president Harvie Stiller resigned from Solomon MP Luke Gosling’s office on Monday after the vision emerged.

The Notice Paper for Wednesday’s parliamentary business lists Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro moving a motion seeking to drug tests parliamentary staff and politicians themselves.

Ms Finocchiaro will move the motion that: “this Assembly call on the Chief Minister to adopt and take all necessary steps to implement a policy that all Members of the Legislative Assembly and Parliamentary Staff are required to undergo periodic random drug testing as a condition of their employment”.

It has been a year since news of the cocaine sex scandal first broke.

CLP leader blasts ‘toxic culture’ after staffer’s shock snorting video

THE Opposition has accused the government of failing to stamp out a “toxic culture” after a staffer for federal MP Luke Gosling was filmed snorting a white substance.

NT Young Labor president Harvie Stiller resigned from Mr Gosling’s office on Monday after video emerged of him using a $50 bill to snort the mystery substance.

The video’s publication came one year after the cocaine sex scandal first broke, which eventually saw Labor MLA Mark Turner banished to the crossbench.

Speaking outside Parliament House on Tuesday, Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the reports were further indication that Mr Gunner had failed to act on reports of illicit substance abuse within Labor’s ranks.

“(Mr Gunner) has once again shown that he will turn a blind eye to bad behaviour because he doesn’t want to face scrutiny, or the music,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

Despite Mr Stiller not being a Labor member at the time the video was captured, Ms Finocchiaro said the incident added further pressure for Mr Gunner to release a report commissioned to look into the “toxic culture” on the Fifth Floor.

“He had his own office commission a report out of his own pocket to look into that culture in his office, only to throw that report in the bin.”

Speaking in Question Time, Mr Gunner said he did not condone any kind of bad behaviour but that the Opposition needed to stop focusing on conduct from 18 months ago.

“Let’s be clear about the CLP’s priorities ... this is how distracted they are,” Mr Gunner said.

“I understand this happened 18 months ago at an 18th birthday party and by someone who was not employed by the Territory government.”

Mr Gunner said the CLP should focus on issues such as economic growth and jobs.

“They do not care about Territorians, they do not care about what’s happening today, they have stopped working for the Territory.”

Labor staffer resigns after shock snorting video

LUKE Gosling’s office has confirmed a staffer resigned on Monday after video emerged of him snorting a white substance.

Media reports show NT Young Labor president Harvie Stiller snorting a line of the powder off a table with a $50 bill.

The NT News has approached Young Labor and Territory Labor for comment.

A spokeswoman for Mr Gosling’s office told the NT News a staffer had resigned on Monday after the footage emerged.

“The alleged incident took place almost 18 months ago, and predates the part-time staffer’s employment in the Solomon electorate office,” the spokeswoman said.

“The member for Solomon was made aware of the alleged incident yesterday, and the staff member has since resigned.”

The NT News understands Mr Stiller is still president of Territory Young Labor, and that the executive were unlikely to sanction him given the incident occurred before he became a member of the party.

The former NT Young Labor President and law student successfully campaigned as the Undergraduate Representative for the CDU Council in 2020, promising a student bar on campus.

A Change.Org petition he launched after being elected garnered 379 signatures in five months.

Mr Stiller has posted to Facebook showing him campaigning for high profile Labor ministers, including Luke Gosling, Small Business Minister Paul Kirby and Education Minister Lauren Moss.

Mr Stiller was elected as President to NT Young Labor in December 2021.

The NT News has reached out to Mr Stiller for comment.