Natasha Fyles bats away questions about leadership ambitions following Michael Gunner’s controversial border comments

HEALTH Minister Natasha Fyles has batted away questions about her future leadership ambitions following Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s controversial border comments

HEALTH Minister Natasha Fyles has batted away questions about her future leadership ambitions.

Ms Fyles was sent out to face the media for the second day in a row in the heat of the election campaign, defending comments made by Chief Minister Michael Gunner on breakfast television about the NT’s “hard border controls” being in place for 18 months.

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Asked if she had any aspirations to be Chief Minister, she said: “In terms of my responsibilities I enjoy the privilege of being a local member, and I have sought the support of my community and we will see in a couple of weeks’ time where it all lands.”

When she was asked to rule out a future leadership challenge Ms Fyles said “thank you” and ended the press conference.

Tourism and business operators were surprised by the Chief Minister’s comments during an ABC TV interview on Tuesday morning, given the NT’s borders remain open to the entire country except Victoria and some parts of New South Wales.

But it wasn’t Mr Gunner or Tourism Minister Lauren Moss who fronted the cameras today, with Ms Fyles sent out to do the Government’s talking.

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She was asked if she was frustrated at regularly being sent out to deal with the Government’s bad news.

In response she said: “My responsibility as a minister is to inform Territorians to make the policy decision that best care for them.”