Natasha Fyles talks wins, priorities and family 90 days after becoming Chief Minister

Three months after seizing power Natasha Fyles declares crime is “an issue that for far too long, we’ve either tried to go for a cheap political headline ... or bandaid solutions”. Are police and politicians doing enough? Have your say.

IT’S been 90 days since Natasha Fyles defied factional odds to become the 12th Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and second female to hold the role.

A week after the mother-of-two was elected, Australia had a new prime minister and the next month NASA launched the first rocket from the Arnhem Space Centre – NASA’s first launch in Australia since 1995.

It was this historic moment, watching the first rocket propel more than 250km into space, Ms Fyles named as one of the highlights of her leadership so far.

“To see that, I think that the Territory found its confidence during Covid-19,” she said.

However, it was Ms Fyles’ first trip to the crime-plagued Alice Springs within her first two weeks as Chief Minister that would set the tone for her leadership.

This alongside her other highlight – Darwin becoming the manufacturing hub for the Albatross G-111T amphibious aircraft.

These topics - crime and investment - feed into the two areas Ms Fyles has named as her priorities for the next 90 days and beyond.

It’s no secret her administration has inherited the complex and enduring issue of crime and anti-social behaviour, particularly in Alice Springs.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles talking to police officers in Alice Springs.

Her first 90 days featured the announcement of plans to develop Public Order Response Units in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs, and the unveiling of a Sunset School in the Red Centre.

It’s the initial stages of what appears to be Ms Fyles’ no-nonsense approach to improving the enduring crime scourge.

“It’s an issue that for far too long, we’ve either tried to go for a cheap political headline in the Northern Territory, or band-aid solution,” she said.

“We need to make sure that we provide the resources to those long-term factors that will drive change but also the short-term measures that will keep our community safe.

“We can be agile, we can have different responses, those tailored solutions for different parts of the Territory, whether it’s from Central Australia, out to Arnhem Land or across here on the Top End.”

Ms Fyles also has plans to continue pushing efforts with her parliamentary colleagues to shift to needs-based domestic violence funding for the Northern Territory.

On the opposite side of the coin is the economy and the areas around it such as population growth.

For the next 90 days, one of her priorities is to progress land releases, in particular for Holtze and Kowandi.

“There is allocation in budget 2020 … working around that land release and getting those blocks out the door as quickly as possible, which provides the opportunity for more people to make the Territory their home,” she said.

Ms Fyles, on winning the leadership, was firm on not changing her predecessor’s goal of growing the Territory’s economy to $40bn by 2030.

It’s eight years until 2030 and the economy is lingering around $26bn.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and INPEX president and chief executive Takayuki Ueda. Picture: Supplied

Ms Fyles is confident, despite the short timeframe, of achieving this goal and the key to it will be looking overseas.

“I believe we’re part of Southeast Asia,” she said.

“We’re so close compared to the rest of Australia but we are a politically safe country.

“When I was in Japan, we held a forum at the Australian embassy and we had around 20 Japanese businesses come and INPEX spoke and to use their words, they highlighted the Northern Territory and said it’s a place that you must go and do business with.

“You can’t get a better endorsement than a Japanese company telling other Japanese companies about the Northern Territory. They simply hadn’t really heard of us and so we were able to present to them who we are and what we’re about.”

Ms Fyles cited the $30bn Sun Cable project, data investments such as NEXTDC’s $80m centre and the manufacturing of the Albatross G-111T as part of the way forward to achieving the $40bn goal.

Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese and the Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles at a press conference at the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory. Picture: Floss Adams.

In the past month, Ms Fyles has faced mounting pressure in two areas.

In the July parliament sittings, she was bombarded from the Opposition, independents and the media around the end of the Intervention-era alcohol bans, for putting in place ‘opt-in’ rather than ‘opt-out’ measures for communities.

It’s a decision she stands by and insists the measures are appropriate.

“People need to remember the basis of that law and that was the Intervention,” she said.

“(It) disempowered and traumatised Indigenous Territorians and somehow, 15 years later, that has been romanticised and forgotten.

“What we created was the ability for communities to remain dry if they wish to whilst they developed alcohol management plans.

“If there was further measures to be placed, they would not be race-based from our government.”

Alongside this controversy is pressure for Ms Fyles to change the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act.

It comes after ICAC Commissioner Michael Riches tabled a report in parliament last month, which included how he had started an investigation into a claim a cabinet submission had been ‘edited’ by a public officer.

Mr Riches was unable to access cabinet-related material due to the current ICAC legislation.

A review into the ICAC legislation has since began and while Ms Fyles welcomed the opportunity, she said she would remain firm on cabinet privilege.

“Let’s be clear, it took a Territory Labor government to establish an act to have a commissioner against corruption,” she said.

“There’s been questions around journalists and their right to protect the sources that provide them with information. So what we’re doing is reviewing that ICAC legislation.

“In terms of cabinet privilege, it’s a long-held legal parameter and so what I have done is on one specific incidence of privilege, the cabinet secretary at arm’s length to me was able to work with the ICAC so that they could confirm some documents.

“I think that we need to ensure that we review the legislation that interacts with other legislation in the Territory but I will uphold that process of cabinet privilege because it is a long-held legal status.”

The walls and shelves of Ms Fyles’ electorate office are adorned in colourful drawings from her children and gifts from her community.

Newly appointed Chief Minister Natasha Fyles, with her partner Paul Archbold and sons Ollie and Henry. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

She is a sentimental person who treasures the letters and cards from her constituents.

She even has a framed copy of the NT News front page of when her political candidacy was announced.

Ms Fyles is the Territory’s most public person and while her transition into leadership is almost seamless, in private the new role has been an adjustment for her family.

“My Woolies shop is a bit longer now,” she laughed.

“I’ve always been really engaged in my community and my children don’t like to go out sometimes because they’re like ‘no chatty, chatty’ and drag me off.

“It’s certainly been an adjustment for the family but like all working parents, we’ve had our moments. Sometimes it does mean I’m away from my family a little bit more.

“I was in Bushranger on the weekend, I think I was trying to tell one of my kids to do something and they thought it was hilarious that mum was caught on her phone.

“It is a balance but my family are incredibly supportive and the community have been really supportive.”

And while her children are young, a dash of political ambition has crossed their minds.

“My youngest is quite cute. He does ask me what I did and did I pass any laws,” she smiled.

“There’s lots of young Territorians and I hope they see me doing this role and think maybe, one day, I could do that because I think to have good government and good legislation, we need members of parliament from right across the spectrum.”