Moss and Kirby booted in Territory cabinet reshuffle
NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles’ cabinet has undergone a reshuffle - but how have they fared in the eyes of those who matter most? HAVE YOUR SAY
Northern Territory
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Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has announced a new cabinet, with Lauren Moss and Paul Kirby booted from the front bench.
Fannie Bay MLA Brent Potter has been appointed Police Minister, replacing Kate Worden who remains in the cabinet but was shuffled from the high profile portfolio.
He also takes the Fire and Emergency Services portfolio – which has been split from Police – as well as Veterans’ Affairs.
Mr Potter, a veteran himself, was only elected to parliament in August last year when he narrowly won a by-election to claim Michael Gunner’s old seat.
The second new appointment is Johnston MLA Joel Bowden, who will take on portfolios for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, Tourism and Hospitality, and Recreational Fishing.
He is also now the Minster for Business and Jobs, and Skills, Training and International Education.
YOUR RATINGS: Vote below and join the conversation >>>
Ms Fyles said the new cabinet reflected a team “renewed, refreshed and ready to work even harder for the Territory”.
“I felt it was time for renewal, refocus,” she said.
“I’ve chosen people and portfolios that I think best reflect the priorities of Territorians, which are my priorities.
“My priorities are growing the economy and creating more jobs, easing cost of living pressures, and making the Territory a safer place for all.”
When asked if Mr Kirby and Ms Moss would run again in next year’s election after their bruising exit from cabinet, Ms Fyles said that would be questions for them.
“These are difficult decisions, people are disappointed. I’ll be upfront about that,” she said.
“But these are the decisions I’ve made as Chief Minister, and what I believe is in the best interest of all Territorians.”
Other major changes include Treasurer Eva Lawler’s loss of the Infrastructure portfolio, allowing her to focus on both the economy and education – two enormous challenges for the government ahead of next year’s election.
However the senior cabinet member has kept Territory Development which oversees projects such as Middle Arm, proving she remains a key asset to the Chief.
Ms Worden has been left with Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Prevention but she has lost Territory Families as well as Police – two major blows for the Sanderson MLA.
When asked why the three portfolios were separated, Ms Fyles said community safety needed to be “the sole focus for Minister Potter”.
“(And) fire and emergency services, separating that out from the tri-forces and veterans I think is hugely important,” she said.
Ms Fyles said Police Commissioner Michael Murphy would no longer be chief executive of Fire and Emergency Services, with recruitment to soon start for a new Commissioner of that agency.
“I’ve spoken to the Commissioner around this change, he very much welcomed it,” she said.
“This is also about building resilience and capacity in the Northern Territory as we see climate change and we see different types of weather events … this is something that I think will be welcomed on the frontline.”
Minister Selena Uibo has retained Local Decision Making but lost Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, with those two major responsibilities going to Chansey Paech.
The move could signal a shake-up to the government’s progress on a Treaty with Indigenous Territorians, which has come under fire for losing independency and stretching out across years with still no end in sight.
Ngaree Ah Kit has also taken on bigger responsibilities after gaining Territory Families and Urban Housing, which is a new portfolio.
■ We asked you to have your say on how the cabinet has fared - and the results are damning.
See below what you think of their performances >>>
Brent Potter
GAINS
Police
Fire and Emergency Services
Veterans’ Affairs
Joel Bowden
GAINS
Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics
Business and Jobs
Skills, Training and International Education
Tourism and Hospitality
Recreational Fishing (new portfolio)
Natasha Fyles
KEEPS
Chief Minister
Health
Alcohol Policy
Major Projects
Defence Industries
GAINS
Major Events
Nicole Manison
KEEPS
Deputy Chief Minister
Industry and Trade
Mining
GAINS
Renewables and Energy
Agribusiness and Fisheries
Essential Services
LOSES
Tourism and Hospitality
Northern Australia (no longer a portfolio)
Advanced Manufacturing (no longer a portfolio)
Eva Lawler
KEEPS
Treasurer
Education
Territory Development
LOSES
Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics
Chansey Paech
KEEPS
Leader of Government Business
Attorney-General and Justice
Local Government
Arts, Culture and Heritage
GAINS
Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty
LOSES
Racing, Gaming and Licensing (no longer a portfolio)
Desert Knowledge Australia (no longer a portfolio)
Selena Uibo
KEEPS
Remote Housing and Homelands (but loses Urban Housing, which has split to become its own portfolio)
Local Decision Making
GAINS
Parks and Rangers
Public Employment
Corporate and Digital Development
LOSES
Aboriginal Affairs
Treaty
Essential Services
Kate Worden
KEEPS
Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence
Sport
GAINS
Environment, Climate Change and Water Security
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
LOSES
Police, Fire and Emergency Services
Territory Families
Ngaree Ah Kit
KEEPS
Multicultural Affairs
Disabilities
GAINS
Territory Families
Urban Housing (new portfolio)
Youth, Seniors, and Equality (previously three seperate portfolios)
LOSES
Corporate and Digital Development
International Education
Analysis: Who could win and lose in Labor’s reshuffle
SUNDAY 6PM
In August next year Territorians will vote either for change or another four years under Labor.
But the latter option could look quite different to Natasha Fyles’ first year-and-a-half as Chief Minister, with the leader rumoured to be about to hit a political reset button.
The NT News understands the new cabinet will be revealed on Monday.
It comes just days after Chief Minister Natasha Fyles refused to confirm, or rule out the shake-up.
“We don’t want to be like the CLP, reshuffling every five minutes,” she told the media on Friday.
“But at the same time, we do need to make sure that we reset and that we have the right team in place to serve Territorians.
“As soon as I have anything to say in this space I will share it with the Territory community.”
There are currently nine cabinet ministers, many of whom are juggling several major portfolios.
Here’s what happened in the last cabinet reshuffle, just after Natasha Fyles took the top job.
Kate Worden holds the Police, Fire and Emergency Services portfolio as well as those of Territory Families and Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Prevention.
On top of that she is the Minister for Sport, a responsibility that is at risk of being overlooked in the face of the Territory’s enormous social challenges and well-documented policing crisis.
There’s speculation her time is up with police after Jamie Chalker’s bungled sacking, record low confidence in police and domestic violence prevention continuing to go woefully underfunded.
It is also rumoured Paul Kirby could be among those to lose out in the reshuffle.
The Port Darwin MLA oversees five different portfolios, with responsibility ranging from public sector employment to major events and veteran’s affairs.
Minister Kirby copped criticism after taking two weeks of leave while the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was sitting in Darwin, while pay negotiations for many public sectors – particularly fireys – stretched out over months and years.
Joel Bowden was a favourite to join the upper ranks in last year’s reshuffle and remains most likely to get a promotion. The move would appease the party’s left faction and be a popular choice among the public.
However relative newcomer Brent Potter could also offer the government some fresh energy.
While he has less political experience than most members, the Fannie Bay MLA hasn’t shied away from Darwin’s crime issues, leaving the veteran well-placed to win back disillusioned voters.
But he’s perhaps more likely to become the Speaker after having a test run in the role during estimates.
It would leave Mark Monaghan free to step up into the cabinet after narrowly missing a spot last year.
Lauren Moss and Selena Uibo are another two ministers to keep a close eye on, with the pair at risk of losing some of their responsibilities in the reshuffle.
READ MORE: Fyles 2.0 could herald cabinet reshuffle ahead of next year’s election
Labor cabinet reshuffle on the cards
THURSDAY 6PM
A new fit-out for the Fyles government could be about to drop, 10 months out from the next election.
Multiple sources have told the NT News a cabinet reshuffle is looming, while a federal member has publicly revealed as much.
Solomon MP Luke Gosling said on air this week “there is change coming” within the NT government.
“Let’s see what the government comes up with. It’s not the end of the year. As I understand it, there is change coming,” he said on Mix 104.9 on Tuesday.
“And there is a mood for change, there’s some new leadership within the NT team that are really listening to the community and saying they expect change.”
His comments follow scathing remarks from Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour, who said there had to be some “fundamental shifts” from the Fyles government.
“I am going to go to Darwin and meet with the Chief Minister … there’s got to be some fundamental shift and the NT cabinet ministers are elected to listen and to act on behalf of Territorians,” she said.
“I think that people have stopped listening and acting and you know, they will, they will get cranky with me for that.”
When asked Thursday morning if a cabinet reshuffle was under way, Attorney-General Chansey Paech did not rule it out.
“We are committed to getting on with the job and delivering good government here in the Northern Territory. That’s what we’re going to continue to do,” he said.
“I wouldn’t be believing that gossip that’s swirling around in Darwin.
“Cabinet reshuffle is the prerogative of the Chief Minister and if she feels that that’s fit to do it sometime in the future, that’s what she’ll do.”
Treasurer Eva Lawler also would not be drawn to commenting, repeating that a reshuffle would be the “prerogative of the Chief Minister”.
When asked to comment on the federal members’ comments, Ms Lawler said they “had enough on their plate themselves”.
“They need to focus on some of those federal issues, there’s plenty for them to do,” she said.
“We’ll get on and do what we need to do in the Northern Territory, and we’ve been an exceptionally good government for our first term and our second term.”
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