Chief Minister Natasha Fyles speaks on Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker’s future
An early dismissal of the Territory’s top cop could cost taxpayers about half his salary. Here’s what we know about Commissioner Jamie Chalker’s tenure.
Northern Territory
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An early dismissal of embattled Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker could cost taxpayers about half his annual salary.
The Police Administration Act 1978 states if a Commissioner “ceases to hold office other than by reason of his death or resignation or his retirement under section 10, he shall be paid compensation to be determined by the Administrator”.
This publication understands Mr Chalker’s contract expires in November this year.
When asked if a premature end of his tenure could cost taxpayers, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the matter was “private and confidential”.
“But I can absolutely assure every Territorian, no matter what decision I make, I respect taxpayer dollars, and those decisions are not made lightly,” she said on Wednesday.
Ms Fyles also said she was “not afraid” to have conversations on the potential end of Mr Chalker’s role as head of police.
Sky News reported on Saturday the Territory government had asked Mr Chalker to resign.
Ms Fyles fronted the media on Wednesday afternoon and confirmed she spoke to Mr Chalker on Friday about his position as the head of police.
“As it’s been reported, the Police Commissioner’s tenure, his contract is due to expire towards the end of this year,” she said.
“As would be appropriate in the lead up to that expiry, we have been having – in good faith – conversations with the Police Commissioner around his tenure in that role.
“As you would appreciate, these matters are private and of a confidential nature in the sense that they regard to his employment.”
Ms Fyles said she currently had “full confidence” in NT Police with Acting Commissioner Michael Murphy at the helm.
She refused to comment on whether she expected Mr Chalker to return from his reportedly prearranged leave later this month or whether she had confidence in him.
When specifically asked whether she asked Mr Chalker to resign, Ms Fyles said “I won’t go into those details other than to say ahead of his recorded tenure ending towards the end of this year, it is appropriate to have those conversations. As I said, as Chief Minister, I’m not afraid to have those conversations, particularly when it’s in the best interests of the Territory.”
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said on Wednesday the Chief Minister had “disrespected” every Territorian by not commenting on the future of Mr Chalker’s position.
“Who the Police Commissioner is and in what capacity are they acting cannot be a secret,” she said.
“Natasha Fyles has told us over and over that her government would act transparently and with integrity – this couldn’t be further from the truth.
“His position is untenable, and her lack of leadership is unacceptable.”
She also took aim at Police Minister Kate Worden, who was interstate this week at a national policing conference with Acting Commissioner Murphy.
“I have said for a long time that Kate Worden is not up for the job,” she said.
“It just beggars belief that we can have a Police Commissioner on an indefinite, undescribed period of leave, a Chief Minister pretending that there’s nothing to see here with her head in the sand and a Police Minister in Sydney apparently incapable of picking up the phone and explaining to the community what is going on with Commissioner Chalker.”
Ms Fyles said she had faith in Ms Worden, as she did in all of her ministers.
“I think it’s a bit rich for the Leader of the Opposition – who her own leadership should be called into question – to be coming out commenting,” she said.
“I absolutely have faith in not only Kate Worden but all of my ministers, who work incredibly hard for Territorians each day.”
Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison, who was the police minister at the time of Mr Chalker’s appointment to the role, would not confirm he had her support on Wednesday morning.
However she said he was “committed” and “hardworking”.
“I think he’s an incredibly hardworking Territorian,” she said.
“Very hard working, very committed Territorian to the police force and to the job that he does.”
Ms Manison did not answer questions as to whether she thought Mr Chalker should stay in the job or whether the way he was asked to resign was fair.
“The Police Commissioner is on leave, there have been many questions asked, and many answers given,” she said.
Ms Manison also said it would be inappropriate to comment on Constable Zachary Rolfe’s dismissal.
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said Ms Fyles must immediately clarify the status of Mr Chalker saying her silence on the issue was crippling police morale.
“Natasha Fyles is running a circus, not a government,” Ms Finocchiaro said.
“She needs to clarify immediately for the sake of our police force and the Territory on what (Mr Chalker’s) status is.
“We have a crime crisis plaguing the Territory and a police crisis, and for the government to pretend like something isn’t going on here, isn’t good enough.”
Ms Finocchiaro’s comments came after Ms Fyles again refused to answer questions about Mr Chalker’s future during an ABC radio interview on Tuesday morning.
“The Police Commissioner is on leave and Deputy Commissioner Michael Murphy is acting,” Ms Fyles said.
“The police service have been advised of that.”
A day earlier, Ms Fyles had refused on 11 occasions to answer journalists’ questions about whether she still had confidence in Mr Chalker.
NT Police Association president Paul McCue said his members wanted Mr Chalker to go.
“The position is untenable right now. We know the government is clearly at loggerheads (with the Police Commissioner).
“This is not a tenable situation so in that event it is a very difficult situation to come back from, I would have thought.”
Morale in the police force plummeted after the decision to charge Constable Zachary Rolfe with murder just four days after he shot dead Kumanjayi Walker during a botched arrest attempt at Yuendumu on November 9.
In March last year a jury found Constable Rolfe not guilty.
Mr Chalker started in his role two days after the shooting and two days before Constable Rolfe was charged.
Mr McCue said a survey of more than 1000 police officers conducted last year had found 80 per cent did not have confidence in Mr Chalker.
“The number one reason for that was the management on handling of the Yuendumu incident itself, so we know it played an enormous part,” he said.
Last Thursday, Constable Rolfe’s lawyers were sent a letter from NT Police indicating it intends to terminate his position.
It’s understood the decision relates to an open letter he posted on Facebook in February criticising senior police and the judiciary over his treatment.
Constable Rolfe’s father Richard said it was clear Mr Chalker would not be returning to his role.
“Any politician knows if you’ve got confidence in someone you say it loud and clear, if you don’t you ignore the question,” he said.
He said he believed a new commissioner would reinstate his son.
“The next police commissioner will need to distance themselves from everything that Chalker has been doing because the government has now lost confidence in Chalker,” he said.
Mr Chalker has not responded to requests for comment.
Matt Cunningham is the Darwin Bureau chief and Northern Australia correspondent for Sky News
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