‘She should be sacked’: Bullying claims rock NT parliament

THE Gunner Government has been rocked by allegations of bullying on the first day of Budget Estimate Hearings

Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Eva Lawler said she has apologised for an ‘off the cuff’ comment she made about a political staffer in March. Picture: Elise Derwin

THE Gunner Government has been rocked by allegations of bullying on the first day of Budget Estimate Hearings.

NT Speaker Kezia Purick revealed at a hearing on Tuesday that a political staffer lodged a bullying complaint against a minister in March.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner later confirmed a complaint had been made about Infrastructure Minister Eva Lawler.

Mr Gunner said Ms Lawler had made comments which offended an Opposition staffer during a conversation that took place in a lift at Parliament House.

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“They both jumped into a lift at the same time … exchanged a few words and in this instance it was considered offensive by the Opposition staffer,” he said.

“The comment obviously caused offence so I don’t want to repeat it.”

Ms Lawler told the NT News her comments in the lift were made “off the cuff” and she had sincerely apologised for them.

Mr Gunner said after the staffer made the complaint he had a conversation with Ms Lawler and considered the matter dealt with after she apologised.

Opposition Leader Gary Higgins said he saw the “trauma” his staffer went through over the alleged bullying.

“When this first came up I spoke to the Leader of Government Business (Natasha Fyles) and I said very clearly my advice would be that the minister should be sacked,” he said.

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“That would have been the action I would have taken.

“We’ve got a Chief Minister who says he’s got a zero tolerance. We have a staffer who has lodged a work health claim that has been approved by an independent person. It was not objected to by government.

“But has the Chief Minister taken any action? The answer is no.”

Mr Higgins said he was concerned by responses Treasurer Nicole Manison provided during estimates on Tuesday about the NT’s debt.

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“We’ve got a $2 billion increase in the net debt over the next 12 months,” he said.

“I asked for the breakdown of all of that and her answer was that it was all an accounting problem.

“Further questioning shows that $870 million of that was due to an accounting problem and she could not account for the other $1.13 billion.

“That to me, is a great concern that we’re using political spin to actually hide away some of the debt.”