The scathing leaked messages between Nelson and Paech

THE NT Labor Government has been rocked by leaked Facebook messages between four MLAs. This is a transcript of their messages (edited for legal reasons). READ IT HERE

These MLAs maybe should have considered this option instead. Picture: Istock

THE NT Labor Government has been rocked by a scandal surrounding leaked Facebook messages between four MLAs — Labor members Sandra Nelson and Chansey Paech and Labor members at the time of these messages, Scott McConnell and Jeff Collins.

This is a transcript of their messages (edited for legal reasons).

Read it here (minus the emojis)

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Chansey Paech

Greeting from LA! We need to catch up in January and discuss a few things like the state of our party and the landfall we are heading for!

Jeff Collins

Absolutely!! I’m about to drive, but I’ll send you all an update on my communications with Mano shortly. Cheers

Chansey

I’m not going down with the ship.... I want to be here post 2020 and they way we are handling the budget in public is not good.... the lines are stale

Chansey

* Thumbs up *

Sandra Nelson

*Thumbs up*

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18/12/2018, 21:19

Jeff

Sorry guys, it’s been a bit hectic here. I totally agree the lines are stale. They are the same lines they fed us 18 months ago and they are lies. Mano’s response is lame and unconvincing. There seems to be an attitude they will ride this out, but I just don’t believe they will. This is exactly why I tried to raise the issue of an economic plan crack at the beginning of the year; same lacklustre response then and nothing has changed, but it has to otherwise we will be the party with 2 seats after the next election. I will forward each of you the email trail between myself and Mano to your email accounts. I truly don’t care about being FOI’d as there is nothing in them I would resile from publicly. The pressure has to stay on them and they can’t be allowed to carry on regardless.

Sandra

* Thumbs up *

Chansey

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‘If we were a business we’d be bankrupt: Govt Mnister

LABOR members need to “park their egos” to rein in excessive spending and address the Territory’s debt crisis or they will be out of the job, a leaked email has warned, the NT News reports

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Member for Katherine, Sandra Nelson

Sandra

Begin forwarded message:

From: Sandra Nelson MLA

Date: 18 December 2018 at 11:42:45 am

To: Nicole Manison

Subject: Re: Fiscal paper and updated lines

Thank you Mano for your email.

I acknowledge that you’re in a very difficult and challenging position, and I echo Ken’s appreciation for the work you have done thus far.

However, I have a few questions: firstly, I was unaware that the government was in a position that they would have to borrow money to pay wages. This is alarming. Was this disclosed to caucus and I missed it?

Why are we still announcing grants and stimulus packages ?

Where is the money coming from for these grants and stimulus packages?

I’ve been catching up on the news, and read with dread that our own federal Labor counterparts are saying essentially “fix it yourself”, and suggesting that fracking is the answer to all our woes. My concern, amongst many others, is that our government begins to expedite the policy development and implementation associated with the 135 recommendations we committed to , in order to allow for fracking to commence during this term of government.

While I’m no supporter of sacking people - I do question why there has been an increase in middle management, directors and executive positions in the public service. Are they essential? Are they delivering what they were hired to deliver?

What agencies/departments have shown an overspend and why? Have the CEO’s of these

agencies/departments been asked to explain?

What are the plans now that the federal government and federal opposition has told us “fix it

yourself”?

Isn’t it prudent to put on hold infrastructure projects that haven’t commenced yet? For example, I’m prepared to hold off on the arts trail infrastructure project in Katherine if it means that we don’t have to borrow money to pay for public service wages.

Why was the report released last week and not released during the last sittings session?

As your colleague and a member of the caucus, I would appreciate it if , during our discussions, we could refrain from regurgitating the same old rhetoric and lines used in media releases - yes, while the CLP government was chaotic, and their lack of planning has greatly contributed to the financial mess we are dealing with , I don’t need to be reminded of that every single time a difficult discussion needs to be had with my caucus colleagues. As a backbencher I obviously have no input into budget decisions, no authority, no powers - but yet I’m held just as accountable by the public as the Minister’s are. Yes, I get it, we’re all on the same team, we’re in this together , toe the party line etc - but just as I am expected to be supportive of the team, I expect the same level of support, complete honesty and

candour from my leadership team.

I’m worried and concerned for all of us - it’s been a difficult year for everyone, personally and professionally. There are very few people in the world that can empathise and truly know what we deal with in our jobs, and I speak for myself when I say this - I rely on all of you to understand that I am asking the questions and saying what I say not as a criticism but because I can’t ask them of anyone else.

I’m going to sign off now, I hope everyone is doing OK !!

Sandra Nelson Member For Katherine

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Member for Namatjira, Chansey Paech

Chansey

Great email Sandra! Sharp, concise, clear and well reflected of many backbenchers views!

Jeff

Nice

Jeff

Okay, by way of update...

Jeff

Both Ken’s email and mine have been leaked. Jano Gibson has run a story on ABC online. I called Kate Worden this morning and she went off about Ken. Scott you were spot on!! Later I received a message from Ken, he had received a call from Mano saying I had been contacting caucus members about. “Getting rid of Gunner”. I messaged her bout it and she claims she had been misrepresented; I doubt it. I wasn’t contacted by Jano until after his article was written, but I don’t reside from what was said.

Sandra

At this point .... does it really matter who leaked what to whom for shits sake???!!!! Don’t they have more important matters to be concerned about, like the economy for example?

Scott

Lawrence just told me he got a call from Manno accusing you Jeff of doing the numbers on Gunner or trying to get rid of Gunner or some such

Jeff

You are correct Sandra, it doesn’t matter. What is important is dealing with the problem honestly. I do think the leaks are aimed at attacking Ken in particular though.

Member for Stuart, Scott McConnell

Scott McConnell

I believe it is a orchestrated leak from level 5 to damage Kenny

But I agree who cares why don’t they get on with the business of running the territory not running down their own colleagues

Jeff

Absolutely. I sent a message to Mano confirming my position, but no response from her.

Scott

Those key lines that have been sent to electorate offices are pitiful & unimaginative

Jeff

Tired lines of spin...

Sandra

I’m not surprised one bit that Ken’s email was leaked to the media. And quiet frankly, nor do I care if it was leaked. It was honest, concise, candid, as I would expect for that sort of conversation.

I want solid, strategic plans to get us through this crisis. I’m not wasting time or energy on who is who in the f**king zoo. I am supportive of both Gunner and Ken , they know that, but at the end of the day - it comes down to who will display true leadership and drive the change that needs to occur as soon as possible to salvage whatever credibility and integrity we have left, and retain whatever support remains. And when I say “leadership” I’m not talking about who gets the golden CM guernsey .... I’m talking about true leadership, if you know what I mean.

Rolf Gerritsen and Ken Parish were absolutely spot on with their summation of this entire situation.

Previous governments , including Labor, failed miserably at planning ahead when they had the

opportunity , and we’re now having to deal with their lack of planning and foresight. The issue now of course is that it seems that nobody has the fortitude to say “we’re f**ked, and this is what we’re going to do to not go bankrupt (fill in the blanks)”

Aaaannnyyyywwwwwhhhoooo I’m feeling inspired, raging, ready to get cracking ...

.

Scott

I would like to run away and join the circus but it appears I already have....

Seriously though I am deeply disappointed to be part of a government that let us in to this extremely difficult position I hope they do have a road forward because we collectively deserve better than this

Scott

And there is no excuse for the document being dropped on a Friday and the leader being on leave and thus unavailable this is unfair on the treasurer who is a number of months pregnant yes she is a very capable woman but this is clearly a load on her shoulders at this time the should be born by the leader ...

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20/12/2018, 00:58

Sandra

It’s the downplaying of the situation that truly bothers me , the condescending language used, the “we know what’s best because we’ve been doing this longer than you” attitude , the lack of faith in our ability or capacity to contribute to discussions or decisions ...

Chansey

Amen Sister! How do you reign in spending when ministers don’t even know what the departments are overspending on.

I’ll fight like crazy if they think they’ll be reducing services in the bush....

Sandra

.....and completely off topic , but who in the hell puts together the NT News top 100 list of influential people ????!!!

Chansey

NT News ppl lol

Sandra

some of the names , WTF ....

Chansey

Seen today’s it’s Kenny and Tash It’s so funny but I know the cabinet ministers and upset that They didn’t make it LOL

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20/12/2018, 05:38

Jeff

Oops, sorry its early here... What odds the budget deficit will be No.1!!

Jeff

So, have you guys received calls about leadership?

Chansey

No I’ve received no calls from anyone!

Sandra

Nope no calls or emails or texts

Sandra

Not even from you or ken

Chansey

I’ll be the deputy lol hahaha

Sandra can be local government and Jeff AG and leader government business and Scotty housing

Ha

No in all honesty we do need to sort this out though!

Member for Fong Lim, Jeff Collins

Jeff

I spoke to Kate yesterday and she went off about Ken and how he is the one leaking and how it is typical of him. I tried to calm her down and told I was just calling to talk about the situation and the way we have been lied to. A bit later I get a message from Ken saying Mano had called him saying I was calling backbencher trying to get the numbers to dump Gunner. I called out Kate and corrected Mano, but it didn’t stop her ringing Lawrence as well. F**kers....

Chansey

Oh dear! ...

Jeff

They do appear to be running scared!!

Chansey

They should be ...

Jeff

... She ranted about how Ken had undermined Delia and I was thinking to myself, it was Gunner’s mob who were doing all the undermining of Delia. Ken was certainly involved, but its a bit rich blaming him for it all!! ...

Well it’s a pity Gunner can’t be bother to reach out to his time now when there is a crisis

That’s real leadership lol

Team*

Jeff

Wouldn’t know it if it kicked him where his balls should be!!!

Sandra

... (Kate) considers herself to be a bit of a player, a power broker - and she is neither, that’s why it took 3 attempts at pre-selection for her to finally be preselected.

Sandra

Again, she should be focusing on the budget, the economy and that we have an inept government, instead she is focused on old grudges, and conflated indignation....and that should send a clear message to us all that “they” are concerned about factional power plays and ego than their constituents and the NT.

I’ll try and stay off my soapbox now

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20/12/2018, 10:09

Scott

Good morning there is a story going around of polling in the northern suburbs very bad for everyone except Nicole Manison and Natasha Fyles Only one source at this stage waiting to hear more

Chansey

Doesn’t surprise me

Let us know if you hear more

Jeff

So their answer is to dig in!!! A-f**king-maxing!!!!

Scott

Will do even those two names I mentioned apparently had been hit

Jeff

Looks like it’s back to the law for me...

Chansey

Just the time now to distance ourselves from the cabinet and just send a message that there is a point of difference!

Jeff

When do we get the opportunity to have an open and honest discussion about where we are and where are heading; with polling results on the table for everyone to see!!

Chansey

Can’t see them doing that they don’t want us to know that they’re in bad shape

....

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Scott

We got elected to Parliament to have a voice they have from day one attempted to remove that voice and give it to staff actuaries on the fifth floor they repeatedly backgrounded journalists and leaked against me until I decided to stick it to them publicly

Sandra

Why oh why is “government” creating jobs for shits sake ???!!! I spent a couple of hours with some Philly legislators and their just as incredulous as I am ! Why are we encouraging dependency on government ?! Why aren’t we looking at other means, incentives, to entice private enterprise to create jobs - tax breaks? Land release? Why aren’t looking at innovative projects and programs?

Scott

Not without risk but it does have its rewards

Speaking to the media that is

Scott

Sandra I agree we need to be creating an environment where private investors are confident to invest in our jurisdiction I know it’s tired but I’ll restate my principal position ;we must work out how to include indigenous land and labour in the participatory economy We cannot continually run to Canberra affectively saying we have failed to deliver to 35% of our constituents indigenous people living predominantly in regional towns and remote areas

Chansey

* Thumbs up *

Chansey

Amen brother behind you 100%

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Scott

(provides link to Mix 104.9 FM interview titled: Minister Vowles refuses to say he has confidence in the Chief Minister

...

Sandra

Have any of you spoken to Kenny ?

Scott

No just a text of pleasantries and salutations

Jeff

I spoke to him on Tuesday night, but only messages since.

He has been threatened by Gunner in messages; his position in cabinet. Gunner won’t call him. So it’s a bit of a goading. I think we can expect to see Ken on the backbench with us fairly soon and probably Kate in cabinet, if they replace him.

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Scott

I do not believe they will elevate anyone They will try and make it look like they will so that the backbenches bid for it but they have no intention of replacing Kenny if they get rid of him Just another play of “command and control “straight from Alf’s book they will presented as a budget saving to have one less minister and I bet you Gunner takes back

indigenous affairs So he can control the dollars

Jeff

Yeah, you are probably right.

It won’t go over well in the community though. It will be seen for exactly what it is; punishing a critic.

Scott

The big picture is Michael Gunner has never let this team we went forward in good faith “trying to work it out “until that gutless act of dropping this on a Friday and then going on leave

Sandra

For goodness sakes , is all of this really necessary ?! How is any of this going to fix anything??!! I’m not interested nor do I have time or energy to get into any sort of leadership battle, punitive bullshit - no matter who it is instigated by. Any public conversation and commentary needs to be about the economy , the budget, the fact that previous governments had ample opportunity to save money and plan ahead in readiness for the end of Inpex and they didn’t - not one government planned ahead - it’s not just CLP or just Labor’s fault - Each is as complicit as the other - 12 years in the making and we’re

expected to fix it in 4 years ??!! Do I think more prudent measures should have been taken from the very beginning / YES ! I’m concerned about the economy - I’m concerned about announcing grants when we have no money - I’m concerned about the fact that we’ve had to borrow money to pay wages for shits sake. I’m NOT concerned about who is in or who is out, quiet frankly that’s the least of my concerns.

Sandra

In the meantime .... I’m wearing size 12 jeans !!!!!

That should be on the front page of the NT News !!!!

Scott

Frankly I don’t care who is in what position I just want better process and procedure delivering measurable outcomes

Sandra

Exactly !!!! I’m with ya on that 100% !!!!

...

Scott

Just letting you guys know I reached out with some kind words to Nicole just by text

Jeff

All good, hope it goes well. She’s not talking to me ...