NTPA hopes for “cohesion” after Police Minister Brent Potter adds alcohol to his portfolio
Despite previous calls for the Chief Minister to hold alcohol policy, the NTPA said it was sensible for the police minister to acquire it.
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The Northern Territory Police Association has expressed the importance of stability following a bold cabinet reshuffle from newly appointed Chief Minister Eva Lawler on Thursday.
Despite previous calls for the police portfolio to sit with the Chief Minister, the NTPA accepted Ms Lawler’s decision to retain Police Minister Brent Potter in the portfolio.
“While we’ve previously expressed a preference to see the police portfolio sit with the Chief Minister – to recognise the significance of the challenges currently facing our police force, and the community – another change would have seen further destabilisation for our members,” NTPA president Nathan Finn said.
As part of the reshuffle, Mr Potter also added two more portfolios to his responsibility – alcohol policy and major events which Mr Finn hoped wouldn’t overwhelm him.
“It seems like a common sense approach to have the Police Minister also overseeing the Alcohol Policy portfolio.
“However, we hope the additional responsibilities won’t distract and overwhelm Minister Potter, who has only been in Cabinet for two months.
“We also hope this will now lead to some actual cohesion between what our members need, to address record levels of alcohol-fuelled harm, crime and violence – and government alcohol policy settings.”
The Fannie Bay MLA was elected in August last year with no previous frontbench experience prior to his promotion, something both the NTPA and CLP criticised.
After being officially sworn in on Thursday, Ms Lawler said crime remained a top priority for her government and commended Mr Potter’s efforts so far.
“Brent Potter has been Police Minister for seven weeks and I think he’s doing a damn fine job, he’s doing a great job in that role,” she said.
The reshuffle came less than 48 hours after the resignation of former Chief Minister Natasha Fyles after a mining shares scandal.
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