NT’s 120 Most Powerful people for 2022
NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker and NT Police Association president Paul McCue go head-to-head in today’s list. Read who came out on top.
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We’re heading towards the juicy end of the NT’s 120 Most Powerful list for 2022 with numbers 40 to 21 revealed today.
Among the list is the 2021 Most Powerful person, Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker, who has dropped 26 places to number 27 following a chaotic 12 months of high crime, low police morale and pay fights.
Just above Chalker at number 26 is his arch rival, NT Police Association president Paul McCue, who has also dropped 14 spots in this year’s list.
This rivalry is unlikely to disappear in 2023.
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Follow the countdown from 40-21
40. Ruth Palmer
Palmer is the executive director of the Property Council of Australia NT and represents the interest of members in the property sector, and has advocated against anti-social behaviour.
Using her industry influence, she urged Alice Springs Council and the NT government to increase their response to crime in Alice Springs, which led to the controversial Social Order Response policy.
An industry leader, she continues to advocate for increased student accommodation and population growth in the NT.
She is well-known for pushing for public reporting, transparency and accountability in order to hold the NT government to account.
39. Luke Gosling
Gosling had plenty to talk about this year, and no doubt has plenty ahead of him in 2023.
He was re-elected as the Member for Solomon for a third term, the longest anyone has held the seat.
The long-time Darwin resident remains a backbencher with no portfolios but he will be pushing to become North Australia Minister or a deputy to the Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
In early December, the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 Gosling co-sponsored passed in federal parliament, meaning Territorians could legislate voluntary assisted dying for the first time since 1997.
A veteran of the Australian Defence Force, he was relentless in pursuing a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, which is now under way.
It’s no wonder Gosling has shot up the ladder in 2022, and he sits almost 50 ranks higher than he did the previous year.
38. Australian Defence Force
The Territory economy is underpinned by two elements: resources and Defence.
In 2022, it was announced Roberston Barracks would receive $389.1m in upgrades, delivering more than 1000 jobs to the NT.
In December, it was also revealed the Australian Defence Force was in discussions to take over the Howard Springs quarantine centre, breathing new life into the vacant block.
More than two thirds of NT News readers indicated in a poll they agreed Defence should take over the facility, with just 5 per cent disagreeing.
There’s billions more dollars in the pipeline over the next decade too and with speculation the US Marines deployment will be ratcheted up and with possible spin-offs from the AUKUS deal in the longer term, not since World War II has Darwin so accurately carried the ‘Defence Town’ handle.
37. Justice Judith Kelly
Justice Kelly has been no stranger to controversy in 2022, with her passionate views on issues like domestic violence polarising many in the legal and wider community.
After inviting the media’s cameras into her courtroom as she sentenced a brutal domestic murderer to life in prison at the end of 2021, Justice Kelly again fronted the media in June, granting an exclusive interview to The Weekend Australian.
In it, Justice Kelly called out the Territory’s “total epidemic of domestic violence” and questioned whether police shootings of Aboriginal men should be treated as more of a priority than the scores of deaths of Aboriginal women at the hands of their partners.
Justice Kelly again caused an outcry in some circles when she rejected accusations of institutional racism in Australia’s justice system during a speech to women lawyers in August. Whether Justice Kelly continues her outspoken approach or retreats from the spotlight in 2023 remains to be seen, but there can be no doubt that if and when she does choose to speak, her remarks will not go unnoticed.
36. Alex Bruce
Bruce was a staffer for former deputy chief minister, treasurer and health minister Robyn Lambley and the two remain friends, which is no small achievement in politics.
Bruce left the Territory and returned to work in New South Wales with his young family but the pull of the Territory drew them back here and now he is an effective and influential advocate for Hospitality NT.
Sharp of mind and wit, he recently signed up for another term as chief executive of the organisation that bore the brunt of many of the Covid restrictions in the NT.
His activism eventually paid off but not before then chief minister Michael Gunner ordered a mask mandate at 6pm New Year’s Eve 2021.
Now we’ve entered more sensible times, expect Bruce to keep on lobbying government and key stakeholders on behalf of this important economic sector for the Territory.
35. Jason Schoolmeester
Schoolmeester is set to play a critical role in growing the Territory’s economy to $40bn by 2030.
In 2022, Schoolmeester said he expected that growth to come from across the Territory, not just the Top End.
He was appointed to the role of the Territory’s Major Projects Commissioner in 2021 by former chief minister Michael Gunner.
To get an idea of the regard with which he’s held in the public service, it’s instructive to take a look at Schoolmeester’s work history and follow the trail to his appointment: NT Treasury analyst in 1999; commercial solicitor with the Department of Justice in 2003; policy adviser for Department of Chief Minister in 2010; Major Projects director in 2012; executive director Major Projects in 2015.
The Territory government will be desperately keen to match the rhetoric around future economic growth with actual projects on the ground and that’s Schoolmeester’s job.
The government’s future could depend on it.
34. Di Stephens
The last few years have been eventful for Stephens and she’s recently taken on one of her biggest roles yet.
The medical director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre recently became the inaugural dean of the Charles Darwin University Menzies School of Medicine.
Her role affords her the chance to transform the medical landscape of the Northern Territory by creating opportunities to develop a homegrown frontline health workforce and meet the dire medical needs of communities.
Currently, the Territory is dependent on medicine graduates relocating from interstate to source its supply of doctors.
Stephens is lobbying for a greater share in the federal government’s 80 additional Commonwealth Support Places to meet the Territory’s demand for health workers.
33. Sitzler
A few years ago after decades of discussion, Master Builders NT and other key stakeholders persuaded the Department of Defence that the NT had the capacity to manage the big projects that would otherwise be awarded to interstate businesses.
Sitzler has forged a reputation as the go-to company for Defence projects in the Territory, currently overseeing the $747m Ranges Upgrades project redeveloping Defence bases at Robertson Barracks, Bradshaw Station, Kangaroo Flats and Mount Bundey.
The Territory business is also working on the Larrakeyah Base entry project and involved in the AIR7000 Maritime Patrol Aircraft Replacement project.
The company was formed in 1976 and has been owned by Steve Margetic and Michael Sitzler for the past 30 years.
Sitzler has come a long way from its days building in some of the most remote locations in Australia and attributes its success to honesty, integrity and being respectful to staff and trade partners
32. Alex Underwood
On the back of Empire Energy’s significant milestone in its mission to drill for gas in the Beetaloo Basin, the company’s managing director will play a pivotal role in tapping in to the potentially lucrative gas reserve.
In November, Underwood reported a successful dig at its Carpentaria 3H reserve that came in under budget, on time and with no environmental incidents, pushing Empire Energy into the lead to develop the gas reserve at Beetaloo.
But with environmental concerns front and centre of mining at Beetaloo, juggling the delicate nature and politics of undertaking major resource hunts in the basin will also pose a challenge for Underwood and his team.
With the basin a major resource for the Territory’s economy, his progress will be watched keenly.
31. Robyn Lambley
The Araluen MLA is a wildcard in the parliament chambers and often does a better job of calling out the government’s tricks and trip-ups better than the Opposition.
Despite an incredibly difficult year for Lambley with the sudden loss of her son, she has remained strong and forthright.
The independent member’s at-times unpredictable nature is both lauded and condemned, often seeing her in trouble with the Speaker.
Lambley was formerly the deputy chief minister as a CLP member and remains aligned with the opposition’s values and views.
Like the CLP, she counts major reforms on raising the age of criminal responsibility and the Anti-Discrimation Act changes as losses.
Head into 2023, we can expect Lambley to remain a loud voice for Alice on issues surrounding crime, police and prisons.
30. David Griffin
It would be an understatement to say it’s been a rocky start to the year for Griffin after Sun Cable, which is behind a multibillion-dollar Northern Territory solar project, was placed into voluntary administration.
The project based in the Northern Territory was supposed to send power from Darwin to Singapore with a 4200km cable, delivering about one-fifth of Singapore’s electricity needs.
However, with the company placed into voluntary administration due to shareholder concerns the whole project, that would have put Darwin on the map as a renewable energy precinct, is in the air.
Griffin, as the Sun Cable chief executive and project proponent, was quick to assure the NT government the project would emerge from the crisis.
It’s perhaps the sort of hiccup a major project of this scale ($35bn) would expect but what question marks will show up from here?
29. Steve Edgington
One of the CLP’s key players, Edgington’s shadow portfolios include mining and industry, treaty and local decision making, Aboriginal affairs and children, as well as Attorney-General and justice.
The government, obviously feeling the heat over Edgington’s continuous criticism of crime, toughened bail laws for repeat offenders and made spitting on frontline workers a jailable offence.
However, the opposition has recorded some big losses in the past year with Labor raising the age of criminal responsibility and abolishing mandatory sentencing.
The Barkly MLA has remained a passionate and vocal advocate for his electorate and the issues impacting Tennant Creek, which often fly under the radar with everyone’s eyes turned to the Top End or Alice Springs.
After winning by the skin of his teeth in the 2020 election, the next two years is the time for ‘Edgo’ to really make his mark.
28. Thomas Mayo (Mayor)
A wharf labourer for 16 years to one of Australia’s strongest voices for an Indigenous Voice to parliament, Mayo has debuted on the NT News’ Most Powerful list at number 28.
The Kaurareg Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander man, who was born in Darwin, is a signatory and advocate for the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
He is also an author of four books, including a book for children on the Statement, and has spent more than 18 months travelling the country advocating for the Voice.
Soon after he started working on the Darwin wharves at age 17, Mayo was chosen as a Maritime Union of Australia official.
This planted the seed of Mayo’s public profile, which is only expected to rise as Australia moves towards the referendum this year.
The father is also a chairman of the Northern Territory Indigenous Labor Network, executive member of the Northern Territory Trades and Labour Council, and advises the Diversity Council of Australia.
27. Jamie Chalker
It’s hard to keep the number one most powerful spot when facing a coup within your front lines.
And that was exactly what faced 2021’s Most Powerful person following a damning union survey following a chaotic 12-months of high-crime, low police moral and pay fights.
While there were rumblings of discontent with Chalker during Covid, police let loose their criticism in 2022 with 80 per cent saying they had no confidence in the commissioner.
A damning Northern Territory Police Association survey published in August outlined a culture of burnout, low pay, and exhaustion.
The results dropped as the Commissioner appeared to be in a period of hiding, with the top cop making only rare public appearances for more than 140 days following Constable Zach Rolfe’s Supreme Court not-guilty verdict in March.
But as the Kumanjayi Walker coronial inquest started up, Chalker remerged from his shell even stating that confidence in his leadership had shifted.
In late 2022 Chalker became more publicly vocal, speaking out about officer assaults, domestic violence and announcing major deployments to Alice Springs in response to prolonged criticism of resourcing in Central Australia.
The Walker inquest, seen by many as a review of NT Police practices, will be one of the biggest developments of 2023 with Chalker ultimately the one to respond to the coroner’s findings.
Eyes will also be on the implementation of the long-awaited review into officer wellbeing, following a devastating year with four current and former police officer suicides.
26. Paul McCue
A career police officer, McCue’s rise to president of the Northern Territory Police Union has forced him into the spotlight.
He was the man that walked shoulder-to-shoulder into court with Constable Zach Rolfe during his murder trial, while the NTPA funded the acquitted police officer’s lengthy defence.
A surge in police suicide in 2022 also sparked a vote-of-no-confidence in Commissioner Jamie Chalker, which McCue spearheaded from inside the NTPA.
While everyone might not agree with his point-of-view, no one can deny he has been an outspoken and powerful advocate for members of the Northern Territory police force.
25. Lloyd Babb SC
The Territory’s new Director of Public Prosecutions was lured north when he took on the role of prosecuting now convicted triple murderer Ben Hoffmann in 2021.
Babb’s unflappable professionalism in the face of Hoffmann’s continued histrionics throughout the lengthy and challenging trial must have impressed on parliament’s fifth floor, and he became the Territory’s full time DPP in March.
The former NSW top prosecutor has been at the bar for almost three decades and while his current position sees him largely remain behind the scenes, his influence in the complex legal considerations that go into deciding when to prosecute cannot be understated.
Babb will face his biggest test in his current role to date in 2023, with all eyes on the Territory’s courts as the ongoing prosecution of celebrity croc wrangler Matt Wright over a fatal helicopter crash continues.
If the scrutiny applied to Babb’s predecessor’s decision to prosecute acquitted police officer Zach Rolfe over the 2019 shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker is anything to go by, the pressure to get this one right will be intense.
24. Kate Worden
As crime continues to be a hot issue across the Territory, Worden’s role as Police Minister will undoubtedly come under even more scrutiny in 2023.
With the CLP’s “tough on crime” mantra being pedalled out on a regular basis and Alice Springs in the grip of a crime crisis, just how much influence the Sanderson MLA has on policing in the Territory will be at the forefront of her work this year.
And despite repeated attacks from the opposition on Labor’s “soft on crime” approach, Worden has weathered the storm thus far.
With an already sizeable collection of portfolios, Worden was last year appointed as the Territory’s first Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.
Responsibility for two of the Territory’s biggest social issues will no doubt test Worden in 2023 as pressure mounts on the government to take drastic action on both.
But with a political career stretching back almost 30 years, she has learnt a thing or two.
23. Nicole Hucks
The country has again turned its attention to child protection and detention, with media zeroing in on the NT.
Yet despite only being the Acting Children’s Commissioner, Hucks has used the position to be accountable to mob and expose ongoing issues to the NT government.
The Larrakia/Arrernte woman has advocated for Aboriginal-led decision making and funded diversion services.
She revealed “grave concerns” for the mental wellbeing of children inside Territory Detention centres, which were backed by Danila Dilba, NTCOSS and AMSANT, who together held Territory Families accountable to the royal commission recommendations from 2017.
Her role advocating for the Rights of the Child has led to the NT being the first jurisdiction to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12.
22. Paspaley
More than five decades on, Paspaley Group is still the brightest light in the Territory’s business crown.
Refugees from Greece after World War One, the Paspaley family arrived in Australia in 1919, stopping in Cossack on the Western Australian coast where scion Nicholas Paspaley Sr learnt to harvest pearls.
Grandson Nicholas Paspaley Jr who is chief executive and executive director, has grown the business to the point where just 40 per cent of the company’s turnover is pearling related, with its focus now also on aviation, retail, pastoral holdings and commercial property.
Among its portfolios are a number of marquee holdings in New South Wales including Thornthwaite Property and Melaleuca Station.
Inexplicably omitted from 2022’s Financial Review richest 200 list, the company’s status as the Territory’s richest homegrown corporation is assured.
The company is partnering with the NT government to deliver the long-awaited shiplift at East Arm despite the project cost blowing out from $400m to $515m.
21. Michael Riches
The independent Commissioner Against Corruption has been less vocal than his predecessor since taking over from the Territory’s inaugural ICAC, Ken Fleming KC, in July 2021.
When Riches has spoken out publicly, it has often been to address controversies left hanging over his office from Fleming’s time in the job, saying cleaning up those historical messes has been a significant drain on his resources.
But with 18 months now behind him, the word is Riches is now finally able to refocus his attention solely on stamping out corruption and wrongdoing in public office.
With the ICAC on the record as not ruling out conducting the sort of public hearings that have sparked political firestorms interstate - including the resignation of former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian - any movement out of the NT corruption watchdog’s office in 2023 is sure to be closely watched.
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