EDITORIAL: Honesty is the best policy, and Chief Minister needs to accept this

Yet again the Chief Minister has changed his tune on a particular issue, but only after one of his own ministers forced his hand.

• Gunner mum on whether Treasury in favour of grandstand grant

ON Monday, Chief Minister Michael Gunner made an incredible about-face, saying he was indeed responsible for taking the “memo” about the Darwin Turf Club grandstand grant to the cabinet.

Two weeks ago, the Chief Minister was asked the same specific question about whether he took the submission into cabinet and five times in a minute dodged giving a straight answer by saying “I am responsible for everything in cabinet”.

It was only Natasha Fyles revealing, albeit seemingly accidentally, he did in fact take the document in to cabinet that forced Mr Gunner’s hand.

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What resulted was at least 72 hours of news coverage that made Mr Gunner seem like he was hiding something.

It would have been better if Mr Gunner had just admitted to taking the document into cabinet from the get-go.

As damaging as that admission would have been, it would have hardly been the most unsettling aspect of the grandstand saga.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner, alongside CHO Dr Hugh Heggie and Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker give the gathered press an update on the Covid-19 situation in the Northern Territory including declaring that Alice Springs undergo a 72 hour lockdown. Picture: Che Chorley

Obfuscating and then being caught out won’t bode well in the eyes of the public.

It gives the Opposition plenty of ammo and only prolongs how long the grandstand issue is in the public spotlight.

While it was good to hear Mr Gunner admit he took the memo to cabinet, he then refused to say what Treasury’s opinion of the grant was.

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