CLP hosts exclusive $2000-a-head dinner at The Cavenagh Hotel shindig tit for tat with NT Labor as Minister rolls into town

THE Cav Hotel has become the preferred digs for secret political fundraisers in Darwin, with the CLP holding its exclusive $2000-a-head jaunt at the CBD watering hole on the weekend

THE Cav Hotel has become the preferred digs for secret political fundraisers in Darwin, with the Country Liberal Party holding its exclusive $2000-a-head jaunt at the CBD watering hole on the weekend.

The NT News can reveal Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro, alongside VIP guest federal Resources Minister Keith Pitt, who was in Darwin for official business, attended the party’s fundraiser at The Cav on Saturday night.

It comes nearly a month since NT Labor held a slightly more expensive $2500-a-head fundraiser at the same location.

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But it’s understood this time representatives from gas company Santos were more than welcome to attend the party, held at one of The Cav’s private function rooms.

The NT News understands about 20 people attended the shindig.

A spokeswoman for CLP Acting President Daryl Manzie confirmed the fundraiser occurred and was “well-attended”, but would not provide specific numbers.

“Santos is an onshore gas business and we have always supported the onshore gas business,” she said.

“And it (gas) falls into the portfolio of Resources Minister Keith Pitt.”

Mr Pitt flew into Darwin on Friday afternoon to announce Charles Darwin University had been approved for a $151.5 million Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility loan for its $250 million CBD campus development.

It is understood a conga line of Coalition government ministers and parliamentarians is expected to visit the Territory in the lead-up to the election to lend the struggling CLP some star power.

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The CLP have taken in only about $102,344 in the past financial year, a bulk of that coming from their own candidates.

This is in contrast to NT Labor, which has received $359,496 worth of declarable donations in the past financial year, and Territory Alliance’s $131,562 received in the same time frame.