Former political candidates and party allies trade AVOs after bitter falling out

A one time Territory political candidate has been temporarily banned from coming within 100m of his former party leader as the two men trade restraining order applications.

A ONE time Territory political candidate has been temporarily banned from coming within 100m of his former party leader as the two men trade restraining order applications following a bitter falling out.

Former 1 Territory leader and one time Lingiari candidate, Braedon Earley — who is also a former CLP president — has applied for a restraining order against 1T’s 2016 Solomon pick, Mark Garner.

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At a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, Mr Earley told the Darwin Local Court he intended to press on with his application “on the grounds of harassment, stalking and threat to violence and intimidation”.

Mr Earley said Mr Garner had threatened “to bring me down, whatever that means”.

“I employ a few people, I work a lot of machinery and ‘bring me down’ means causing an accident, causing an injury causing some sort of harm that’s compensable,” he said.

“I guess that’s a form of bringing me down and I’m greatly concerned that that’s this man’s intention.”

Former Country Liberal Party president and One Territory leader Braedon Earley.

Mr Garner’s lawyer, Daniel Kelly, said his client’s position was that “mediation would be futile”, based on “the history between the two, a perception of irrationality and also a strong conviction that, in fact, there is nothing to mediate”.

Mr Kelly said there was essentially “nothing in the affidavit” accompanying Mr Earley’s application and it should be “dismissed outright”.

Mr Earley countered that “mediation would be a good first part of this activity”, saying he could “certainly defend myself and put the bloke where he belongs” but was “trying to avoid that” by coming to court.

“It’s me that’s the aggrieved party and this bloke certainly needs to hear what sort of damage he’s creating in my space before it goes to a court,” he said.

“I’m happy to employ one of the best lawyers the country’s got if that’s what it takes but prior to that, this bloke needs to have a one-on-one and hear exactly what damage he’s done.”

But Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris said she could not force Mr Garner to participate in mediation and extended an interim restraining order against him.

Mr Kelly said while his client considered the interim order “inappropriate”, he “also has no intention to contact or be in the vicinity of” Mr Earley.

He indicated he would be filing his own restraining order on behalf of Mr Garner before the case returns to court in September.

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