NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy states he’s not interested in Queensland top cop’s job
The NT Police Commissioner has assured Territorians ‘I’m not going anywhere’ after his name was touted as a potential successor to outgoing Queensland top cop Katarina Carroll.
Politics
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The Territory’s top cop has downplayed rumours he was planning on jumping the border to become Queensland’s Police Commissioner following the resignation of Katarina Carroll.
On Tuesday, Ms Carroll announced she would step down as Queensland’s Police Commissioner after five years in the job, and a police career spanning 41 years.
Ms Carroll did not suggest any names she would like to replace her.
Speculation began almost immediately as to who would take on her $650,000-a-year job, with confidential Queensland government sources pushing NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy’s name among the list of 11 potential successors ‘waiting in the wings’.
However just five months into his new NT Commissioner role, Mr Murphy has assured Territorians: “I’m not going anywhere”.
“I remain committed to serving the Northern Territory community and our workforce as the Commissioner,” Mr Murphy said.
“We have lots of work to do around improving public safety and supporting our officers doing the hard work.
“I’ll be here to lead that reform.
“It is inspiring to me to have a great and dedicated team of hardworking police across the Territory that works incredibly hard every day to achieve this.”
The Queensland Police Commissioner role comes with double the salary of the Territory’s top cop, with the June advertisement for the NT Commissioner’s role offering a salary between $360,826 and $391,848 a year.
Mr Murphy was just named the Territory’s sixth most influential person in the NT News 120 Most Powerful list, with the new commissioner overhauling the police leadership team, removing mandatory remote station placements, and revising the 10-year plan as the Police, Fire and Emergency Service tri-force dissolves.
Over the coming months he is expected to oversee major changes once two major coronial investigations — into the Walker Inquest and domestic violence inquiry are complete— and a review into police resourcing.
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