Territory Labor to focus on ‘new direction’ as shadow ministry announced

With just four members left in the Labor caucus, each has been tasked with a hefty workload to hold the Territory’s new Cabinet to account.

Fia Walsh

@fiawalsh

2 min read

September 11, 2024 - 1:56PM

NT Labor 'fell flat at every turn' on crime losing them the election

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Opposition Leader Selena Uibo says Labor is committed to forging a new direction, as she unveils her team’s shadow ministry.

With just four members left in the Labor caucus, each has been tasked with a hefty workload to hold the Territory’s new Cabinet to account.

Ms Uibo will take shadow portfolios for Police, Treasury, and Alcohol Policy – a departure from all the ministries she held going into the election.

Health has instead gone to Deputy Opposition Leader Dheran Young, who will also hold Infrastructure, and Tourism and Hospitality.

Former Attorney-General Chansey Paech will keep that portfolio in opposition, along with shadow portfolios for Corrections, Education, and Housing.

Arafura MLA Manuel Brown is now on the Labor frontbench with portfolios for Agriculture and Fisheries, Major Events, and Aboriginal Affairs.

NT Labor Opposition: Manuel Brown, Dheran Young and Chansey Paech.

Several ministerial roles have been scrapped under widespread departmental changes brought in by the new CLP government, including minister for justice, climate change, remote housing, treaty, local decision-making, and suicide prevention.

New titles include minister for corrections, Asian relations, and Territory Coordinator – changes the CLP said better aligned with its top priorities of reducing crime and unlocking the economy.

Ms Uibo said her team was committed ensuring the government delivered on its promises to Territorians.

“We want to make sure that those priorities that Territorians have – like climate change, like suicide prevention – are also kept front and centre despite not having portfolios in the new CLP government,” she said.

NT Opposition Leader Selena Uibo has announced her shadow Cabinet. Picture: Fia Walsh.

Ms Uibo said her focus was on setting a new direction for Territory Labor, although the party had yet to start its official review into what went wrong in its wipe-out election defeat.

“One of our key priorities at the moment is getting out and reconnecting with Territorians, we want to really hear and understand loud and clear what the Territory election results meant for Labor.

“It’s always good when you’ve got hindsight. Unfortunately, when you representing all Territorians, you’re never going to please everyone in that role in government.

“We’ve had accusations that Labor was too far left, we’ve had accusations that Labor was too far right on various policies.

“We really want to make sure that we’re listening to left and right, and of course the centre – that middle ground which is where I believe we lost the majority of our seats, on those centre priorities.”