Eva Lawler confirmed as NT’s next Chief Minister

Eva Lawler has been announced as the next Chief Minister of the NT, with the Labor caucus coming to a unaminous decision.

Education Minister Eva Lawler is the NT’s newest Chief Minister. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

In a major shake-up of the Northern Territory Labor ranks, Eva Lawler will be the next Chief Minister.

In a statement released late on Wednesday, the Drysdale member confirmed the Territory Labor caucus came to a unanimous decision.

Ms Lawler will be sworn in as Chief Minister on Thursday and Chansey Paech will be Deputy Chief Minister – ousting Nicole Manison who has held the deputy position since 2016.

It was also revealed Ms Manison will move to the backbench, after she initially announced her intention to run for the top job shortly after Natasha Fyles made her resignation announcement on Tuesday.

“We thank Nicole for her hard work over the last seven years in Cabinet, and the work that she has put into growing the Territory’s jobs and economy. Nicole will continue to serve her constituents as the Member for Wanguri,” a statement from Ms Lawler said.

Ms Manison, who is holidaying in Bali, confirmed her support for the new chief in a Facebook post.

“Despite receiving very strong support to run as chief, I have decided to support Eva,” she wrote.

She confirmed she would be stepping down from cabinet after spending time discussing her future with her family.

“I will remain the Member for Wanguri and can’t say enough how much I love the people of Leanyer, Muirhead and Wanguri.

“I grew up in this community, I am raising my family in this community, and I will continue working hard for you,” she said.

Ms Lawler is currently the Treasurer and Education Minister, Territory Development Minister and also held the Infrastructure portfolio up until October.

She was elected to Parliament in August 2016 as the Member for Drysdale which encompasses Palmerston, Driver, Gray and Moulden.

Before getting into politics, Ms Lawler worked as a teacher in Darwin and the rural area before becoming principal over a career of 15 years.

Mr Paech is currently the Attorney-General, Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty Minister, Local Government Minister and the Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister.

Reacting to the move, opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro pointed to Ms Lawler’s history in government.

“For seven long years Eva Lawler has been a key figure of the Northern Territory Labor Government,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“A government that has mishandled countless integrity issues, sky rocketing crime and an economy going backwards.”

Lawler’s leadership challenge fuelled by anger

Frustrated Labor Party insiders have shed new light on Treasurer Eva Lawler’s unexpected push to win the Chief Minister’s job.

The surprise move by the Territory’s treasurer has angered some in the party who were hoping for a smooth leadership transition after the shock resignation of chief minister Natasha Fyles on Tuesday.

Ms Manison flagged her intention to contest the leadership, and late on Wednesday was still the only MLA to nominate.

But senior Labor sources say Ms Lawler and Attorney General Chansey Paech are considering a joint ticket to snatch the Labor leadership and Chief Minister’s job away from Ms Manison.

Alternatively, Ms Manison might end her nomination and Mr Bowden will contest the top job as the left faction’s candidate against Ms Lawler who would stand as the right faction candidate.

The NT News has learnt Ms Lawler’s interest in Territory Labor’s top political job stems from her frustration with Joel Bowden, who was elected to parliament in a 2020 by-election.

Last year after the resignation of Michael Gunner, Mr Bowden came under fire from Ms Lawler for refusing to rule out a leadership challenge.

The following day Ms Lawler told media it was absurd for an MLA who had not served as a minister to consider being Chief Minister.

Ms Lawler was disappointed during last month’s ministerial reshuffle when she was replaced as Infrastructure Minister by Mr Bowden.

But some in the party say her failures in the position meant her future in the job had become untenable.

They point to the $100m blowout in the cost of Sitzler’s Tiger Brennan Drive overpass project and failure to start dredging work at the shiplift project despite promising it would begin in September.

Ms Lawler’s critics also point to the recent embarrassing flub where she mistakenly over-egged NT employment figures, claiming a 5.8 per cent increase in the number of people employed in the NT instead of the correct figure of 1 per cent.

A ministerial staffer took responsibility for the bungle but some in the business community said blame for the gaff must rest with the minister.

Business people have been lining up to condemn Ms Lawler’s move to the chief minister’s office.

One prominent NT chief executive said Ms Manison had impressed the business community with her commitment to major projects and her propensity for straight talk.

“She wants what’s best for the Northern Territory, not what’s best for a small cohort of vocal stakeholder groups,” he said. “Eva Lawler’s appointment would be an absolute disaster for the Northern Territory,” he said.

Earlier, a leading Territory businessman questioned Ms Lawler’s commitment to the business community.

Internal fighting arises in search for next Chief

The leadership aspirations of Nicole Manison and Joel Bowden could still be alive as Labor descends into bitter infighting over who will become its next Chief Minister.

Several senior Labor Party and industry figures have expressed alarm after it was reported Treasurer Eva Lawler was a serious contender for the job, in a ticket that would install Attorney-General Chansey Paech as her deputy.

“Eva’s sold her soul for a six-pence,” one Labor source said about Ms Lawler’s reported deal with Mr Paech.

“Remember, Chansey is the minister who’s responsible for the carnage we saw in Alice Springs this year.”

The prospect of a Lawler/Paech leadership team has seen supporters of Ms Manison scrambling to strike a deal with Mr Bowden, with the support of senior union leaders.

“Anyone other than Manison and Labor is toast at the next election,” one Labor source said.

“Joel can save the furniture. Anyone else sees a wipeout for Labor.”

Ms Manison publicly announced her intention to run for the leadership after Natasha Fyles announced her resignation

But Ms Lawler caught right-faction colleagues off-guard when she started canvassing support.

One industry head said his concerns reflected those held broadly among business leaders in the Territory.

“There’s nothing that suggests the Treasurer is even interested in business,” he said.

“Nicole Manison has impressed industry leaders in the Territory with her understanding of the Territory’s business community and has shown she’s prepared to fight for industry.

“Eva’s background is public service and business has always been a low priority.”

Another former business leader was more succinct.

“There are parts of this government that doesn’t like the idea of profit and believe most businesses engage in tax dodging and wage theft.

“More broadly they don’t like mining or fossil fuels, the two export activities underpinning our economy. They mostly do the Albo thing and sit on the fence as much as possible but make everything harder behind the scenes.”

How Rudd rules could decide the next NT Chief Minister

Could the Rudd rules be invoked to decide the Northern Territory’s next Chief Minister?

Under rules introduced after the chaos of the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd federal governments, if two people nominate for the Labor leadership, it is not just the caucus who decides the leader.

Instead, party members are given a say in who their new leader will be.

The votes of the caucus have a 50 per cent weighting in the outcome, while the votes of party members make up the other 50 per cent.

The Rudd rules apply in all states and territories, but have never been put into action.

They have been avoided by caucus members agreeing to “unanimously” support whoever the caucus elects, even if the votes have been split.

But there’s always the potential a caucus member could force a ballot.

Given Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison has already officially nominated for the top job, it would only take another candidate to officially nominate and force a ballot of rank-and-file members.

The nominated candidates would then have four weeks to campaign for the leadership among the Labor Party membership.

The process would no-doubt be messy, but it can’t be discounted.

Education Minister Eva Lawler was revealed as a contender for Chief Minister. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Treasurer Eva Lawler tipped as next Chief Minister with A-G as deputy

Northern Territory Treasurer Eva Lawler has emerged as a potential replacement for Chief Minister Natasha Fyles following her snap resignation on Tuesday.

Labor sources have told Sky News Ms Lawler is a serious chance to win the top job in a deal that would see Attorney-General Chansey Paech installed as her deputy.

Some believe Ms Lawler already has the numbers to take the leadership ahead of Ms Fyles’ resignation officially comes into effect on Thursday.

If Ms Lawler wins the leadership contest it would see the chief ministership return to Labor’s right faction, after Ms Fyles became the left’s first Chief Minister when she replaced Michael Gunner last May.

But it would also strike a devastating blow to Ms Lawler’s right faction colleague Nicole Manison, who announced on Tuesday she was nominating for the top job.

It is understood it is unlikely Ms Manison will recontest her seat at next year’s election if she is rejected for the leadership for a second time, following her defeat by Ms Fyles after Mr Gunner’s shock resignation last year.

Ms Lawler also currently serves as Education Minister and Minister for Territory Development.