Territory Alliance Katherine candidate Melanie Usher quits role with CLP’s Senator McMahon

A FORMER long-time CLP member who jumped ship to run for Territory Alliance has quit her position in Senator Sam McMahon’s office

A FORMER long-time CLP member who jumped ship to run for Territory Alliance has quit her position in Senator Sam McMahon’s office.

Territory Alliance’s candidate for Katherine Melanie Usher confirmed to the NT News she had resigned as an electorate officer for Senator McMahon, saying it “just doesn’t make sense” to stay employed by a CLP member in the circumstances.

It came hours after the NT News reported that Ms Usher and Senator McMahon had agreed it would have been okay for her to remain working there despite being in separate parties.

It is also understood members of the CLP’s Katherine branch have resigned from the party to get behind Ms Usher’s election bid.

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Jeff Usher, Sam McMahon, Debbie Aloisi and Melanie Usher in Katherine on Voting Day, May 18, 2019. FACEBOOK

“It just doesn’t make sense to say employed by a CLP member when I’m running (with Territory Alliance),” Ms Usher said.

“I really need my 100 per cent focus (to be on campaigning) … with no perception of divided loyalties).”

In a statement Senator McMahon accepted Ms Usher’s resignation and thanked her for her service.

“I acknowledge receipt of the resignation of Mel Usher,” she said.

“Ms Usher, who has been a longstanding member of the CLP, and staffer for former members, has been a dedicated and loyal member of my staff, and I wish her well.

“I respect her right to participate in the democratic process.”

Senator McMahon also voiced her support for CLP candidate for Katherine Jo Hersey.

“I am 100 per cent behind CLP candidate Jo Hersey for the seat of Katherine and the CLP team for the Northern Territory,” she said.

“The CLP is now and always will be the best party to govern the Northern Territory.

“Territorians deserve to have jobs, to be safe, and to have the best opportunity to get ahead in life. Only under a CLP Government will they be able to do this.”

Ms Usher has been a member of the CLP for decades, including as a staffer for former Sanderson MLA and frontbencher Daryl Manzie.

Her defection has drawn blood at the CLP, with leader Lia Finocchiaro going on the attack this morning.

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Ms Finocchiaro called into question Ms Usher’s “judgment and character” and “conviction to Territory Alliance” if she were to continue in her role with Senator McMahon.

But Ms Finocchiaro declined to say if the CLP would have pressured their only sitting federal member to terminate Ms Usher’s employment.

She also attacked Territory Alliance, saying it was a party made up of “disgruntled” people from “just about every political party”.

The CLP leader refused to say if the party had been shedding members, particularly to Territory Alliance.