Education Chief Karen Weston replaced in changes to government

The woman who played a critical role in delivering a billion-dollar boost to Northern Territory education has been replaced fewer than three weeks after the CLP’s landslide election victory.

Northern Territory Department of Education Chief Executive Karen Weston Picture: Che Chorley

The woman who played a critical role in delivering a billion-dollar boost to education has been replaced fewer than three weeks after the CLP’s landslide election victory.

It can be confirmed Education Department chief executive Karen Weston has been removed from her role in a change of leadership.

She has been replaced by Susan Bowden.

Under Ms Weston’s leadership, Northern Territory education has seen a number of major reforms.

In December 2022, then-Education Minister Eva Lawler committed to scrapping the Territory’s controversial effective enrolment funding model, which led to the chronic underfunding of NT schools.

Following the release of the Review of Secondary Education in March this year, the NT government committed to phasing out middle schools in favour of establishing comprehensive high schools.

Most recently, the Lawler Labor government signed a historic bilateral agreement with the federal government to deliver $1.087 billion to NT schools over the next five years.

The historic agreement brought an end to school underfunding for the first time in the Territory’s history.

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro thanked Ms Weston for her service to education.

In the lead up to the election, Ms Finocchiaro assured the Territory’s public servants their jobs were “safe with the CLP”.

The CLP did not confirm why Ms Weston was replaced.

Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said any changes to high level positions such as CEOs would be “very disappointing”.

“Ms Weston was critical as part of that billion-dollar securing of funding for the Northern Territory, 10 years in advance of having every school better resourced,” she said.

“She has been a very pivotal part of that movement.

“The reforms in education that are underway and underfoot, we would hope the CLP government would continue those reforms and continue to honour what is key and critical to Territorians, which is making sure that our kids get a great education.”