Finocchiaro pulls out of Darwin IWD event last minute to deal with ‘urgent government business’

The NT Government is in lockdown - with the Chief Minister making an eleventh hour withdrawal from a public event to attend to ‘urgent government business’. WATCH THE VIDEO.

The Northern Territory Government is in lockdown – with the Chief Minister making an eleventh hour withdrawal from a public event to attend to “urgent government business”.

Mrs Finocchiaro was set to attend a long-standing commitment at the ‘No Woman Left Behind’ lunch, with her face featuring on flyers promoting the event.

But at 11.30am, moments before she was due to arrive, it was made known she would no longer be attending – instead bringing in senior minister Robyn Cahill to take her place.

It comes less than 24-hours after police commissioner Michael Murphy outed himself as being the senior bureaucrat at the centre of the ‘job for a mate’ recruitment scandal, and subsequent ICAC investigation and anonymised report.

NT police commissioner Michael Murphy. Picture: NewsWire / Liam Mendes / Pool

In his written statement issued late on Thursday, Commissioner Murphy responded to the ICAC’s finding that “improper conduct” had occurred during the recruitment process, which saw the Commissioner’s close friend get a job after Murphy provided a reference.

The report also found he sat on the interview panel and sent the interviewee his previous job application.

The ICAC finding for Operation Apollo which was completely anonymised when released last Friday, found there was “unsatisfactory conduct” in the management of conflicts of interest around the recruitment, describing it as “negligent” and “incompetent”.

Mr Murphy acknowledged in his belated statement that he “should have done better with a conflict of interest, a friendship and a referee report in relation to an appointee,” he said.

“On reflection, I should have managed the friendship and the conflict of interest to a higher standard and on at least one occasion should have recused myself from the appointment process in order to ensure community confidence.”

Chief minister Lia Finocchiaro and NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy. Picture: NewsWire / Liam Mendes / Pool

Speaking to the NT News at the International Women’s Day event at Mindil Beach Casino Resort pavilion after the Chief pulled out – Ms Cahill said Mrs Finocchiaro was attending “urgent government business”.

Ms Cahill said she had stepped in as the “minister for everything female”.

“There was some urgent government business she had to attend, and I am the minister for everything female, so it makes more sense for me to be here,” she told a hungry press pack who had been keen to put questions to the Territory’s most senior politician.

Asked if she believed the Police Commissioner should resign, she deflected.

“That’s a very complex matter and that’s a matter for the Commissioner.”

She was then overcome by a cough and ignored all following questions as she made her way inside the pavilion.

Also at the event, CLP Solomon candidate and former acting NT Police Association president, Lisa Bayliss,brushed off questions on the Police Commissioner’s future.

“Not today”, she said.

Minister Robyn Cahill is bounced by media at Mindil Beach Casino for the No Woman Left Behind Lunch. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Ms Cahill had a busy Friday morning, after jetting back to Darwin on Thursday night out of the Red Centre after a whirlwind visit to Alice Springs with other ministers.

Also in Alice Springs was Deputy Chief Minister Gerard Maley who, according to a joint press release, was set to visit pastoralists in Central Australia.

In the press release headlined ‘Alice Springs continues to be a priority for the CLP government’, the Red Centre movements of Local Government and Community Development Minister Steve Edgington, Treasurer Bill Yan and Planning and Environment Minister Josh Burgoyne were also flagged.

Attempts to organise interviews with the ministers has so far been unsuccessful, with Mr Maley heading out bush.

Mr Yan, Mr Burgoyne and Mr Edgington are now understood to be in a series of meetings, and attempts by this masthead to contact have been directed back to the Department of Chief Minister media team.

Back in Darwin, newly-minted minister and first-term politician Jinson Charls was dragooned by the Government to appear on Mix FM’s high-profile Week That Was radio program, where he was forced to respond to questions that fall under the purview of Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby.

Ms Boothby’s whereabouts at this stage are unknown.

A spokesperson for the Chief Minister repeated the same talking points as Ms Cahill.

Opposition Leader Selena Uibo was critical of the missing in action Chief Minister, saying her actions were failing to meet community expectations.

“In her first real test of leadership, Lia Finocchiaro has chosen to do nothing and go into hiding,” Ms Uibo said.

“Lia Finocchiaro preaches about consequences for bad behaviour. Why isn’t she applying these rules to her own Government?

“Leadership is about action, not excuses. As the leader Lia Finocchiaro needs to step up or step aside.”

Originally published as Finocchiaro pulls out of Darwin IWD event last minute to deal with ‘urgent government business’