NT Labor defends 2021 performance, CLP takes aim at crime, Covid

The NT Labor government has defended its 2021 performance as the CLP takes aim. HAVE YOUR SAY.

THE Territory Labor government has sought to defend its performance over 2021, while sinking the boot into the opposition.

Acting Chief Minister Nicole Manison told the NT News the government was most proud of its management of the Covid-19 pandemic that has gripped the world for the past two years.

“Our record in 2021 speaks for itself,” Ms Manison, who was standing in for Chief Minister Michael Gunner when he was on leave last week, said.

“Along with WA, the Territory has been the safest and most economic resilient jurisdiction throughout the pandemic.”

Acting Chief Minister Nicole Manison. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Among figures Ms Manison used to spruik the government’s work this year was an 8.6 per cent increase in state final demand, which she said was the “best in Australia”.

“Household consumption in the Territory is up by 8.9 per cent – with spending on hotels, cafes and restaurants up by 24 per cent.”

Ms Manison also spruiked the exciting projects that were coming online in the Northern Territory during 2022:

● NASA in Nhulunbuy with Equatorial Launch Australia to prepare for a suborbital sounding rocket launch campaign.

● The Barossa joint venture – the US$3.6bn gas and condensate project – and the US$600m investment in the Darwin LNG life extension and pipeline tie-in project.

● DCI Data Centres is building a new secure cloud edge data centre in Darwin – strengthening the Top End’s position as Australia’s digital gateway to Asia.

●Vocus beginning work on the Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore Cable – Northern Australia’s first international submarine cable.

●Crowley developing a $270m fuel storage facility in Darwin to support continued US Defence operations in the Northern Territory.

●Core Lithium’s $89m Finniss Lithium Project – providing about 250 jobs for Territorians.

The NT government went on to highlight its victory in the Daly by-election, which Labor candidate Dheran Young won over the CLP’s Kris Civitarese.

“It’s been a year of lost ground and lost relevance for Lia Finocchiaro and the CLP,” Ms Manison said.

“Not only did she make history by becoming the first Opposition leader to lose a seat at a by-election, she has lost numbers in her own party room and is hanging on by a thread as leader.”

THE OPPOSITION

CLP leader Lia Finocchiaro has lashed the NT government’s performance in 2021.

Ms Finocchiaro also touched on other prominent events, such as growing police attrition, to give the government a failing grade for the year.

Police and Crime

Among issues the CLP highlighted for the year was police attrition rates doubling in a year and a damning A Current Affair story into crime in Alice.

The party claimed reforms to youth bail laws had failed and criticised a $35m payout to former Don Dale detainees while many victims of crime went unpaid.

The Opposition leader sought to outline what she would do differently on the complex and tricky issue of crime.

“A CLP government would return Youth Justice to Corrections so that Territory Families can focus on its core function – the care and protection of children,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“We will deal with recidivist offending by setting a presumption against bail for repeat adult and youth offenders, and reinstate breach of bail conditions as an offence for youths – which will have an immediate impact.

CLP Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“As part of our alcohol policy reform, a CLP government would scrap the minimum floor price and launch an immediate review of the Banned Drinker Register.”

Performance in Parliament:

Ms Finocchiaro labelled the Labor government’s performance in parliament this year as “staggering”.

Among issues which the CLP said was dogging the government were the ‘cocaine sex scandal’, and the fallout from allegations made about Treaty Commissioner Mick Dodson of verbal abuse towards women.

Health and Covid

The CLP has pursued the government right through 2021 over the state of the Royal Darwin Hospital, which had four code yellows in the space of a year.

It also made light of the most recent government backflip, after ministers were forced to change key points of the Territory’s border policies after outcry.

Ms Finocchiaro said she wanted the government move on from focusing on Covid-19 as a singular issue.

“We need to look beyond the NT’s Covid-19 response to address our longer term health issues, including managing chronic alcohol abuse, and the impact of violent crime – we can’t do that without adequate health staffing levels across the Territory.”

Economy

The CLP has again sought to criticise the government’s handling of the economy, highlighting the CommSec State of the States report that has ranked the Territory last for 12 consecutive quarters.

After the government froze wages for public sector wages, Ms Finocchiaro said she wanted to more closely adopt the recommendations of the Langoulant report.

“The CLP supports the ‘Plan for Budget Repair’ and would give public servants a pay rise of $1000 per year. That’s real wages growth complete with superannuation and leave entitlements, which provides security and opportunity,” she said.

The Budget

All through 2021, the CLP have made hay of various budget blowouts of government projects.

High-profile blowouts include: the Myilly Point Playground running $1.3m over its $2.7m budget, a $7m overrun on the State Square carpark, a $1m blowout on demolishing the Chan Building, and a $4000 per month maintenance bill for the iconic Cav St shade structure.

Education: Ms Finocchiaro said her party would implement a number of reforms to help improve the learning of young Territorians.

“The CLP supports community-led solutions to increase attendance rates because we recognise the stark difference between schools in Darwin, Gunbalanya, Borroloola, and Papunya,” she said.

“A CLP government would also bring back Truancy Officers, which were scrapped under Labor.”

Government Integrity: Following the bombshell ICAC report into the government’s $12m grant to the Darwin Turf Club for a grandstand, the CLP had at least two months of field days.

Among the highlights for Ms Finocchiaro was when two of Gunner’s own ministers outed him as the person who brought the grandstand submission into parliament under his arm.

Ms Finocchiaro also criticised Labor’s use of parliamentary tactics to shut down debate, quoting Mr Gunner’s own election pitch from 2016: “Territorians want and deserve a government they can trust. An open, accountable and transparent government is essential for this trust to work. Territory Labor believes in open, accountable and transparent Government. Territorians have the right to access Government information.”

Overall Verdict: “The Gunner Government’s end of year report card is a firm fail,” Ms Finocchiaro said. “Let’s hope 2022 is a better year for us all because Territorians deserve better.”

Originally published as NT Labor defends 2021 performance, CLP takes aim at crime, Covid