NT POLITICS – WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS

WOW!!

The NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner, on holiday in New Zealand, today dismissed Ken Vowles from the ministry. Vowles, Tony Collins (Assistant Minister) and Scott McConnell (backbencher) were voted by the rest of the Labor Caucas out of the caucas. It could be they are expelled from the Labor Party.

When things happen up here, they happen.

Mr Vowles was an excellent minister, axed for straight talking about the state of our Territory economy. He apparently broke the rule of ‘thou shalt bot speak without clearance’.

Mr Gunner has cut short his holiday and is winging his way back to Darwin to look at the ramifications of today’s decisions. And there will be significant outfall from today’s happenings.

Mr Vowles was Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Primary Industry and Resources and the Arafura Games. He has handled those portfolios excellently and is highly regarded by many of those with whom he interacted. He is a person for whom I have a great deal of respect and his departure will leave positions that will take a lot of filling.

There is an interesting juxtaposition built into this situation. In 2013, while overseas representing the NT in Japan, then Chief Minister Terry Mills was voted out of his position by the CLP parliamentary wing. Five years later in 2018, the Chief Minister Michael Gunner, while holidaying in New Zealand has dismissed Mr Vowles from the ministry of the Labor Government.