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| Deposed Country Liberals leader to fight Northern Territory election as independent | Deposed Country Liberals leader to fight Northern Territory election as independent |
| (17 days later) | |
| Terry Mills, the deposed former leader of the Northern Territory’s Country Liberals government, has announced his return to politics and will contest the upcoming election as an independent. | Terry Mills, the deposed former leader of the Northern Territory’s Country Liberals government, has announced his return to politics and will contest the upcoming election as an independent. |
| Mills announced his resignation as a CLP member and his candidacy for the seat of Blain in Palmerston on Sunday afternoon, describing watching the actions of the government he led to victory in 2012 as an “accident” he had a “moral obligation” to act on. | Mills announced his resignation as a CLP member and his candidacy for the seat of Blain in Palmerston on Sunday afternoon, describing watching the actions of the government he led to victory in 2012 as an “accident” he had a “moral obligation” to act on. |
| Mills was rolled by Adam Giles as chief minister just seven months after he led the CLP to victory in 2012, in March 2013. | Mills was rolled by Adam Giles as chief minister just seven months after he led the CLP to victory in 2012, in March 2013. |
| He said the NT parliament had become a laughing stock. | He said the NT parliament had become a laughing stock. |
| “I don’t want to see the door just open for the Labor party to occupy the benches of government because the CLP have offended the sensibilities of Territorians to such a degree,” Mills told reporters. | “I don’t want to see the door just open for the Labor party to occupy the benches of government because the CLP have offended the sensibilities of Territorians to such a degree,” Mills told reporters. |
| He said he wanted to raise the standards of parliamentary debate and to focus on real issues, and “to make a difference”. | He said he wanted to raise the standards of parliamentary debate and to focus on real issues, and “to make a difference”. |
| In April 2014 Mills resigned from parliament and was appointed NT Indonesia commissioner before being sacked from that role as well by Giles after he retweeted a photo of himself laughing over the failed coup against Giles in early 2015. | In April 2014 Mills resigned from parliament and was appointed NT Indonesia commissioner before being sacked from that role as well by Giles after he retweeted a photo of himself laughing over the failed coup against Giles in early 2015. |
| He will contest his former seat of Blain in Palmerston. | He will contest his former seat of Blain in Palmerston. |
| His successor in the seat, Nathan Barrett, resigned from the CLP in June and will not recontest the seat he held for two years following revelations of a sex scandal. | His successor in the seat, Nathan Barrett, resigned from the CLP in June and will not recontest the seat he held for two years following revelations of a sex scandal. |
| NT Labor officially launched its election campaign on Sunday, pledging to appoint a minister for children following the revelations of abuse in Darwin’s Don Dale youth justice system. | NT Labor officially launched its election campaign on Sunday, pledging to appoint a minister for children following the revelations of abuse in Darwin’s Don Dale youth justice system. |
| About 200 party members gathered to hear the opposition leader, Michael Gunner, announce Labor’s key policy platforms, including how it would boost the flagging economy, how it would restore trust in government and promote a shift towards renewable energy. | About 200 party members gathered to hear the opposition leader, Michael Gunner, announce Labor’s key policy platforms, including how it would boost the flagging economy, how it would restore trust in government and promote a shift towards renewable energy. |
| The deputy leader, Lynne Walker, would be appointed children’s minister in an elected Labor government, Gunner said. | The deputy leader, Lynne Walker, would be appointed children’s minister in an elected Labor government, Gunner said. |
| “Investing in our kids is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do; it prevents future social problems,” he said. | “Investing in our kids is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do; it prevents future social problems,” he said. |
| “This investment is the best way to prevent the terrible things we saw on Four Corners, and we must work to ensure we never see those things occur again.” | “This investment is the best way to prevent the terrible things we saw on Four Corners, and we must work to ensure we never see those things occur again.” |
| He also acknowledged that Labor had lost touch with Indigenous Australians in its final term to 2012, which cost it government. | He also acknowledged that Labor had lost touch with Indigenous Australians in its final term to 2012, which cost it government. |
| “Previously, Indigenous Territorians stood with Labor for years; they stood with us, they voted for us, and finally they lost patience with us because we had become complacent,” Gunner said. “Labor has heard that message and learned the lessons.”He promised a $1.1bn 10-year investment in remote housing, pledged to create more ranger programs, and said Labor would provide “the first ever permanent funding to support the strong coalition of the Aboriginal peak organisations of the NT so we can better work together in a respectful way”. | “Previously, Indigenous Territorians stood with Labor for years; they stood with us, they voted for us, and finally they lost patience with us because we had become complacent,” Gunner said. “Labor has heard that message and learned the lessons.”He promised a $1.1bn 10-year investment in remote housing, pledged to create more ranger programs, and said Labor would provide “the first ever permanent funding to support the strong coalition of the Aboriginal peak organisations of the NT so we can better work together in a respectful way”. |
| He insisted Labor was the only viable alternative to the Country Liberals, and said “no group of independents or other parties, well-meaning or otherwise, can govern for all Territorians like Labor can”. | He insisted Labor was the only viable alternative to the Country Liberals, and said “no group of independents or other parties, well-meaning or otherwise, can govern for all Territorians like Labor can”. |
| The NT election will be held on 27 August. | The NT election will be held on 27 August. |