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| Northern Territory: Michael Gunner seeks urgent briefing on juvenile detention | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| One of Michael Gunner’s first acts as chief minister-elect of the Northern Territory will be to call a briefing on youth justice and the welfare of young detainees at the notorious Don Dale youth detention centre. | One of Michael Gunner’s first acts as chief minister-elect of the Northern Territory will be to call a briefing on youth justice and the welfare of young detainees at the notorious Don Dale youth detention centre. |
| Gunner was addressing media on Sunday morning, after leading the Labor party to an emphatic victory over the scandal-plagued Country Liberal party (CLP) government on Saturday. | Gunner was addressing media on Sunday morning, after leading the Labor party to an emphatic victory over the scandal-plagued Country Liberal party (CLP) government on Saturday. |
| With 60% of the votes counted, Labor had won 15 seats in the 25-seat unicameral parliament, with another three predicted. The CLP was reduced from 12 to one, with another two possible at most, after suffering an almost 19% swing against it. | With 60% of the votes counted, Labor had won 15 seats in the 25-seat unicameral parliament, with another three predicted. The CLP was reduced from 12 to one, with another two possible at most, after suffering an almost 19% swing against it. |
| The new Northern Territory government will have to manage expected economic hard times, as well as a crisis in youth justice. Gunner said he would be seeking some meetings immediately, before writs are issued and the full make-up of his team is clear. A treasurer would be elected by caucus. | The new Northern Territory government will have to manage expected economic hard times, as well as a crisis in youth justice. Gunner said he would be seeking some meetings immediately, before writs are issued and the full make-up of his team is clear. A treasurer would be elected by caucus. |
| “I will be seeking a meeting with the corrections commissioner, the CEO of justice and the Aboriginal peak organisations, and the NT council of social services, to be briefed on Don Dale, the welfare of the kids, an update on legal issues and where we are at, to make sure we start on the right foot even now about how we handle these issues,” he said. | “I will be seeking a meeting with the corrections commissioner, the CEO of justice and the Aboriginal peak organisations, and the NT council of social services, to be briefed on Don Dale, the welfare of the kids, an update on legal issues and where we are at, to make sure we start on the right foot even now about how we handle these issues,” he said. |
| “We want to do things differently, better, and together, so let’s start by having that discussion together.” | “We want to do things differently, better, and together, so let’s start by having that discussion together.” |
| Gunner said he would be seeking a briefing “from the start” on the state of Don Dale. | Gunner said he would be seeking a briefing “from the start” on the state of Don Dale. |
| “There’s a lot of information we don’t have.” | “There’s a lot of information we don’t have.” |
| The royal commission into child protection and youth detention will hold its first directions hearing next week. | The royal commission into child protection and youth detention will hold its first directions hearing next week. |
| Labor’s costings released on the Thursday before the election included $15m earmarked for a new juvenile detention centre to replace Don Dale but not until 2019/20. | Labor’s costings released on the Thursday before the election included $15m earmarked for a new juvenile detention centre to replace Don Dale but not until 2019/20. |
| Gunner said conversations with peak organisations had been around diversionary and rehabilitation programs, and he had not received any recommendations that the physical infrastructure of the facility was the most immediate issue. | Gunner said conversations with peak organisations had been around diversionary and rehabilitation programs, and he had not received any recommendations that the physical infrastructure of the facility was the most immediate issue. |
| “That’s not to say Don Dale isn’t important, and what we do in that space isn’t important, but a lot of the feedback I’ve had from those organisations … has been they’re happy to help. They’ve had the hand reached out and we’re happy to work with them.” | “That’s not to say Don Dale isn’t important, and what we do in that space isn’t important, but a lot of the feedback I’ve had from those organisations … has been they’re happy to help. They’ve had the hand reached out and we’re happy to work with them.” |
| The chief minister-elect also said Labor would begin work on establishing an independent commission against corruption, continue a Buy Local policy and enact Labor’s first home buyers’ grant scheme. | The chief minister-elect also said Labor would begin work on establishing an independent commission against corruption, continue a Buy Local policy and enact Labor’s first home buyers’ grant scheme. |
| Gunner said unless there was different advice from the treasury department Labor would not be providing a minibudget before a full budget, as he believed that would be a “handbrake” on government. Labor would hold a series of economic summits. | Gunner said unless there was different advice from the treasury department Labor would not be providing a minibudget before a full budget, as he believed that would be a “handbrake” on government. Labor would hold a series of economic summits. |
| “We think we can bring our plans in through that transition phase without affecting or interrupting the delicate business situation we have in the Northern Territory,” he said. | “We think we can bring our plans in through that transition phase without affecting or interrupting the delicate business situation we have in the Northern Territory,” he said. |
| With a larger independent crossbench than CLP opposition looking likely, Gunner said he would ensure all non-Labor MLAs were well-resourced. He didn’t rule out making the CLP share funds ordinarily earmarked for the opposition party with independents, should they be in the minority. | With a larger independent crossbench than CLP opposition looking likely, Gunner said he would ensure all non-Labor MLAs were well-resourced. He didn’t rule out making the CLP share funds ordinarily earmarked for the opposition party with independents, should they be in the minority. |
| The former chief minister Adam Giles, whose seat of Braitling is still undecided, said on Saturday night the result had been a “thumping” for his party and they had heard the message from the electorate about the cost of disunity in government and looking after oneself instead of the people. | The former chief minister Adam Giles, whose seat of Braitling is still undecided, said on Saturday night the result had been a “thumping” for his party and they had heard the message from the electorate about the cost of disunity in government and looking after oneself instead of the people. |
| The CLP would rebuild and return, he said. | The CLP would rebuild and return, he said. |
| “We will remove the disagreements, we will remove the personalities of politics and we will come back bigger and better because one thing is for sure: Labor can’t manage the economy, Labor can’t manage law and order, hence one day in the future the NT will look on us to take leadership, albeit in a more concise, less personality operated government.” | “We will remove the disagreements, we will remove the personalities of politics and we will come back bigger and better because one thing is for sure: Labor can’t manage the economy, Labor can’t manage law and order, hence one day in the future the NT will look on us to take leadership, albeit in a more concise, less personality operated government.” |