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| NT government loses majority after Speaker Kezia Purick quits CLP | NT government loses majority after Speaker Kezia Purick quits CLP |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Northern Territory government no longer has a majority in parliament, after the Speaker of the house announced her resignation from the Country Liberal party on Monday. | The Northern Territory government no longer has a majority in parliament, after the Speaker of the house announced her resignation from the Country Liberal party on Monday. |
| Kezia Purick, the member for Goyder, has previously spoken of her frustrations with the government, and on Monday confirmed she had written to the party leadership and chief minister Adam Giles to inform them of her resignation. | Kezia Purick, the member for Goyder, has previously spoken of her frustrations with the government, and on Monday confirmed she had written to the party leadership and chief minister Adam Giles to inform them of her resignation. |
| Related: How the Northern Territory government went from landslide to 'laughing stock' | Related: How the Northern Territory government went from landslide to 'laughing stock' |
| “I have become increasingly agitated at the lack of integrity framework within the government and lack of communication from the executive government to all CLP elected members,” she said. “A lack of transparency in decision-making and accountability is further highlighted in increasing unrest and distrust in the planning commission by Territorians.” | “I have become increasingly agitated at the lack of integrity framework within the government and lack of communication from the executive government to all CLP elected members,” she said. “A lack of transparency in decision-making and accountability is further highlighted in increasing unrest and distrust in the planning commission by Territorians.” |
| But she told media she would like to remain as Speaker and vowed not to vote for a motion of no confidence against the government, should one be put forward, because “it’s not my job to undo the government”. | But she told media she would like to remain as Speaker and vowed not to vote for a motion of no confidence against the government, should one be put forward, because “it’s not my job to undo the government”. |
| “I won’t be participating in any political games, point-scoring or cheap gains to get motions passed,” she said. | “I won’t be participating in any political games, point-scoring or cheap gains to get motions passed,” she said. |
| “My decision to not take the Territory to an election at this time is not just because I believe a government should serve its full term, but also that Territorians voted this government into office and have the ultimate right and responsibility to unelect it.” | “My decision to not take the Territory to an election at this time is not just because I believe a government should serve its full term, but also that Territorians voted this government into office and have the ultimate right and responsibility to unelect it.” |
| She said she suspected the 2012 election “voted Labor out” rather than the CLP in, and “this could well be reversed next year”. | She said she suspected the 2012 election “voted Labor out” rather than the CLP in, and “this could well be reversed next year”. |
| Purick has previously told Guardian Australia her membership was at the whim of her constituents, and that their views would determine whether she stayed with the government. | Purick has previously told Guardian Australia her membership was at the whim of her constituents, and that their views would determine whether she stayed with the government. |
| On Monday she said she had spoken to many people in her electorate over the past couple of weeks. | On Monday she said she had spoken to many people in her electorate over the past couple of weeks. |
| “They are genuinely upset with this government,” she said. “They are solid, strong conservative voters and they come to me saying, ‘We want to vote for you, we want to keep you there, but we cannot bring ourselves to vote for this government.’” | “They are genuinely upset with this government,” she said. “They are solid, strong conservative voters and they come to me saying, ‘We want to vote for you, we want to keep you there, but we cannot bring ourselves to vote for this government.’” |
| On Monday she said her reasons for resigning revolved mainly around planning and development issues in the rural regions, including a lack of transparency in the process. She said she had resorted to lodging freedom of information requests in order to find out about planning in her electorate. | On Monday she said her reasons for resigning revolved mainly around planning and development issues in the rural regions, including a lack of transparency in the process. She said she had resorted to lodging freedom of information requests in order to find out about planning in her electorate. |
| In return for her co-operation with the government, Purick said, she would also be pushing for greater understanding of her rural electorate from the leaders, and specifically a review of the Medical Services Act and regulation of the RU486 abortion pill. | In return for her co-operation with the government, Purick said, she would also be pushing for greater understanding of her rural electorate from the leaders, and specifically a review of the Medical Services Act and regulation of the RU486 abortion pill. |
| The Northern Territory is the only Australian jurisdiction not to have legalised the drug, and Purick has long been a supporter of extending access to Territorian women. | |
| The CLP came to office in 2012 with a majority 16 MPs in the 25 seat unicameral parliament. After a string of resignations, which now includes Purick, the government has just 12, and will be forced to rely on one of the five independents to pass legislation. | |
| Gerry Wood, the independent member for Nelson, told Guardian Australia he supported Purick’s resignation. | |
| “I think she saw the government wasn’t listening to what she was doing and left her with no other option that she had to get out.” | |
| Wood said he had spoken to Purick on Monday morning but did not know she was “pulling the pin”. | |
| However, the decision did not surprise him. | |
| “We had been discussing it for a while. I spoke to her on Friday night at a rugby league game at Freds Pass and she certainly was considering it seriously at that stage. | |
| “If pulling out of the government can wake the government up, it’s got to get back to basics, and one of the basics is it’s got to understand what good governance is,” he said. | |
| “Good governance is playing by the rules and I think the rules have gone out the door and influential people have taken over.” | |
| Wood said he would not support a motion of no-confidence at the moment. | |
| “I would allow the government if I had the choice to continue, but there would be conditions placed on it similar to those placed on the previous [Henderson] government.” | |
| Related: 'Adam Giles has driven me out': Robyn Lambley quits NT's ruling party | |
| Wood confirmed he supported Purick’s request to remain as Speaker. “She does a good role as speaker - keeps people on their toes,” he said. | |
| The opposition leader, Michael Gunner, said on Twitter, adding the hashtag #election: “Terrritorians deserve clear air. Let Territorians decide.” | |
| “CLP have struggled to deliver stable Govt in last three years with majority. CLP cannot deliver stable Govt with minority.” | |
| Since the election the government has been beset by numerous problems and controversies. Most recently Paul Mossman, a senior advisor to minister Bess Price was last week charged with corruption in relation to a travel booking made for Price via the chief minister’s department. The booking was made through Latitude Travel, owned by Xana Kamitsis, who is currently facing multiple fraud charges. Kamitsis faces a corruption charge alongside Mossman | Since the election the government has been beset by numerous problems and controversies. Most recently Paul Mossman, a senior advisor to minister Bess Price was last week charged with corruption in relation to a travel booking made for Price via the chief minister’s department. The booking was made through Latitude Travel, owned by Xana Kamitsis, who is currently facing multiple fraud charges. Kamitsis faces a corruption charge alongside Mossman |
| Purick is the latest in a string of high-profile women to leave the party. Alison Anderson, Larissa Lee and Robyn Lambley have all resigned in the past 18 months. | Purick is the latest in a string of high-profile women to leave the party. Alison Anderson, Larissa Lee and Robyn Lambley have all resigned in the past 18 months. |
| Lambley and a former president of the CLP, Sue Fraser-Adams, who also resigned from the party, have spoken of a “boys’ club” in the CLP parliamentary wing, but Purick said she did not agree with those assessments. | Lambley and a former president of the CLP, Sue Fraser-Adams, who also resigned from the party, have spoken of a “boys’ club” in the CLP parliamentary wing, but Purick said she did not agree with those assessments. |
| “This is not a game for the faint hearted,” she said. | “This is not a game for the faint hearted,” she said. |
| Chief minister Adam Giles was expected to address media on Monday afternoon. | Chief minister Adam Giles was expected to address media on Monday afternoon. |
| Asked about Purick early on Monday, before her announcement, Giles told Mix 104.9, “It’s the first I’ve heard of it.” | Asked about Purick early on Monday, before her announcement, Giles told Mix 104.9, “It’s the first I’ve heard of it.” |
| “Kezia has been a integral member of the team and of government, I’ve had a good time working with her both in opposition and in government,” he said. | “Kezia has been a integral member of the team and of government, I’ve had a good time working with her both in opposition and in government,” he said. |
| “She’s a person who is very outspoken for her electorate and that’s what we expect all members of parliament to do.” | “She’s a person who is very outspoken for her electorate and that’s what we expect all members of parliament to do.” |
| But, he said, “we’ll just get on and govern, nothing will change”. | But, he said, “we’ll just get on and govern, nothing will change”. |