The NT Opposition Leader has used her budget reply speech to question the timing of Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s resignation, and attack the financial credentials of the politician acting in his place.
Mr Gunner stepped aside from the Territory’s top job yesterday, announcing his resignation for family reasons, while he was delivering the NT’s budget to parliament.
Today, in what is traditionally a time for the Opposition to showcase its alternative budget, Country Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro launched into lengthy criticisms against Labor and Mr Gunner, accusing them of mismanaging the budget, then hiding from it.
“It must be a world-first that a Treasurer delivers a budget, and walks away on the same day, absolving themselves of any obligation to defend, explain or face scrutiny over the contents,” Ms Finocchiaro said.
“It would be a test of the remaining Labor rabble to see whether they own the budget, and all of its implications, or sheet blame to their failed, former leader.”
The criticism of the timing of Mr Gunner's resignation comes after Ms Finocchario, during her time as Opposition Leader, had repeatedly called for him to step down.
While news of Mr Gunner’s resignation overshadowed yesterday’s NT budget, the figures inside it showed the jurisdiction had received a huge GST windfall from the Commonwealth, which Treasury officials have forecast could bring the NT back to surplus by 2026.
This development was described by Mr Gunner in his final speech as a “tremendous” turnaround for the Territory, which just a few years ago was mired in unprecedented debt and budget blowouts.
Ms Finocchiaro also criticised the economic credibility of former treasurer – now Acting Chief Minister – Nicole Manison, who is one of the frontrunners in line to take over from Mr Gunner at an expected caucus vote on Friday.
“Today, the Territory is at the whim of the Acting Chief Minister, the Member for Wanguri, the owner of the Manison Mastercard, who herself was the worst performing treasurer in the Territory’s history,” Ms Finocchiaro said.
Ms Manison’s tenure as treasurer featured a record federal GST funding drop in 2019, and saw the NT government forced to undertake a wide-ranging review to advise on how to reign in spending.
Ms Finocchiaro also used her budget reply to announce that her party would double NT solar tariffs, after they were cut by two-thirds by Labor last week.
The CLP's pledge to double solar tariffs would apply during peak times.
“We are committed to renewable energy, grid stability, and most importantly, driving down the cost of living for Territorians,” she said.
The move by Labor to cut tariffs is expected to see thousands of ratepayers forced to pay more for power after the changes come into effect in July.
Government defends scrapping solar scheme
Ms Manison, responding to Ms Finocchiaro's budget reply speech, said the Opposition Leader's comments regarding the Chief Minister's resignation were "frankly undignified, and some parts were particularly low".
She said Mr Gunner had given a "very honest, sincere delivery" of why he resigned from the role.
Ms Manison also defended her time as treasurer, saying she assumed the role after a period of "chaos" under a CLP government.
"We had to do the hard work from the moment we got into government of rebuilding the Territory's reputation, of making sure we delivered stability, of delivering more projects to the Territory and diversifying the economy," she said.
"All while we were facing massive changes in the GST and losing lots of GST money out of the Northern Territory, and also seeing the biggest economic transition in the history of the Northern Territory post INPEX.
On the government's cut to solar tariffs, Ms Manison said the change put the Territory in line with the rest of the nation and created a fairer system.
"There are people that will be impacted, but it is really important to acknowledge at the moment that this is costing taxpayers $12 million a year to subside that," she said.
