NT Independent

Chief Minister rules out referring $850m ship lift cost blowout for independent investigation

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro on Monday ruled out referring the now $850 million Labor-led ship lift project for a proper investigation, after a parliamentary inquiry late last year found the deal to build the facility for the Paspaley Group lacked transparency, any trace of public accountability and was carried out with questionable public benefit involving multiple unexplained contract variations.

Arafura Rare Earths mine given ‘significant project’ status by NT Government

The $1.6 billion Arafura Rare Earths Nolans Project north of Alice Springs has been declared the Northern Territory’s first “significant project” under the Territory Coordinator Act, that the Chief Minister says will see the project given “the full attention of the government” to assist it move through “all of the risk processes and systems”, which follows last week’s final investment decision.

‘Certain conduct was inappropriate’: Dept confirms police investigating toxic workplace allegations involving death of IT worker

NT Police are investigating toxic workplace allegations linked to the Acacia IT system, which family members of deceased employee Shaun Joyce said contributed to his death, after the Department of Corporate and Digital Development’s internal investigation found “inappropriate” conduct occurred.

NT’s Integrity and Ethics Commissioner’s office lacks proper independence: National report

The Northern Territory’s “problematic Super Inspector” position to oversee the recently created Office of the Integrity and Ethics Commissioner, that the CLP Government filled with former ICAC inspector Bruce McClintock, has been flagged by a national organisation as “a good example of how oversight can go wrong” with integrity bodies.

Roadside drug test leads to guns seizure

A roadside drug test that allegedly returned a positive result for methamphetamine led to the seizure of seven firearms, ammunition and drugs in Katherine, NT Police said.

Opinion: The post office is being quietly dismantled and the NT will feel it first

Australia Post’s shift towards parcels, lockers and digital services is quietly undermining the licensed post office network that many Northern Territory communities rely on for banking, government services and everyday transactions, writes Licensed Post Office Group chairperson Scott Etherington.

ECNT seeks judicial review over Claravale clearing plans

The Environment Centre NT is seeking a Federal Court judicial review of federal Environment Minister Murray Watt’s decision not to assess Top End Pastoral Company’s plans to clear almost 3,000ha at Claravale Station, the organisation said.

NT Criminal Court list – with charges – June 01

The 204 names facing criminal courts in the Northern Territory for Monday June 1, 2026. This list includes all the charges.

Boothby and CLP taken to task by feds for failing to properly fund Legal Aid services

Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has reminded her NT counterpart Marie-Clare Boothby that the NT Government has an obligation to maintain proper funding for legal aid for Territorians, amid fears from the Federal Government that increased pressure on NT courts and corrections has been exacerbated by funding cuts, which has produced “heightened risks to fairness and access to justice” that may be in breach of international human rights obligations.

Red-collared lorikeet tops NT bird count survey

The red-collared lorikeet, followed by the magpie-lark and Torresian imperial-pigeon, were the most sighted birds in the Northern Territory according to respondents to Bird Life Australia’s Aussie Bird Count survey.