PUP: And then there were two …

3
1470

Adam Giles and Member for Arafura Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu
By ERWIN CHLANDA
 
The Palmer United Party in the NT has lost a third of its Parliamentary wing with the defection of Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu (pictured with Adam Giles) back to the CLP.
 
Only six days ago, when Treasurer Dave Tollner resigned from the front bench, PUP Leader Alison Anderson said Mr Kurrupuwu declined to take a phone call from Chief Minister Adam Giles because “Francis doesn’t take calls from little kids.”
 
But today Mr Giles says: “It is a pleasure to have Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu back on the Country Liberals team where he can most effectively serve the people of Arafura and all Territorians.
 
“I have always said that the door remained open to Mr Kurrupuwu to return and I am very happy to have him back on the Country Liberals team.
 
“The Government recently received word that Mr Kurrupuwu was unhappy with the lack of support he was receiving and that he was interested in re-joining the Country Liberals.
 
“Mr Kurrupuwu says he received strong support from constituents in his electorate for him to return to the Government.
 
“Mr Kurrupuwu officially tendered his resignation from the PUP this afternoon,” says Mr Giles.
 
“He has subsequently written to the Country Liberal Party asking for his party membership to be reinstated.
 
“No offers, inducements or incentives were made to Mr Kurrupuwu in exchange for his return. He came to us.”
 

3 COMMENTS

  1. Francis has made a sensible decision by defecting back to the CLP.
    He’s back inside the tent where he can be part of government decision making that could bring benefits to his constituents.
    Not only is NT PUP not well supported but they have no polices.
    They want more resources for the bush but have no definitive ideas about how to improve anything.
    Anderson seems to be limited to an oppositional role and doesn’t come up with anything new and positive. Recently she was floundering around investigating a school program that the government has already endorsed.
    PUP needs to break the pattern of Indigenous parties and move beyond being a party of complaint and show some leadership.
    I suspect the failure to do so is the reason Francis left them.

  2. If it weren’t serious it would be endearing, this Government that treats Ministerial positions as a game of musical chairs.
    On the positive side of this development, it always beat me how anyone could imagine Clive Palmer saw Indigenous Australia as anything other than as something else to mine for his own personal aggrandisement.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here