NT has most secretive government in Australia

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – Fresh from gagging police on alcohol crime, the CLP’s John Elferink has now gagged the independent Auditor General Frank McGuinness from revealing the truth at estimates next week.
 
The Auditor General had appeared to be questioned on the Budget since estimates first began 11 years ago.
 
The CLP have gagged the Auditor General which begs the question, what are they trying to hide. Every year in every parliament of Australia the Auditor General is made available to answer questions on the true state of the public finances.
 
The Territory is venturing down a treacherous road. John Elferink has written to the Opposition saying that the Auditor General along with other independent public office holders such as the Ombudsman will not be required to appear before estimates.
 
Mr Elferink is aware that the Auditor General is an appointment of the Parliament, not the Government, and should be allowed to speak at Estimates. He will reveal the truth and expose the CLP’s deception on the state of the Territory’s financial position.
 
The CLP fear that the Auditor General will reveal that our financial position was sound and confirm that the CLP knew the exact state of the budget books prior to the election when they were promising to cut the cost of living.
 
As well as the Auditor General the CLP have gagged the Ombudsman and the Electoral Commissioner who have also appeared every year for the last 11 years.
 
The CLP promised they would be open and accountable. Gagging the Auditor General makes them the most secretive Government in Australia and the Northern Territory’s history.
 
An Opposition request for the Chief Minister to overturn this disgraceful gagging of our independent statutory officers has gone unanswered.
 
Michael Gunner
Shadow Minister for Government Accountability

2 COMMENTS

  1. It is time ALL governments from top to bottom worked within the framework of our constitution.
    Or maybe it is time for us to have citizens initiated referendums.

  2. I don’t care that much about transparency as long as the CLP implements policies that grow the economy of the Territory and we Territorians lead the rest of Australia in positive policies and economics.
    Unlike Labor that deliberately stopped growth in the centre and starved us here of economic sustainability.
    Mr Gunner now is your time to support the Territory in its rise out of the poverty and the despair that your government spent years ensuring we endured through socialist ideologies.
    I don’t want to be lobbying for the benefit of the territory. I want to elect a party that runs the territory and ensures policies reflect the majority of the population. And ensures financial growth and infrastructure upgrades. If we the electorate have to lobby for them to do what they need to do is to let us know that they are not governing.
    And the CLP has one lesson that I hope they understand and that is they make the decisions based on the Territory. And that they do not let the public service run the Territory. As they made the mistake with regards to the MBA fiasco as set up by the public service. Members require us to vote them into government then they need to govern.

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