Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has resigned, eight months out from the territory election. Ms. Fyles held a snap press conference on Tuesday afternoon to confirm her intention to step down as chief minister and health minister.
She said she had made an oversight and did not declare a small BHP share parcel worth about $2500 which was gifted to her by her late grandmother when she was a child nearly 40 years ago and was part of a later BHP demerger. “This was an error, and it was my error. I don’t have any excuse for it. It was not deliberate. It was not intentional. But it is unacceptable. For this reason I feel the honourable action is to resign as Chief Minister,” she said.
Her resignation comes less than 24 hours after it was revealed she holds undisclosed shares in South 32 which owns the GEMCO manganese mine in the remote community of Groote Eylandt. Earlier this year, she said the government would not investigate air pollution levels or health impacts after residents raised concerns over manganese dust in the island’s community.
Ms. Fyles had previously been forced to divest shares in Woodside, after questions were raised over potential conflicts of interest with the government’s large-scale expansion of the NT gas industry. She was referred to the NT’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption by an independent backbencher over potential conflicts of interest.
The party is deliberating over her replacement who is widely tipped to be Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison.
Natasha Fyles is a former schoolteacher who took over from outgoing Labor leader and Chief Minister Michael Gunner who resigned in 2022 after shepherding the Top End through the COVID-19 pandemic. She has no plans to quit politics and is preparing to stand again in next year’s election, but is also looking forward to spending more time her family.
She posted on social media:
“I’m excited to be a full-time local member again, and I absolutely commit to running in Nightcliff at the next election. I’m proud of what our government has achieved, but I know we still have much more to do, and I’ll be an energetic campaigner for Territory Labor under new leadership. Yesterday afternoon, my family farewelled my father-in-law. It reminded me that a life is well-lived when all its many ups and downs can be shared with the ones you love most,” she observed.
“When I told my boys of my decision last night, a big smile crept across Henry’s face. He thinks it’s an early Christmas present – getting his mum back. Spending more time with Paul, Ollie and Henry, life’s greatest gifts, is what’s important to me. It’s been an honour to serve the Northern Territory as its Chief Minister.”
With Australian Associated Press
Photo: Facebook – Natasha Fyles
