AMBULANCE SYSTEM FAILURE DEMANDS URGENT ACTION

Tuesday, 7 April 2026 Serious concerns have been raised about safety in Royal Darwin Hospital, with nurses reporting assaults, threats and violence as part of their work. Our nurses, doctors and frontline health workers deserve to feel safe at work, and right now they are telling us they do not. This morning, Health Minister Steve Edgington said he will meet with the Chief Executive of Health today, and that it has been some time since he last met with the union. This is deeply concerning, because ministers should already be meeting regularly with frontline representatives, particularly when nurses are reporting daily violence. We have also seen ambulance services pushed to a critical point, with reports that more than 40 per cent of Triple Zero calls went unanswered and urgent cases waited hours for care. This pressure is across the system, and it is being felt by both patients and staff. Frontline workers have already outlined what needs to change, including stronger security, faster duress responses and action to reduce pressure on emergency departments. The issue is not understanding the problem, it is the response. Steve Edgington needs to urgently meet with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation and the United Workers Union, hear directly from frontline staff and act on their concerns. The CLP Government is responsible for ensuring hospitals are safe workplaces. With the Budget approaching, Territorians need to see real investment in frontline health services and workforce safety. Our health workers need to be supported and safe at work and Territorians need to know the system will be there when they need it.

Tuesday, 7 April 2026 Territory families and businesses have been through a tough wet season, with cyclones and severe flooding causing widespread disruption and destruction across the Territory. Damage to key roads has made it harder to move essential goods and keep communities connected. Many Territory businesses face an uncertain future; some unable to operate, while others are doing everything they can to stay open and support local jobs. Now, rising fuel costs driven by global events are making it even harder, particularly for our freight, construction, pastoral and tourism sectors. These industries support tens of thousands of local jobs, they represent thousands of Territory families, and the impacts are being felt across the broader economy. While state leaders across the country are delivering support packages to strengthen their economies, the CLP Government has failed to do the same here. After 18 months of saying they care about the economy, this is their biggest test, and they are nowhere to be seen. While Commonwealth support will provide some relief, it cannot do all the heavy lifting. The CLP Government must work directly with industry to do their bit to support recovery. That is why we call on the CLP Government to: Provide targeted support for the freight industry, including working with industry to address fixed price contract pressures Provide financial assistance to tourism operators impacted by recent weather damage to ensure they can trade through the upcoming peak season Provide support for the construction sector to address escalating costs and keep projects moving Without action from the CLP Government, these challenges will continue to build, putting jobs, projects and business viability at risk.

Friday, 27 March 2026 Today, I am announcing changes to the Opposition Shadow portfolios to ensure a clear focus on what matters most to Territorians. Ed Smelt joins the team as the newly elected Member for Nightcliff, bringing a strong local voice to the Parliament. Our Labor Opposition team is focused on housing, health, cost of living, improving outcomes for Aboriginal Territorians, and jobs and training. I will continue to lead on cost of living and the economy, maintaining a strong focus on easing pressure on households and strengthening the Territory’s economic position. Dheran Young will lead on Aboriginal affairs and environment, with a focus on ensuring decisions are grounded in community and country. Chansey Paech will lead on health, justice and human services, continuing work across frontline services and community safety. Manuel Brown will lead on education, jobs and training, with a focus on building opportunity and strengthening the Territory workforce. Ed Smelt will lead on housing, infrastructure and tourism, bringing a strong local perspective to the delivery of homes, infrastructure and economic growth. This is a focused and disciplined team ready to continue delivering for Territorians.

Thursday, 12 March 2026 The Finocchiaro CLP Government must urgently resolve the growing dispute with Correctional Officers before it escalates further. Reports of a planned 12-hour strike at Alice Springs Correctional Centre raise serious concerns about how this situation has been allowed to reach this point. Correctional Officers perform an incredibly difficult job keeping our community safe. They deserve to be respected, and their concerns must be taken seriously. At the same time, the correctional system is an essential service. Any disruption has serious implications for community safety and the operation of the justice system. Right now, the Territory is dealing with significant flooding across parts of the Top End. The government’s focus should be on supporting communities and maintaining essential services. Lia Finocchiaro and the CLP Government must step up and work constructively with Correctional Officers to resolve this dispute. This situation should never have been allowed to escalate to the point where prison operations and community safety could be disrupted. Territorians expect leadership and competent management of essential services. The CLP Government must get this resolved.

Wednesday, 11 March 2026  The Finocchiaro CLP Government has been exposed after walking away from the very law they once promised would bring down fuel prices for Territorians. When they were in Opposition, the now Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro stood in Parliament claiming she had the answer to rising fuel prices, introducing a Fuel Price Disclosure Bill she said would help drive down the cost of living. But now that the CLP are in government, that promise has been broken. At a time when Territorians are paying more every week at the bowser and feeling the pressure of rising costs across the board, the CLP has quietly abandoned the policy they once claimed would fix the problem. There are only two possible explanations. Either the CLP genuinely believed their fuel price laws would bring prices down, in which case they should introduce the bill immediately. Or they never believed it would work and used it as a political talking point while they were in Opposition. For years the CLP claimed they had the answers on the cost of living, now that they are in government, Territorians are seeing the reality of the CLP’s empty tank. The promise has disappeared, and the plan was never there. Territorians were promised relief on fuel prices, instead they are facing higher costs at the bowser, growing pressure on household budgets, and a CLP government that has already run out of fuel.

Tuesday, 10 March 2026 Territorians deserve clear answers from the CLP Government about the disruption to Darwin’s water supply. Late last night, CLP Ministers simply shared Power and Water’s statement on social media confirming flooding had forced the Darwin River Dam pump station offline. Information circulating last night suggested the incident occurred around 4:37pm, yet Territorians waited hours before CLP Ministers shared Power and Water’s update on social media. This is critical infrastructure that supplies water to thousands of homes, hospitals and businesses across the Darwin region. Territorians deserve more than a social media repost, they deserve accountability and clear advice about what this means for the security of their water supply. The Territory has experienced sustained wet season conditions for weeks, and the Darwin River Dam spillway has reportedly been overflowing since the start of the year. A situation like this should have been anticipated, and contingency planning should already have been in place to protect critical infrastructure. Across the Top End we are already seeing empty supermarket shelves as flooding disrupts freight, and now Territorians are being told the main water supply to Darwin has been impacted. If the CLP Government cannot manage these compounding emergencies, they should be calling in Federal support. The CLP Government must urgently provide a clear public update today outlining to Territorians how long the Darwin River Dam pump station could remain offline, what contingency measures are in place to maintain supply.

Thursday, 5 February 2026 Parliament exists for scrutiny, not silence, but that’s what the CLP has dished up this week. For the past three days in Parliament, the CLP has blocked questions and shut down debate, avoiding accountability for the Chief Minister’s poor choice appointing the Northern Territory Administrator. For three days, questions have been asked on behalf of Territorians about the vetting of this appointment and offensive public comments about women, First Nations people and LGBTIQ+ Territorians. These questions go to whether the Chief Minister’s choice for Administrator meets the most basic standards of integrity expected by the community. The CLP needs to stop avoiding scrutiny, admit this is a bad call, and answer up.  This role belongs to the Territory, not the government of the day. It must stand up to scrutiny, not be hidden from it. Territorians deserve answers.

Wednesday, 4 February 2026 Territorians are under real pressure right now, with rising bills, record-high rents and everyday costs making it harder to get by.  Households across the Northern Territory are being forced to make tough choices just to cover the basics. Which is why the Labor Opposition will be fighting for: Cost of living relief Safe affordable housing A health system that works Education training and local jobs Stronger outcomes for Aboriginal Territorians After more than 520 days in Government, Territorians are still waiting to see real cost of living relief, with fuel prices, airfares and new fees on nursing students adding to the pressure on households. Costs are also being pushed onto local councils, which means more pressure on ratepayers and fewer resources for local services. The housing crisis is hitting communities from Darwin to Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and remote communities, with fewer new homes and the CLP walking away from national housing targets. Failures to properly invest in public housing are leaving too many people without safe, secure and affordable places to live. The health system is under serious strain, with longer emergency wait times, growing surgery backlogs and worsening staff shortages, leaving families waiting longer and frontline workers under even more pressure. While these health strains are impacting all Territorians, the CLP has prioritised spending on prisons over hospitals, clinics and maternity services, and that is a clear choice that is hurting Territorians. Territorians deserve lower bills, more homes being built, shorter waits in hospitals and real relief from rising living costs. That is what will be fought for and that is what Territorians should expect to see delivered.

Thursday, 29 January 2026 The latest findings of the NT Children’s Commissioner lay bare a system that is failing Territory children and the Territory community. Too many children are being funnelled from trauma and family violence into the youth justice system instead of receiving care, protection and support. Recent reporting from the Commissioner clearly exposes the direct links between child protection involvement, family and domestic violence, poor mental health and youth detention. This confirms what families and communities have been saying for years - there is little protection or justice for children in our systems. The report shows a clear pipeline from family violence, trauma and child protection into youth detention. Most children in detention are Aboriginal, with many being held on remand. Many have already been in care and exposed to serious harm. The Commissioner has also warned that removing children from their communities and detaining them far from family and culture undermines rehabilitation and deepens trauma, particularly for Aboriginal children. This is not about bad kids. It is about a system that steps in too late and responds with punishment instead of providing support when it matters most. The CLP Government’s tough on crime approach is not fixing the problem. It is making it worse by locking up traumatised children instead of investing early in families, mental health and community-led support. Real reform means shifting from punishment to prevention. The CLP Government must change course now and invest in what we know actually works to protect children and make safer communities for everyone. Early family-based support Culturally safe Aboriginal-led services Proper mental health care for children Keeping kids connected to family, culture and Country Increased support for the Children's Commissioner to investigate, report and make recommendations Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for the Attorney General Chansey Paech “What we are seeing is a system that steps in too late and then relies on detention instead of support. When children miss out on help early, they are far more likely to end up in the youth justice system, and that is exactly what this report shows.” “The CLP’s tough on crime approach is not delivering better outcomes for kids or for the community. Locking up traumatised children instead of investing in early intervention and family support is not solving the problem, it is entrenching it.”  “Kids are not the problem, the system is, and while the CLP refuses to change course, Territory children will keep paying the price."