NT Labor's Lawrie resigns amid probe

The leader-elect of NT Labor says he wants to prove to Territorians that the party can be trusted after leader Delia Lawrie resigned.

The Northern Territory's Labor Opposition Leader Delia Lawrie

The Northern Territory's embattled Labor Opposition Leader Delia Lawrie has been referred to police. (AAP)

The Northern Territory's embattled Labor Opposition Leader Delia Lawrie has resigned.

Her announcement on Sunday that she is stepping down as party leader follows revelations police are investigating a Supreme Court ruling to determine whether she attempted to pervert the course of justice or knowingly lied under oath during a judicial inquiry.

Earlier this month the Supreme Court dismissed Ms Lawrie's claim that Commissioner John Lawler denied her procedural fairness when he found during a 2014 inquiry that she acted unfairly and with bias by granting a 10-year zero rent lease to Unions NT of the historic Stella Maris site in Darwin.

The court also found she had colluded with her lawyers to make false statements in order to undermine and discredit Mr Lawler and the inquiry.

Ms Lawrie rejects the findings and is considering appealing the Supreme Court ruling.

She says she is proud she tried to protect the Stella Maris site, which had been maintained by unions for 40 years.

"I'm not really interested in navel-gazing and talking about what could have, should have happened," she said when asked if the decision could have been better explained to the public.

"My own actions define me and I'll continue to be a good Territorian, working to support the people of our community," the Member for Karama said.

Labor leader-elect Michael Gunner says the party will focus on proving Labor can be trusted to deliver government at the August 2016 election.

A politician for seven years, he has never held a portfolio and will have to convince voters he's not too green to be the NT's next chief minister.

Mr Gunner says he is confident Ms Lawrie will not destabilise from the sidelines, but he concedes the Stella Maris decision process was lacking.

"I think the CLP have got form in knocking over buildings with heritage and I can understand the desire to protect the heritage of Stella Maris, but I think it's clear that the process could have been better," he said.

There will be a caucus meeting on Thursday to discuss the reshuffle of the shadow cabinet and appointment of a deputy.

Ms Lawrie will not hold a shadow portfolio because she has asked for time to deal with her legal situation.

Her departure is not absolution for the party, Attorney-General John Elferink said.

"Delia went to the Supreme Court looking for justice and she got it in spades."


Share
3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP

Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world