Bushranger
Self flagellation
SELF-DESCRIBED “convicted thief, struckoff lawyer and failed Darwin mayoral candidate” Paul Masten called our “journalist (sic) fairness and professionalism” into question this week, following his appearance in court on charges of disorderly conduct and being armed with an offensive weapon. Mr Masten said he had “no doubt” the NT News would not report on the court proceeding, during which both charges were withdrawn by the prosecution. We hope he got yesterday’s paper and can now rest easy, safe in the knowledge our professional integrity remains as unimpeachable as ever.
Coffee chaos
NEVER mind the spend on the $50 million Myilly Point museum that no one wants, cost savings will be made in there being no tea and coffee in the Parliament’s Elsey Room during the upcoming Annual Report Hearings. Due to budget constraints, public servants have been directed to the Speakers Cafe instead. Must be tough times if Blend 43 and full cream milk can’t be made available?
Empire strikes back
DISGRACED former Darwin lord mayor Peter
Adamson has apparently gone back up in the world and taken his talents to sunny Queensland. Adamson is now managing holiday apartments on the Gold Coast. Adamson, who worked in the Darwin media before becoming a Minister in the Shane Stone government, is famous for two things. He penned the letter that led to Stone’s overthrow as Chief Minister by Denis Bourke and most notably in July 2007, had a run-in with the law when he used council funds to buy a fridge, a Darth Vader voice changer, women’s underwear and other items.
ICAC slap down
GIVEN the Chief Minister’s rejection of a parliamentary committee recommendation to exclude MLAs from scrutiny for “unsatisfac- tory conduct” by a future ICAC, Bushie was bemused to hear several MLAs defending the move in parliament this week. The clause was “misunderstood” and “misrepresented in the media” they said, but Attorney-General Natasha Fyles was having none of it. “We will not be accepting that recommendation and I am critical of the Member for Araluen ... for trying to blame the media for focusing on it,” she said. Interestingly, Ms Fyles was less critical of the (Labor) member for Katherine ( who chaired the group) and Labor Member for Karama, who also staunchly maintained their support for the controversial amendment.
Leaks like a sieve?
FORMER chief minister Adam Giles used his occasional spot on SkyNews this week to have a crack at federal ministers who leaked information from cabinet. “It’s a telltale sign that there’s somebody or some people who thinks that they’re more important than the government, that they are more important than the party and that they are more important than Australia,” he said. On twitter, his former CLP Tourism Minister Matt Conlon said: “OMG ... please spare me”. Former chief minister apparent Willem Westra van Holthe said: “I’m going to be sick”. No love lost among old or ex-friends?
Just tipsy
IS “less drunk” still drunk? In a letter to the NT
News this week Michael Thorn from the ACT based Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education promoted a minimum floor price for alcohol and criticised former NT Labor Minister Chris Burns for saying “Drunks will
keep on getting drunk no matter what the price”. Bushranger wonders if he will be equally critical of fellow floor price supporter
Dr John Boffa, who told Territory FM a couple of weeks ago that floor pricing “is not designed to stop people drinking. It’s designed to get people less drunk less often.”
Sporty Vowles
MAYBE NT Parliament Speaker Kezia Pu
rich knows something current Sports Minister Lauren Moss doesn’t? During question time in response to a question from independent Member for Blain Terry Mills about the Arafura Games, the Speaker referred to Primary Industries Minister Ken Vowles as the Sports Minister. Vowles has just been made Minister for the Arafura Games after the job was taken away from Sports Minister Moss.