SECRET WEDDING
Chief Minister Michael Gunner and Kristy O’Brien tie the knot in Queensland
CHIEF MINISTER Michael Gunner and ABC journalist Kristy O’Brien have officially tied the knot in a secret ceremony in Queensland.
The ceremony took place in O’Brien’s hometown of Toowoomba at St Patrick’s Cathedral, with the backyard reception at the home of her parents, where guests enjoyed pizza and beer.
An extremely well-kept secret, only a select few were invited to the nuptials.
Engaged for more than five years, the pair initially met through mutual friends in Darwin in 2010, but have kept their relationship out of the public eye.
It is rare to see the couple out in public together, and Mr Gunner has previously said they keep their respective jobs out of their relationship.
Before Mr Gunner became Chief Minister, he told the NT News that he had received plenty of advice from other people about how to present himself better to the media, including to slow his speech and make his points clear. He said O’Brien, the person perhaps best placed to give him on-camera tips, was the only one who didn’t.
Despite her long-time romantic connection with the Northern Territory’s leader, O’Brien has forged a highly successful career in her own right as a journalist and documentary maker.
She fought off 40 finalists to be named the recipient of a prestigious development program for budding television and online media producers.
In 2013, she received indus- try acclaim for her documentary Cattle Scars.
Those who know her describe her as one of the nicest and most gracious people they have ever met.
O’Brien is currently working on a web series exploring the fictional world of an up- and-coming southern journalist who finds herself plonked in a Territory newsroom.
The pilot episode will air early next year.
The newlyweds will honeymoon overseas before returning to Darwin at the end of the year.