Minority govt not a worry: Collins
gary.shipway@news.com.au
FORMER Labor backbencher and now independent Member for Fong Lim Jeff Collins says Territorians have nothing to fear about minority government and alliances with independents as an outcome of this year’s NT election.
Mr Collins, who left the Labor Party after being banned from caucus over views he expressed about the Gunner Government’s economic strategy, pointed to previous minority government successes at both Territory and federal levels as proof.
“A minority government should not be feared in isolation, but alternatively an arrogant, ill-equipped and inexperienced one should be,” Mr Collins said.
“This current Government, from the very moment of its election in 2016, has been beset with hubris and an arrogance which has paralysed it and led to what has been referred to as ‘harbouring old and outdated ideas of progress and then trying to please all’ …
“This Government was elected with a tide of goodwill following four fairly desperate years. Territorians were looking for something more along the lines of what they got in 2001 with the newly elected Martin Government, not just some poor imitation of what they had at the end of the Henderson Government.
“I have said it many times, what Territorians got in 2016, in spite of the sea of new faces, was a tired fourth-term government, not a fresh, first term, energetic, progressive one.
“My experience since the 2016 election leads me firmly to believe change is necessary, more importantly, I believe positive change is possible.”
Mr Collins said the reality facing Territorians in August was there would be six independent members each with a wealth of experience.
“These members come from both sides of the political divide and it is from this group any minority government will gain its support,” he said.
“I can assure Territorians, having worked very closely with most of these people over the last 12 months, they will each work tirelessly for good government and good policy with a view to securing longterm, sustainable economic development of the Territory which is in the best interests of all Territorians.”