Leader of the Opposition, Lia Finocchiaro, says the disrespect and neglect the Chief Minister has shown the people of Central Australia from the Chief Minister is disgraceful.
After months of intense pressure to address youth crime in the Red Centre, and being shamed on the national stage on A Current Affair for his failures to tackle law and order – the Chief Minister briefly flew in and out of Alice Springs simply to tick a box, and did not make himself available to the public.
“Michael Gunner was in town for less than 12 hours. He didn’t even bother to stay the night. In fact, through Opposition questioning in the February parliamentary sittings, the Chief Minister admitted he had only spent three nights in Alice Springs since the August 2020 election.
Shadow Minister for Territory Families, Joshua Burgoyne, says Michael Gunner has proven time and time again he’s the Chief Minister for Darwin and couldn’t care less about Territorians south of the Berrimah line.
“We need real leadership, not a seagull Chief Minister who flies in, dumps on everyone and flies out again.
“When former Labor Chief Minister Clare Martin was booed and heckled during a public meeting in Alice Springs, Michael Gunner was her advisor. Clearly the current Chief Minister is afraid of facing the same scrutiny from the people of Alice Springs and being called out for his successive failures. At least Clare Martin had the guts to front the crowd.
“In stark contrast to the cowardly Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition Lia Finocchiaro will be down in Alice Springs until Friday to meet with the public and head out on the streets at night to see the real problems our town is facing, not hide from them.
“When it comes to qualities of an ineffective leader – communication problems, inability to make decision, quick to blame instead of taking responsibility, poor performance, lacking conflict resolution skills, slow reaction to change – Michael Gunner ticks all the boxes and
it’s Territorians who are suffering,” said Mr Burgoyne.