Leader of the Opposition, Lia Finocchiaro, says the Chief Minister has raised more questions about the appearance of political interference in the days following the Yuendumu shooting, admitting on local radio this morning that he held multiple meetings with police before charges were laid.
“The Chief Minister and Police Minister’s decision to travel to Yuendumu with the Police Commissioner has been described by the NT Police Association as a ‘catastrophe’. The Chief Minister said he travelled to Yuendumu to address issues relating to the evacuation of health staff, so why did he take Police Minister, Nicole Manison, and not the Health Minister, Natasha Fyles with him?
“The words ‘consequences will flow’ will haunt Michael Gunner – and rightly so. He inserted himself into an active police investigation and promised an emotionally-charged community a certain outcome. It doesn’t matter what stage of the process the Chief Minister was referring to; the criminal investigation or a coronial. He told the Yuendumu community that, in his eyes, something had gone wrong.
“The Chief Minister highlighted this bias again, today on Mix104.9, when he said he didn’t visit Palmerston after last week’s shooting involving police because there wasn’t “systemic failure” – reinforcing his belief that there was wrongdoing by police in Yuendumu – and once again prejudicing an upcoming investigation into the Palmerston shooting.
“There are many questions Territorians need answers to, and the four day period between the shooting, and the charging of Constable Rolfe needs to be forensically examined by an independent inquiry.
“For the Chief Minister to say an independent inquiry is pandering to “conspiracy nuts” is insulting to every single police officer, the Rolfe family, the family of the deceased, and every Territorian who wants answers about this tragic ordeal. “If the Chief Minister, Police Minister or Police Commissioner know they have in any way, shape or form, compromised this investigation they should stand down immediately,” said Mrs Finocchiaro.
ENDS