Chief ministership of Lia Finocchiaro
 Finocchiaro in 2020. | |
| Chief ministership of Lia Finocchiaro August 28, 2024 – present (87 days) | |
| Cabinet | Finocchiaro I Finocchiaro II |
|---|---|
| Party | Country Liberal |
| Election | 2024 |
| Appointed by | Administrator Hugh Heggie |
| Seat | Darwin, Northern Territory |
 Coat of Arms of the Northern Territory | |
| Official website | |
The chief ministership of Lia Finocchiaro begun on 28 August 2024 when she was sworn-in by Administrator Hugh Heggie as the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. Just 4 days prior, Finocchiaro's Country Liberal Party (CLP) won in an extensive landslide victory, gaining 17 of the 25 seats in the Northern Territory Parliament, leaving the opposition party Territory Labor with just 4 seats, whilst the Labor chief minister at the time Eva Lawler lost her seat to the CLP. The victory of the CLP in the 2024 election outperformed the polls, with pundits on the lead up to the election predicting a close race. Finocchiaro's win marked the second Coalition affiliate to hold government in Australia since the 2023 New South Wales state election, with the only other before her win being Tasmania.
During her election campaign, Finocchiaro pledged to increase penalties for youth criminals, including lowering the age of criminal responsibility from the age of 12 to 10. Despite criticism from organisations including Amnesty International, Finocchiaro's party introduced the bill to lower the age of responsibility early in her term, as well as passing a law that sets no-bail presumptions in court for violent offenders regardless of age and whether a weapon was used or not. In her campaign plan to 'rebuild the economy', she has increased the first home buyers grant 5-fold, which her government has reported significantly increased interest in buying and building homes in the NT. Finocchiaro has taken action within her role as chief minister to fast track approvals for mining projects in the Northern Territory, for which she has received criticism. As chief minister, she has appointed her full 9 member cabinet following an interim arrangement, as well as restructuring the executive branch departments and reappointing heads of a number of departments. She has joined her fellow Coalition affiliate premiers in other Australian states to support the Federal Labor government's plan to introduce an adolescent social media ban. During the last stretch of her current term, she is expected to nominate a replacement for the current Administrator of the Northern Territory.
Electoral history
[edit]2024 Northern Territory general election
[edit]The 2024 Northern Territory general election was held on 24 August, 2024.[1] A limited number of polls were conducted prior to the election, which showed that the Country Liberals were leading Labor.[2] Despite the polls favouring the CLP, political pundits and psephologists in the lead-up to the election showed angst in predicting a CLP win or landslide, instead arguing that the race was most likely a toss-up and either side had a fair chance of victory.[3] It was shown during the counting on election night that the CLP had outperformed the polls by approximately 3.5%.[4] This was the first time that the CLP had one government in the Northern Territory since Labor reduced the Country Liberals to 2 seats in the 2016 Northern Territory general election, with Finocchiaro being only one of two remaining members of the CLP in Parliament and holding on to official opposition status despite the Territory Alliance holding more seats at the time than the CLP.[5]
It was later revealed that the CLP had unseated Eva Lawler, the immediate predecessor of Finocchiaro in the chief minister office.[6] The CLP upon winning was only one of two Coalition affiliate governments in Australia; the only other being Tasmania since the Liberal Nationals lost the 2023 New South Wales state election.[7][8][9] Since the win of the Liberal National Party in the 2024 Queensland state election, Finocchiaro serves as one of three Coalition heads of government in the National Cabinet.[10]
Campaign
[edit]During the 2024 election campaign, the CLP released their policy platform named 'The CLP Plan to rebuild the Territory'.[11]
The first of three priorities laid out in the plan is crime (particularly youth crime).[11] The plan proposed among other items building two adult prisoner work camps, as well as two new women's prisons in Alice Springs and Darwin, Northern Territory.[12] The CLP also committed to building two youth boot camps in Alice Springs and Darwin, as well as investing in skills training for inmates during prison sentences.[13] The CLP also controversially committed to reversing a previous Labor government's decision to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 years of age.[14] Amnesty International released a scorecard during the campaign mainly based on criminal minor's rights, favouring the NT Greens.[15]
During the campaign, the CLP announced their second set of campaign pledges, aiming to 'rebuild the economy' and make the NT a competitive place to live and work. One of these pledges was to slash payroll tax for small businesses, as well as increasing the first home buyers program.[16] Finocchiaro also announced that her government would increase tariff payments to residents who export solar energy to the grid.[16] Finocchiaro also committed to 'vigorously pursue' the mining, gas and defence sectors in an effort to increase the strength of the NT economy.[17]
The CLP also released during the campaign their plan to 'Restore our Lifestyle'. This was underpinned by aiding the health system by attracting more health workers, as well as lowering the cost of vaccines and medicines.[18] Finocchiaro also committed to easing regulation for commercial and recreational fishery by removing registrations for fishing and boat licenses, as well as committing to upgrading boat ramps.[19] Finocchiaro committed to removing entry fees for state-run national parks.[20]
State and domestic affairs
[edit]Mining
[edit]Early in her term, Finocchiaro has fast-tracked plans to cut red-tape for mining companies wanting to conduct operations within the Northern Territory by delegating various extra powers to the Territory Coordinator and Minister for Mining.[21]
Housing
[edit]Following the introduction of Finocchiaro's housing guarantee scheme, she reported mass levels of interest in buying homes within the Northern Territory.[22]
National adolescent social media ban
[edit]In November 2024, Finocchiaro joined fellow Coalition heads of government in Australia to support the Federal Labor government's bill to ban social media access for adolescents under 16 years of age.[23]
Appointments
[edit]Cabinet
[edit]On 9 September 2024, Finocchiaro announced her ministry.[24]
| Minister | Office |
|---|---|
| Hon Lia Finocchiaro, MLA |
|
| Hon Gerard Maley, MLA |
|
| Bill Yan |
|
| Marie-Clare Boothby |
|
| Steve Edgington |
|
| Joshua Burgoyne |
|
| Jo Hersey |
|
| Robyn Cahill |
|
| Jinson Charls |
|
Administrator and Supreme Court Justices
[edit]As the current Administrator of the NT, Hugh Heggie's term ends by convention in early 2026, Finocchiaro will nominate the next Administrator of the NT to the Governor-General for appointment.[25]
The Attorney-General and Chief Minister confer for the appointment of Supreme Court of the Northern Territory justices, with a mandatory retirement age for justices of 72.[26]
Public service
[edit]As the chief executive of the Northern Territory Government, Finocchiaro has the ability to appoint public service heads, as well as reorganise executive branch departments.
Upon her swearing-in as chief minister, Finocchiaro dismissed Marco Briceno and Karen Weston from their roles as the heads of health and education departments respectively.[27] Finocchiaro also increased the number of government departments from 12 to 18, moved the youth justice portfolio from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Territory Families, as well as removed the departments responsible for climate change and Indigenous treaty.[28]
Legislative agenda
[edit]Crime
[edit]Early in her term, Finocchiaro used her large majority in the NT Parliament to introduce and pass various bills relating to the CLP crime agenda; including 'Declan's law'.[29] Declan's law, named after a victim of youth crime — Declan Laverty, enabled the courts to have a presumption that bail not be granted to both youth and adult violent offenders, irrespective of whether or not a weapon was involved in the crime.[30]
The Finocchiaro government in the parliament introduced a bill promised during the election campaign to lower the criminal age of responsibility from 12 to 10 years of age.[31]
See also
[edit]- Country Liberal Party
- 2024 Northern Territory general election
- Finocchiaro ministry
- Premiership of David Crisafulli
Notes
[edit]- ^ The official title of the head of government in the Northern Territory, unlike most other Australian jurisdictions, is Chief Minister rather than Premier.
- ^ Unlike other jurisdictions in Australia, the head of state of the Northern Territory is given the title of Administrator, rather than Governor.
References
[edit]- ^ Government, Northern Territory (9 May 2024). "2024 Territory Election". ntec.nt.gov.au. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/nt-labor-significantly-trails-country-liberal-party-on-a-twoparty-preferred-basis-ahead-of-august-election-new-poll-reveals/news-story/f55e79150a1c0ee2e570ae715a394a89
- ^ "Northern Territory". Antony Green's Election Blog. 25 August 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "Northern Territory Election 2024 Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "Northern Territory Election 2016 Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/politics/nt-election-2024-lia-finocchiaro-becomes-14th-chief-minister-eva-lawler-loses-her-seat/news-story/e950fe0f2722c1736bcd93ebdfc56530
- ^ "Breaking down the NT election outcome: How the results fell in every seat across the territory". ABC News. 25 August 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Morton, Adam (17 February 2024). "Australia's sole Liberal government is floundering and Labor is faring even worse. Welcome to the Tasmanian election". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Rose, Tamsin (25 March 2023). "Key results: where the NSW election was won by Labor and lost by the Coalition". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Smee, Ben; Messenger, Andrew; Hinchliffe, Joe; Wind, Emily (26 October 2024). "David Crisafulli claims LNP victory in Queensland election, ending Labor's decade-long reign". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Country Liberal Party - The CLP Team Will Rebuild The Territory". www.clp.org.au. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Wilks, Sam (22 July 2024). "A look at the CLP's proposition to deal with Crime in the 2024 coming election". Sam Wilks. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "Real Consequences and Pathway Out of Crime - Country Liberal Party". www.clp.org.au. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "'It's going to scar them': NT to become first jurisdiction to lower criminal age of responsibility". ABC News. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "Your 2024 NT Election Guide Amnesty International: Your NT Election Guide 2024". Amnesty International Australia. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ a b "CLP outlines roadmap to rebuild the Territory - Country Liberal Party". www.clp.org.au. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Rogan, Aaliyah (19 September 2024). "Resources Week: New NT Government to 'vigorously' pursue mining". Mining.com.au. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/66845e974e324cf3d98fb075/6696fd4a8b67a5551740e67f_The%20CLP%27s%20Plan%20to%20Rebuild%20the%20Territory.pdf
- ^ "The Opposition Backs Fishing - Country Liberal Party". www.clp.org.au. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "Finocchiaro moves to fast-track NT project approvals". www.miningmonthly.com. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/lia-finocchiaro-claims-record-levels-of-interest-in-buying-homes-in-the-nt/news-story/3134a1339112e0cf89c1378c0e093344
- ^ https://x.com/ausvstheagenda/status/1858330310708232229
- ^ "Chief Minister announces first Cabinet".
- ^ https://ntindependent.com.au/dr-hugh-heggie-to-be-next-nt-administrator/
- ^ "JUSTICE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (AGE OF RETIREMENT) BILL 2012 Second Reading Speech". www5.austlii.edu.au. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Team, Government News (11 September 2024). "Public service shake-up as NT cabinet sworn in". Government News. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Parkinson, Amanda (10 September 2024). "Chief Minister Finocchiaro remakes Northern Territory's public service". The Mandarin. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "New NT government brings 'enormous' law and order agenda to parliament". ABC News. 14 October 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ News, Mirage. "Declan's Law Passes Parliament In Historic Moment". Mirage News. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Bucci, Nino; Justice, Nino Bucci; reporter, courts (16 October 2024). "New NT government moves quickly to lower age of criminal responsibility after 'crime crisis' election campaign". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 November 2024.