Northern Territory Government

Northern Territory Government
Territorial Government
	Coat of arms of the Northern Territory
Formation	1978 as responsible self-government
Territory	Northern Territory
Country	Australia
Website	www.nt.gov.au
Legislative branch
Legislature	Parliament of the Northern Territory NT Legislative Assembly;
Meeting place	Parliament House
Executive branch
Head of government	Chief Minister
Main body	Northern Territory Ministry
Appointer	Administrator
Headquarters	Parliament House
Main organ	Executive Council
Judicial branch
Court	Supreme Court
Seat	Supreme court building. Darwin

The Government of the Northern Territory of Australia, also referred to as the Northern Territory Government, is the Australian territorial democratic administrative authority of the Northern Territory. The Government of Northern Territory was formed in 1978 with the granting of self-government to the Territory. The Northern Territory is a territory of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Constitution of Australia and Commonwealth law regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth.

Under the Australian Constitution, the Commonwealth has full legislative power, if it chooses to exercise it, over the Northern Territory, and has devolved self-government to the Territory. The Northern Territory legislature does not have the legislative independence of the Australian states but has power in all matters not in conflict with the Constitution and applicable Commonwealth laws, but subject to a Commonwealth veto.

Since 31 August 2016, the head of government has been Chief Minister Michael Gunner of the Labor Party.

Legislative powers[]

Legislative power rests with the Legislative Assembly, which consists of the Administrator of the Northern Territory and the members of the Assembly. While the Assembly exercises roughly the same powers as the state governments of Australia, it does so by a delegation of powers from the Commonwealth, rather than by any constitutional right. This means that the Australian Parliament retains the right to legislate for the Territory, if it chooses to exercise it. Under the law granting self-government to the Territory, the Federal Cabinet can advise the Governor-General of Australia to overturn any legislation passed by the Assembly. (See also Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories).

Executive powers[]

The government consists of a Ministry appointed by the Administrator, from the elected members of the Assembly. The Administrator normally appoints the leader of the majority party in the Assembly as the Chief Minister. The other members of the ministry are appointed by the Administrator on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Northern Territory Government is a member of the Council of Australian Governments.

Current ministries[]

Source:^[1]^[2]

Minister	Offices		Opposition counterpart	Offices
Michael Gunner MLA	Chief Minister Treasurer Minister for Major Projects and Territory Economic Reconstruction Minister for Strategic Defence Relations	Labor	Lia Finocchiaro MLA	Leader of the Opposition Shadow Treasurer Shadow Minister for Major Projects and Territory Economic Reconstruction Shadow Minister for Strategic Defence Relations	Country Liberal
Nicole Manison MLA	Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services Minister for Northern Australia and Trade	Labor	Lia Finocchiaro MLA	Shadow Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services Shadow Minister for Northern Australia and Trade	Country Liberal
	Minister for Mining and Industry		Steve Edgington MLA	Shadow Minister for Mining and Industry	Country Liberal
	Minister for Agribusiness and Aquaculture		Ian Sloan MLA	Shadow Minister for Agribusiness and Aquaculture	Country Liberal
	Minister for International Education		Jo Hersey MLA	Shadow Minister for International Education	Country Liberal
	Deputy Chief Minister Minister for Defence Industries		Gerard Maley MLA	Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister for Defence Industries	Country Liberal
Natasha Fyles MLA	Leader of Government Business Minister for Alcohol Policy Minister for National Resilience	Labor	Gerard Maley MLA	Shadow Minister for Alcohol Policy Shadow Minister for National Resilience	Country Liberal
	Minister for Health		Bill Yan MLA	Shadow Minister for Health	Country Liberal
	Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing		Marie-Clare Boothby MLA	Shadow Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Shadow Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing	Country Liberal
	Minister for Major Events		Joshua Burgoyne MLA	Shadow Minister for Major Events	Country Liberal
Eva Lawler MLA	Minister for Renewables and Energy Minister for Essential Services Minister for Climate Change	Labor	Joshua Burgoyne MLA	Shadow Minister for Renewables and Energy Shadow Minister for Essential Services Shadow Minister for Climate Change	Country Liberal
	Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics		Gerard Maley MLA	Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics	Country Liberal
	Minister for Environment Minister for Water Security		Jo Hersey MLA	Shadow Minister for Environment Shadow Minister for Water Security	Country Liberal
Lauren Moss MLA	Minister for Education Minister for Seniors	Labor	Jo Hersey MLA	Shadow Minister for Education Shadow Minister for Seniors	Country Liberal
	Minister for Youth		Joshua Burgoyne MLA	Shadow Minister for Youth	Country Liberal
	Minister for Women		Marie-Clare Boothby MLA	Shadow Minister for Women	Country Liberal
	Minister for Children		Steve Edgington MLA	Shadow Minister for Children	Country Liberal
Selena Uibo MLA	Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Treaty and Local Decision Making	Labor	Steve Edgington MLA	Shadow Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Shadow Minister for Treaty and Local Decision Making	Country Liberal
Selena Uibo MLA	Minister for Parks and Rangers	Labor	Bill Yan MLA	Shadow Minister for Parks and Rangers	Country Liberal
Paul Kirby MLA	Minister for Public Employment Minister for Corporate and Digital Development	Labor	Bill Yan MLA	Shadow Minister for Public Employment Shadow Minister for Corporate and Digital Development	Country Liberal
	Minister for Jobs and Training Minister for Small Business		Marie-Clare Boothby MLA	Shadow Minister for Jobs and Training Shadow Minister for Small Business	Country Liberal
	Minister for Veterans Affairs		Ian Sloan MLA	Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs	Country Liberal
	Minister for Recreational Fishing		Gerard Maley MLA	Shadow Minister for Recreational Fishing	Country Liberal
Kate Worden MLA	Minister for Multicultural Affairs	Labor	Gerard Maley MLA	Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs	Country Liberal
	Minister for Sport		Jo Hersey MLA	Shadow Minister for Sport	Country Liberal
	Minister for Territory Families and Urban Housing		Joshua Burgoyne MLA	Shadow Minister for Territory Families and Urban Housing	Country Liberal
	Minister for Disabilities		Bill Yan MLA	Shadow Minister for Disabilities	Country Liberal
Chansey Paech MLA	Minister for Remote Housing and Town Camps	Labor	Bill Yan MLA	Shadow Minister for Remote Housing and Town Camps	Country Liberal
	Minister for Central Australia Economic Reconstruction		Joshua Burgoyne MLA	Shadow Minister for Central Australia Economic Reconstruction	Country Liberal
	Minister for Local Government Minister for Indigenous Essential Services Minister for Arts and Culture		Ian Sloan MLA	Shadow Minister for Local Government Shadow Minister for Indigenous Essential Services Shadow Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage	Country Liberal

Proposed Northern Territory statehood[]

For many years there has been agitation for statehood. A referendum was held on the issue in 1998, but the proposal was narrowly rejected. This was a shock to both the Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments, for opinion polls showed most Territorians supported statehood. However, under s. 121 of the Australian Constitution, the terms of admission of new states are decided by the Commonwealth Parliament. The terms offered included an increase to three seats in the Senate from two. The other states all have 12 senators. Alongside what was cited as an arrogant approach adopted by then Chief Minister Shane Stone, it is thought that many Territorians were reluctant to accept statehood on the offered terms.^{[citation needed]}

References[]

^ "The Cabinet - NT.GOV.AU". NT.GOV.AU. Northern Territory Government. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
^ "The Shadow Ministry - NT.GOV.AU". NT.GOV.AU. Northern Territory Government. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.

Notes[]

External links[]

Government of the Northern Territory website

[1] "The Cabinet - NT.GOV.AU". NT.GOV.AU. Northern Territory Government. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.

[2] "The Shadow Ministry - NT.GOV.AU". NT.GOV.AU. Northern Territory Government. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.

[1]

[2]

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