ADJOURNMENT

Mrs FINOCCHIARO (Spillett): Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the amazing achievement by a group of outstanding young Territorians from the Northern Futures Football Program. These eight athletes were selected from under-15 junior players and drawn from communities and clubs across the NT.

These amazing eight athletes are from Palmerston Rovers Football Club, of which I am very proud to be the patron, in the beautiful electorate of Drysdale; the Darwin Olympic Sporting Club; Azzuri Football Club; Casuarina Football Club; and Borroloola Strikers Football Club in the Member for Barkly’s electorate.

For 10 days in February these young talented Territorians were immersed within the Celtic Football Club Academy in Glasgow, a very long way from home. At the club they trained, played and operated as Celtic Academy players, experiencing firsthand the professionalism, discipline and elite standards expected within one of the world’s most renowned soccer institutions. This opportunity exposed them to the intensity, technical precision and strategic demands required at the highest levels of global soccer. Importantly, the trip was not just about their own personal development; it was about the knowledge, insight and elevated standards they will bring back to the Northern Territory.

Each of these athletes carried with them the pride of their families, clubs, community and the Territory. This program demonstrates what is possible when we invest in our youth, providing pathways that expand their horizons and inspire their ambitions. It is also a reflection of the strong partnership between local clubs, development programs and international organisations willing to open the door to amazing, emerging talent.

Congratulations again to the players, their clubs and everyone who supported them along the way and to Football NT and the Northern Futures Football Program.

Doreen Creek is a strong Territorian. This year, on Bombing of Darwin Day, she celebrated a wonderful milestone; she was 99 years young.

Doreen Creek is a proud Territorian and a great example of how longevity is not just someone’s measure. Doreen has lived in Darwin for the past five years and before that she lived in South Australia. She was a secretary and bookkeeper for a furniture manufacturer for 35 years and ended up running the business before she retired. When she stopped work, she did volunteer service for about 20 years and performed in an entertainment dance troupe just for fun.

As her son Bob says, she had a lot of heart in the Northern Territory, visiting several times a year every year since 1973. In fact, before she moved here permanently she had cultivated many lifelong friends, including Terry and Kath Baldwin. When the Baldwins opened the Bark Hut Inn, Doreen was there helping out, serving behind the bar.

Bob says his mother primarily visited so much to look after her grandchildren, but the Top End also has special meaning for Doreen through her birthday falling on the same date as the Bombing of Darwin. As well, her brother Leslie served in Darwin during that time. According to Bob, while the rest of Australia lived in ignorance, she has always been aware of the significance of the bombing in the Top End.

When Doreen would trek to Darwin, she usually caught the train or bus; she rarely flew. She caught the first passenger train to Darwin on the Ghan when the rail link was finally opened. She has seen so much of the Territory, probably more than some of us born-and-bred locals. Doreen has been a seasoned traveller. In birthday, she partied in 2022 she went to Greenland and then Norway to see the Fjords, and on her 90 Havana.

Home is where the heart is, and that home is the Northern Territory for Doreen Creek. Bob says she continues to live large and independently and has been adopted by the local Surf Life Saving community. Every Friday, she is at the Darwin Surf Life Saving club where they cherish her presence. Bob is the life member, but Doreen is the love of their life.

I know honourable members join me in wishing Doreen Creek the very best wishes for the future and congratulations on her milestone birthday. May she have many more to enjoy with Bob; her three grandchildren Rebecca, Jade and Sam; and four great-grandchildren Liam, Charlie, Capsian and Elliot.

I pay tribute to the amazing Garramilla Duavata women’s rugby league team. These incredible players have done the Territory proud on the international stage at the 2026 Las Vegas 9s. The Territory team delivered a truly outstanding performance finishing as the undefeated champions of the women’s community division. The team completed a perfect tournament, winning all seven of their matches and showcasing remarkable skill, discipline and teamwork.

Their championship victory came in a hard-fought grand final where they defeated Canada’s Scarborough Aces, with a final score of 18–12. This achievement is the result of sheer determination, discipline and unity. The team fought hard for this win, showcasing not only the outstanding skill but also the trademark of Territory resilience that defines our athletes. Match after match they demonstrated exceptional teamwork and heart.

I acknowledge the exceptional players whose efforts contributed to this well-deserved triumph: Abigayle Vakatawase-Sekitoga; Ellie Niki; Mere Rasaku; Cecilia Misob; Liana Niki; Natalia Grant; Mele Tupou; Courtney Tamati; Matilda Seden; Larana Carriera; Talia Corrie; Kelam Nona; Tyla Kingdon; Mawgan Keats; Zoe Kurnoth; and Siniva Sa’anga.

Each of these athletes played a vital role in securing the win that earned them the chance to compete on the world-stage. Their achievement is a testament to their discipline, commitment to each other and the strength of women’s rugby in the Territory. I congratulate the Garramilla Duavata team on their remarkable victory and on proudly showcasing the Territory spirit to the world.

I acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable efforts of 69-year-old Gary Browder, a Territorian whose determination and compassion have made a meaningful difference to the lives of so many. Recently, Gary completed an incredible 100 laps in one morning at SWELL Palmerston as part of Laps for Life, raising more

than $2,000 for Dolly’s Dream foundation. As honourable members would know, Dolly’s Dream is dedicated to preventing youth suicide and promoting kindness and resilience among young people.

Gary’s fundraising efforts have been inspiring. Despite facing three battles with cancer, and the lifechanging loss of his right arm in 2021, and his right shoulder in 2025, Gary has continued to demonstrate immense strength, resilience and courage. His determination to push beyond every challenge and his refusal to allow adversity to define him has created a clear and powerful sense of motivation for everyone fortunate enough to know his story.

Certainly, I have seen Gary many times down at the SWELL facility in Palmerston. As Gary himself has said, ‘I want others to know there is hope for people like me and not to let things like physical disability hold you down’. Gary’s 100 lap effort stands as a testament to the impact one person can have when they channel their strength into a meaningful purpose. By dedicating his swim to Dolly’s Dream, he has helped amplify the vital message that every young person deserves safety, kindness and hope. His actions not only raised funds but also sparks important conversations across our community on a really important topic. It is people like Gary Browder that strengthen our community and make it a better place. He is a wonderful Territorian. I congratulate Gary on this outstanding achievement and thank him for his support of such an important foundation.

I pay tribute to an outstanding young Territorian who is breaking barriers and inspiring a new generation in the game of baseball. Young Hannah Fior has been hitting it out of the park. She was proudly named the 2025 Junior of the Year by Baseball Northern Territory. She is the first female ever to receive this prestigious award. The award is among the most hotly contested of the sport, attracting the highest number of nominations on record last year. To rise to the top in such an exceptionally strong field speaks volumes about Hannah’s extraordinary talent, dedication and character.

A proud member of the Alice Springs Baseball Association, Hannah plays junior baseball with the pirates where she competes week-in and week-out in the local senior league competition. Remarkably, Hannah only took up baseball in late 2022. Her progress has been nothing short of phenomenal, from local Little League to representing the Northern Territory and multiple states on the national stage, all while giving back to the sport as an active umpire and outstanding role model for others.

At just 13 Hannah plays with a maturity far beyond her years. She has been described as a genuine all- rounder, a notable leader with impeccable sportsmanship and a positive attitude. Congratulations Hannah. You have done yourself proud and the Territory even prouder.

Ms UIBO (Arnhem): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I wrote to Madam Speaker pursuant to Standing Order 229 to seek her determination as to whether a motion relating to the potential breach of privilege by the Member for Fong Lim, should be granted precedence over other business of the Assembly. She granted that just before. Unfortunately, the CLP government has chosen to protect bullying allegations by not allowing that important and substantive motion, written to the Speaker of the Assembly, to be referred to the privileges committee, which is the operating process for all members of parliament to address any concerns about parliamentary conduct or conduct of a member of parliament in or out of parliament workspace.

It is an absolute—I should not be surprised—I was going to say it is a shock, but it is not. That is what the CLP government does. It hides, deflects and defers and unfortunately have not allowed the standing order to be read out in full. I have decided to do it in my adjournment.

Recent media reports have raised serious allegations concerning the conduct of the Member for Fong Lim towards the staff of the Legislative Assembly during travel undertaken as part of the select …

Mr EDGINGTON: A point of order, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 29; there was a previous vote on this particular matter, and the Opposition Leader is reflecting adversely on a vote that has previously been dealt with by this Assembly. She should not be able to further debate this matter.

Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: My advice is that, as we have just debated this, in accordance with the standing orders, Opposition Leader, you are free to use your adjournment as you wish. However, you cannot reflect on the conduct of another member, apart from a substantive motion. We have just had that motion prior to this. I invite you to continue your adjournment, but be careful with the standing orders, in terms of the ruling I have just made.

Ms UIBO: I adjourn tonight on a media statement that was released by the Member for Fong Lim on 9 March 2026—a statement attributed in full to Dr Tanzil Rahman MLA, Member for Fong Lim. I quote the media release:

I am seeking to address media reports made in February relating to bullying allegations made against me.

I am proud of my work as Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee and remain committed to seeing strong Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation progress smoothly in the interest of all Territorians.

I value my integrity and am deeply offended by allegations of professional misconduct.

I believe some of the media coverage to be defamatory and am actively considering my legal options.

Consequently, I will not be publicly commenting further on this matter.

I remain committed to representing the interests of my constituents in Fong Lim and the people of the NT.

I believe that everyone in the Northern Territory deserves a safe workplace and to be respected and treated with dignity in their workplace—MLAs, members of the public service, businesspeople, staff of organisations and volunteers should all conduct themselves in a way that provides dignity and respect in their workplaces.

Workplaces across the Territory tend to be unique. In the Chamber I often speak to Territorians about how unique and special the parliament’s Chamber is. The Territory has vast geographic places we reach. Particularly my team, the Labor opposition, represents some beautiful parts of the Northern Territory. Workplaces can be quite fluid, as you can imagine—travelling in charter planes, on the road and sometimes on ferry boats across the Northern Territory in open spaces, but in buildings as well.

Codes of conduct should be part of the workplace in every form. The Labor Party was built on strong workforce relations and an industrial workforce background. We are proud of that. I remain committed to our strong Labor values, ensuring that people respect reporting processes. When there are allegations of bullying in any workplace they should be taken seriously and should not ever be shut down, ignored, dismissed, deflected or diminished.

I hope that every Member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly would also agree that our workplaces and those of our staff in our electorate offices, ministerial offices, my Opposition Leader’s office, as well as the staff in the parliament, including our cleaners, security guards and our cafe hospitality staff— every person who makes this important place work—should be treated with respect, dignity and be protected from bullying.

We have seen media reports. I am not repeating anything specifically. I just read out a media statement that was released directly by the Member for Fong Lim about allegations of bullying. Nowhere in the media statement does the Member for Fong Lim refute the bullying allegations. What I took from that—people can read the quotes of the media statement if they choose—was that the Member for Fong Lim is considering some things as defamatory and is looking at legal options. There is no rebuttal or refuting at all of the bullying allegations in the Member for Fong Lim’s statement.

As a fellow Member of the Legislative Assembly, this becomes a matter of importance. It is vital to speak up against things. That is inherently part of what we try to do in this place—make good, robust laws and make sure that laws protect Territorians for the better. It is highly unusual that a process of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly would not be reflective of the values and intent of the parliament’s work. That extends to the way members conduct themselves and the way the power balance of elected members often puts out of balance the relationship with staff and what it means to be in a position of power.

I put on the record that I will continue to advocate for safety in the workplace and that it is not acceptable in any workplace. Here in parliament we are supposed to be the example of what a strong, robust, respectful workplace that conducts itself with integrity should look like. When we start to deteriorate that value and do not have those high expectations of ourselves and each other, it puts us all in a bad light. It diminishes the work of the Northern Territory Assembly and provides an opportunity for things to grow in a negative way. What I am talking about is the standard that you set should be your example and we should not walk past a standard that does not meet that expectation.

I am extremely disappointed that this is not a value that seems to have been displayed by members of the government.

Mr EDGINGTON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Orders 28 and 29 cover this issue. The Leader of the Opposition should not be reflecting on a previous debate or a vote that was carried out in this Assembly.

Madam SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, I think she is couching it in a way that is quite obtuse. You could interpret it like that, but you could also interpret it as being a more general comment about what she has referred to, the press release and other things that have happened in the media, so I am going to let it go.

Ms UIBO: Madam Speaker, thank you. I will continue because I do not think important debate should ever be gagged. I do not think, when people raise concerns about the conduct of our behaviour as members of parliament, that should ever be silenced and I think it should have a serious weighting.

Territorians should be extremely concerned if we see any of the 25 members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly conduct themselves in a way that sheds a negative light or is questionable. We have processes in parliament to answer questions about our conduct. We have parliamentary committees, including special select committees, the Public Accounts Committee which looks at finances and public spending, the Standing Committee on the ICAC, the House Committee, the Standing Orders Committee and the privileges committee.

For those who do not understand what the privileges committee is, it is basically the tribunal that any member of parliament can be referred to if there are questions about their conduct or questions about the way a member has used their electorate office or questions of how an MLA has conducted themselves as a member of parliament.

The privileges committee is a serious concern and to dismiss any concerns by not going through a full and robust process of a parliamentary committee is to diminish the processes we should all be conducting ourselves by. Territorians should be concerned if we are starting to see debate gagged in parliament. We are starting to see a diminishment of code of conduct from parliamentarians.

Mr EDGINGTON: A point of order, Madam Speaker!

Madam SPEAKER: I think what you are going to say is that the member has crossed the line, and I agree. If you could withdraw your reference, particularly to the gagging of debate, which seems to reference what happened earlier.

Ms UIBO: I withdraw any reference to the gagging of debate, but I believe every person should feel safe and respected in their workplace.

Mr HOWE (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I hope we are boiling our water in parliament, because it could be a messy Question Time tomorrow if not.

Madam SPEAKER: The water is bottled water, I understand. It was sourced particularly for members earlier today after the announcement.

Mr HOWE: Is it? You learn something new every day. Madam Speaker, you are on the ball. Thank you.

Madam SPEAKER: The staff of the Legislative Assembly is on the ball.

Mr HOWE: To all staff, we thank you deeply. I acknowledge a number of wonderful achievements and milestones across the Drysdale electorate and to recognise the people and organisations who continue to strengthen our community spirit in Palmerston.

Beginning with Gray Primary School, a school that continues to demonstrate the strength of education and leadership in our community. Firstly, I thank Rachel Turton for stepping into the role of acting principal while Donna Westaway is on leave. Leadership during transitions is never easy, and Rachel’s commitment to the students, staff and families of Gray Primary ensures the school continues to thrive.

I also congratulate the newly elected student leaders for 2026: our school captains, Jett Jack and Hannah Pierce; and our vice captains, Honey Reid and Stefan Rahman. Leadership at such a young age is a

tremendous responsibility and a great opportunity, and I know these students will work diligently together to lead and represent their fellow students with pride.

Gray Primary has also welcomed new members to its teaching team. I welcome Miss Elisa Rigoni, who joins the school from Leanyer Primary School, and Mrs Lindsay Maillis, who has taken on the role of Assistant Principal. I wish you both every success as you support the students and staff of Gray Primary.

I congratulate the students who represented the school proudly at the Interschool Netball Gala Day held on Thursday 26 February. Several Year 5 and 6 students participated in a round-robin competition against other Top End schools to be active, healthy and make connections with their peers. Congratulations to Hannah, Bella, Jianne, Mackenzie, Clara-Belle, Kailyn, Harmonie, Honey and Mia, who were crowned Interschool Sport Champions. A fantastic achievement and a credit to your teamwork and dedication.

Driver Primary School is another outstanding school in our electorate. I warmly welcome back Danielle Hall, who returns as Principal of Driver Primary after four years away. It is wonderful to see you return to lead the school into its next chapter. At the same time, we thank Simone Timms for her dedication and wish her well as she begins a new chapter at Essington School. Your contribution to Driver Primary will certainly be missed.

I acknowledge the energetic work of Assistant Principal Mrs Kelly Reynhout, whose passion for the school community continues to inspire staff and students alike. We also welcome back the Driver Primary leadership team: Mrs Hall, Mrs Reynhout, Mrs Artango, Mrs Bridson, Miss Jones and Mrs Keelan; and thank them for the tremendous work they do shaping young minds.

Congratulations to the 2026 school captains, Joshua Benger and Shiloh McGowan, and vice captains, Sofiya Williams and Joyce Masibalavu. I would also like to recognise the leadership within the school’s house system. Congratulations to the captains and vice captains of the Archer, Johnston, Chaney and Nelson houses: Mariah Jones and Ryan Burke for Archer; Abbie Brennan and Leah Corbett for Johnston; Tidus Pledger and Robert Lee for Chaney; and Blair Alford and Levi Challman for Nelson.

Driver Primary students also represented their school proudly at the Top End Netball Day, demonstrating respect, sportsmanship and resilience throughout the competition. Their teamwork and determination were evident from the first whistle to the final game, and they did their school and community proud.

I acknowledge leadership at Driver Secondary School. We welcome Maisie Floyd as Principal. Maisie brings with her extensive experience, including her previous role as Principal of Palmerston College and her work as Senior Director for School Improvement and Leadership in the Barkly region. We also welcome Chin Huan as Assistant Principal, a highly respected educator who was recognised as the Northern Territory Secondary Educator of the Year in 2019 and who has been a leader in STEM education. Drysdale is incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated educators guiding the next generation of Territorians.

Our community is not only defined by our schools but also by the strength of our seniors and community organisations. I welcome back our senior groups and committees for another wonderful year, including the Palmerston 50+ Tuesday Club, Probus, the Palmerston and Litchfield Seniors Association and NT Breatheasy, which our government was recently proud to support through funding from the Community Benefit Fund.

I also wish happy birthday to several members of our seniors community celebrating this month: Barbara Sealy on 3 March; Carmen Testa on 8 March; Anne Evans on 24 March; Jim Wright on 26 March; and a very birthday. special congratulations to Isla, who celebrates the remarkable milestone of her 90

Earlier this year, the City of Palmerston hosted its Australia Day ceremony, welcoming 34 new Australian citizens from 20 different countries in a wonderful celebration of community, culture and civic pride. Congratulations to the nominees and winners of the Palmerston Australia Day awards.

Balachander Mohanraj was awarded Citizen of the Year in recognition of more than 15 years of volunteer service to the Palmerston community. Joshua Harrington was named Young Citizen of the Year for his dedicated volunteer work with St John Ambulance in 2019. The Tamil Society of the Northern Territory was recognised as Community Event of the Year for the Indian Food Festival, held in Goyder Square.

I also acknowledge the many outstanding nominees whose contributions continue to strengthen our community, including Christopher Kimani, Darrell Ashby, Janette Ashby, Jacob Brant, Jennie Copley, Valerie Wilkie, Yvonne Coleman, Nicolle Shoobridge and Tomiko Sariago, along with the organisations nominated for Community Event or Group of the Year.

Last month I also had the pleasure of participating in many activities during FebFit, a fantastic initiative encouraging Territorians to stay active and healthy. Palmerston is incredibly fortunate to have so many businesses and organisations working hard to keep our young people engaged.

I acknowledge the many groups that participated: Flametree Yoga Studio; Hartree Foundation; Tennis Palmerston; Pilates with Alex Hurt; SWELL Palmerston; Top End Zumba Crew; Tai Chi with Tom; F45 Palmerston; Sam’s Dance Studio; Darwin Divine Dancers; Okay Fitness ;Youth Drop-in Sports; Elevate Hoops NT—which the Member for Blain and I had a go at, so check that on Facebook if you want to see what I look like upside down; YMCA; Ed Reck Gymnastics; Jamalia Belly Dancers; Kokoro Busshu Karate; Corrugated Iron; Baby Ballet; Healthy Living NT; Top End Calisthenics; Darwin Sword Academy; Tammy’s Fitness Training; and Crossfit Abode.

Palmerston truly is a remarkable community built by volunteers, teachers, students, seniors, sporting organisations and families who contribute every day to making our city stronger. As we continue this year of growth, security and certainty, I look forward to seeing the opportunities that continue to open for our community, especially in Drysdale, which has been neglected for far too long.

For too many years our suburbs have been overlooked, our families have carried the burden of crime and neglect, and our community has been asked to settle for less. I will not accept that. I will continue to fight to restore Drysdale, make our neighbourhood safer, support our schools and ensure our families receive the investigation and attention they deserve.

Drysdale is a proud community, and its best days are still ahead.

Mr CHARLS (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, I acknowledge and celebrate a number of outstanding individuals and school communities within my electorate of Sanderson. These are people whose commitment to education, culture and community continues to shape the lives of Territorians.

I honour the remarkable Principal of Milkwood Steiner School, Netanela Mizrahi, whose exceptional musical leadership continues to enrich our community. Netanela’s career has been defined not only by artistic excellence but also by deep compassion and a powerful sense of social responsibility. Through her work in Indigenous communities, immigration detention settings and within palliative care environments, she has demonstrated the profound capacity of music to support people experiencing trauma and hardship.

Her work recognises that music is far more than performance; it is a language of healing, connection and cultural understanding. In recognition of her dedication, Netanela was awarded the prestigious Churchill Fellowship in 2017, enabling her to further investigate the role of music in communities facing hardship, recovery and transition. This fellowship provided an opportunity to deepen her research into how artistic expression can strengthen resilience and support emotional wellbeing.

Netanela’s leadership extends well beyond the classroom, as creative director of Djari Project, working alongside Galpu songman Mr Gurruwiwi, she helped bring to life an extraordinary collaboration grounded in respect, partnership and cultural exchange. The project received national recognition, earning the Australian Art Music Awards in 2020 and the National Indigenous Music Awards in 2021 in the Indigenous Language category.

These honours reflect work that celebrates language, culture and the importance of storytelling through music. Her recent compositions continue this legacy of collaboration and cultural respect. Gurrulwa Guligi, created with Dr Aunty Bilawara Lee, commemorated the 50th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy through a powerful orchestral work that captured remembrance and resilience for Territorians. Other works such as Wuyal’s Journey, developed with Banula Marika; and Dalba Gulwa, a series of Larrakia-language songs written with Dr Aunty Bilawara Lee, further demonstrate Netanela’s commitment to supporting Indigenous languages and stories through artistic expression.

In 2025 her collaborative Stories of Water and Earth, co-created with poet Melanie Mununggurr, and commissioned by Ensemble Offspring and Arafura Music Collective, was performed at the Sydney Opera House, an extraordinary national stage for a Territory-based artist and educator.

Later this year, her newly commissioned work, Ground, will premiere and open the concert From Common Ground, marking her third year as our Composer in Residence. Yet another milestone in an already distinguished career.

While we are fortunate to have Netanela Mizrahi serving as Principal of Milkwood Steiner School, we are equally privileged to witness the far-reaching impact of her artistic vision. She embraced the power of education, creativity and culture to build stronger, more compassionate communities. I commend her to the Assembly and thank her for the extraordinary contribution she continues to make locally and nationally.

I also acknowledge some exciting developments in some of our local schools. The Anula Primary School community has welcomed a number of new staff members who will no doubt bring energy and expertise to their roles. I extend a warm welcome to Corinne Britton, who joins the school teacher in charge, Demi Cubillo, who will be teaching Year 2 and is fresh from receiving the popular Hot 100 Apple for the Teacher award while at Wulagi Primary School.

Angelique Kirwin joins as a senior teacher for wellbeing and inclusion, and Kate Danvers is the new front office administrator, who also joins the team from Wulagi Primary School.

Each of these educators and staff members plays a vital role in shaping the supportive and inclusive environment that schools strive to create for their students and families. At Wulagi, Primary Ramon Dixon has also welcomed two new teachers to his well-established team—Ms Nadia Korfias and Ms Valanti Patmios—who join the preschool program.

These appointments are important because strong schools rely on dedicated educators who bring passion, innovation and care to their classrooms each day. I wish them every success as they begin their journey with the Wulagi community.

I thank all of our educators, school leaders, families and students across Sanderson for the work they do every day to strengthen our community.

I was honoured last week to attend Wagaman Primary School to present leadership badges to the newly appointed school captains, vice captains, house captains, house vice captains, Student Representative Council members and members of the Learning Commission. These ceremonies are always a highlight of the school year because they recognise the emerging leaders among our young people. Leadership at primary school level is about much more than titles; it is about setting a positive example, demonstrating kindness, encouraging classmates and representing the values of the school.

I congratulate the 2026 school captains, Aisha Hall and Alicia Skultety, along with School Vice Captains Arlo Goudkowski and Ma’Kaylah O’Connell.

I also acknowledge the members of the Student Representative Council: Indiana Campbell, Mason Heywood, Agnus Sta, Cruz Sophia Vo, Thamara Giri, Michael Koenig, Dimitrios Georgiadis, Valentina Toki, Marley Castillon, Ulli Meyer, Benji Munson and Elizabeth Reeves.

House leadership was also recognised, with House Captains Bane Schey-Gerdes and Lahsharn Talbot for Crocs, and Sophie Kuhl and Ellriza Megoth for Sharks, supported by the House Vice Captains David Koenig, Jorja Stanek, David McKay-Sanchez and Ataska Pambid.

I also congratulate the members of the Learning Commission, Angeline Baiju, Lily Bamblett, George Cremona, Jo Jissan and Celia Mulholland. I congratulate each of these students who accepted these important roles and thank the teachers and families who support them in developing these early leadership qualities.

I provide an exciting update regarding the future of Sanderson High School and its transition from Sanderson Middle School. This is a landmark moment for students, families and educators in the Sanderson community. From this term Sanderson High School has commenced its transition to a fully comprehensive high school delivering education from Years 7 to Year 12. Students will undertake the Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training, with access to academic pathways and strong vocational education and training opportunities. Importantly, this transition is not simply a change in year levels—it represents a transformation in opportunity. Students are already proudly wearing a new uniform and logo, symbolising a new chapter and a renewed sense of identity as they prepare to step into high school.

Under the guidance of Principal Rob McIntosh and a refreshed leadership team including Kieran Lines, Mel Davy, Alister Lear, Tammy Llewelyn, Travis Tunstall, Kvitka Becker, Daylen Bennett and Brent Carter, the school is embracing this transition with energy and a clear commitment to a renewed vision. Over the next four years, this transformation will be further strengthened through the establishment of a specialist industry, trade and technical college for Years 10 to 12 connected directly to the high school. In partnership

with industry, the college will focus on building students’ practical skills and preparing them for employment in high-priority sectors across the Northern Territory. This initiative is about creating clear pathways from school to work and ensuring our young people graduate with the confidence, skills and qualifications needed to pursue meaningful careers.

Significantly, the school has recognised a large group of students as emerging leaders who will form the Sanderson High School student leadership team for this year. These students include Angelina Penhale, Savvina Chalikos, Laphia Williams, Sofia Dai, Lilly Ferguson, Aubrey-Rose King Carpenter, Rhiannon Fearn, Drake Din, Michael Spicer, Leilani Nona, Nate Dash, Esther Ishara, Clare Westwood, Ruby Okoh, Meisha Ahmed, Samuel Noakes, Rikki-Jane Hinton, Nya Modra, Noor Kashif, Tom Wyndham, Cameron Penhale, Olive Preston, Kingston Grant, Earth Waramit, Feby Hayes, Kayley Penhale, Edward McDowell, William Ibrahim Yokolo, Jackson Delaney, Rosston Joaz Cooper, Jamal Van Dan Berg Hammer, Juliene Ngongo, Agape Etienne, Takaki Toyoda, Rexus Ulanimo, Kooper Royal-Gray, Tommy Hunter, Deishiya Long, Flora Hackenberg, Tullulah Johns Long, Madison McLay and Queenie Pancho. I congratulate all of these young people in the student leadership team.

J DAVIS (Johnston): Madam Speaker, I will use my adjournment to speak to the MPI.

Over the past week, as we all know, heavy rain and floods have caused huge disruption, harm and damage across the whole of the Northern Territory, from Alice to Katherine to Darwin and in remote communities throughout the Top End. These events are not abstract; they are real. They are experienced by real people, including people in this Chamber. My thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected and is being affected by this. We know that families have been forced to evacuate, homes have been inundated and that it is ongoing. In some communities there is worse to come. Businesses have been disrupted and communities have been cut off from essential services.

I acknowledge the people on the ground, families protecting their homes, the local leaders coordinating emergency responses, the health, police and emergency services staff and other public servants who put up their hands to work tirelessly to keep everyone safe. The courage and resilience of these people deserves recognition and it deserves applause from all of us.

I vividly remember the 1998 floods in Katherine. I spent a lot of time helping with the flood recovery effort there and when the Chief Minister talked today about the smell after the flood, that was the thing I remember people finding the most difficult.

Many people at that time who had also been through Cyclone Tracy talked about the different challenges of a flood, and in fact how much worse it was for many of them. I know many people are now going through this terrible experience again.

We know that when these events happen, the more vulnerable you are, the more difficult it can be. Our remote communities, who are already dealing with disadvantage with inadequate housing, high food and fuel costs, inadequate roads and lack of communication, are all impacted even more by these events. We need to ensure—and I have heard that is the work everyone is doing—that every Territorian is safe in these events, because as we have heard, there is more to come.

We also heard about the water issue in Darwin with the failed pump and the fact that we need to boil our water is unprecedented here. We have heard these events described as acts of God, as unpredictable and unprecedented, but the reality is that we are living in a time when people all over the world, including in Australia and including in the Northern Territory, are experiencing the impacts of climate change and we should not be surprised by what is happening. What we should do is act.

We know that in the Territory we live in a place with extreme weather events, and it is clear that these events are increasing. What this tells us is that we need systems designed for resilience, not just for recovery. Take the Darwin dam as an example. In extreme wet weather, our infrastructure is tested like never before. The dam, which has never faced these conditions, now has failed us, showing us clearly that we must plan for the climate realities of today and tomorrow, not the past.

Even when we are not in a weather disaster, in remote communities like Wadeye, people have been cut off for weeks with no communication. In Wadeye, when I talk to people there, they tell me if you do not have Starlink or satellite wi-fi, you cannot contact emergency services, health services cannot operate, shops cannot restock and families are left isolated. People have been left for weeks without being able to access their medication because the communication systems have been down.

This is not during the current emergency, this is since the beginning of this year. No-one in a major city would tolerate being cut off from essential services for a week, let alone for months. Territorians in remote communities deserve the same protection as everyone else.

Our responsibility here is clear, we must invest in alternative power systems, resilient roads, flood proofed infrastructure and reliable communications so that communities remain safe and connected all the time, including during crises and extreme weather.

This is about the daily reality that Territorians face. It is about the mum I was talking to in Wadeye who cannot access her medication because the clinic is cut off. It is about families in Katherine and Darwin dealing with rising flood waters. It is about small businesses in remote towns that cannot open for days or weeks. These are all lived experiences; they are not hypotheticals, and we cannot plan as though these events are unpredictable and rare. The climate crisis is here, and the Northern Territory is on the front line.

Every decision about infrastructure, planning and emergency preparedness must centre the people of our communities, especially those in remote and vulnerable areas. We are in the middle of these events right now and as I said, my support and solidarity is with everyone who has been, and is being, impacted. I want to express again my appreciation of the extraordinary work being done by so many to support them.

Our responsibility in this Chamber is not only to respond to crises; it is to prepare for them. We cannot wait until the next flood, cyclone or infrastructure failure. This is our opportunity to design systems that are resilient, reliable and responsive because every Territorian, no matter where they live, whether in the middle of a crisis or in the reality of a neglected community, every day, every Territorian, deserves to be safe, connected and supported.

Mr PAECH (Gwoja): Madam Speaker, across the Northern Territory we experience some of the toughest weather conditions across the country, and governments need to do a better job looking after people in the bush.

I have heard from people across the bush in recent weeks about the conditions of their roads. People are fed up with the poor conditions of their roads that the CLP has let these roads fall into. These are roads I have heard about directly from communities about, like the Papunya road, the Utju road, the Willowra Road, the Santa Teresa Road, the Sandover Highway, the Docker River Road, the Nyirripi road, the Buchanan Highway, the Victoria Highway, Lajamanu Road and the road into Nitjpurru. These are all important road in the Northern Territory that have been left to deteriorate by the CLP government. The question the communities are asking is when will these roads be upgraded.

I will make it clear that the CLP government has been given money—cold, hard cash—by the federal government, by Marion Scrymgour, to do up roads in the Northern Territory like the Santa Teresa Road for which the Member for Namatjira continues to blame land councils and everyone else. I have spoken to the land councils and they have said clearly, ‘The land clearances are done. The responsibility lies with the CLP government to get on and seal that road’.

Money was made available by the federal Labor government to bituminise seven kilometres of Imanpa Road into that community. Again, they are waiting for the Northern Territory CLP government to respond.

The Mereenie Loop Road into and to go to Utju community again is waiting for the CLP government to communicate what action is happening.

These are just some roads across the Northern Territory that remote people are continually waiting to hear from this government and parliament about what it is doing. Roads are important. They keep our communities connected, having access to larger towns for medical appointments, goods and services, to visit families and get in for footie and so forth. Our remote communities deserve to have a high level of access and investment.

This CLP government is not investing in the bush as it said it would. I acknowledge that there are probably one or two members over there who are trying, but we need this road investment. We need to see these roads upgraded.

I heard from families in Titjikala this week saying that for a long time that road has been in terrible condition. They continually raised it with their member who has said, ‘We have no money’. That is an excuse. What is the grading schedule for that road? It is the same with the road to Kintore. They are important roads.

We need this government to do better and be clear when Santa Teresa Road, Impanpa Road, the Docker River road being sealed. When is the next lot of sealing on the Tanami and the Mereenie Loop? They are all important roads.

I will also talk tonight about the statement that was released by the Member for Fong Lim. First, it is a disgrace that the Member for Fong Lim chose to report this in the media on 8 March—an important day for Territory women in the community, International Women’s Day. The Member for Fong Lim released a statement saying, ‘I am hurt; I have been vilified.’ He has not said what he has been vilified about; he has just said, ‘I am hurt, and I am offended’.

He had an opportunity to come clean and front up, stand up and face the music. We have heard serious allegations in this parliament and in the media about alleged bullying by the Member for Fong Lim of hard-working Legislative Assembly staff. We heard allegations of the Member for Fong Lim swearing at staff and using aggressive behaviour towards public servants who work in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.

The statement he put out says nothing about those allegations. This statement is not worth the paper it is written on because it does not confirm or deny. Are these allegations true? Is the alleged abusive behaviour, abusive attitudes and unnecessary inappropriate conduct to public servants true or not true? That is what the Member for Fong Lim could have put in a statement, and he did not have to do it on International Women’s Day. That is a day when we should be celebrating the amazing contributions of Territory women, not trying to pump out a press release hoping that no-one would notice.

If you are vilified and you are offended tell us what about the allegations offends you, because you have failed to communicate what you are feeling vilified, offended or upset about because you have not confirmed or denied the allegations.

There is a complete power imbalance here. The Member for Fong Lim is a member of parliament. The two individuals against whom the alleged conduct happened are not members of parliament. They do not feel comfortable to talk about their experience because there is an abuse of power. I would be very careful if I was the Member for Fong Lim, because if those women continue to be empowered by other women in the Northern Territory to come forward and share their experiences, they would have done that before the Member for Fong Lim has had the opportunity to stand up, step up, face the music and say whether this happened. That is the simple matter of it.

We are no different today from three weeks ago when these allegations surfaced. What we asked is whether this is true or is it not true. That is what Territorians deserve to know and that is what they want to know.

We should not be putting out statements about these allegations on International Women’s Day. It is not on; it is poor form.

Mr KERLE (Blain): Madam Speaker, one of my constituents has recently retired from the public service after a long and highly productive career. Steve Wheelhouse concludes nearly 37 years of dedicated service to the Northern Territory Public Sector. Congratulations, Steve.

Steve began his NT career in 1989, with NT Treasury as a mainframe security analyst, progressing through several senior roles, including mainframe security manager and the NCOM manager in Alice Springs. In 1998 he moved to Transport and Works, where he managed Motor Vehicle Registry Customer Services, the Driver Licensing and Vehicle Registration Policy Unit, Road Safety and Legislation, and later worked in Transport Planning and Reform.

Steve played key roles in several major projects and legislative and policy reforms, including the introduction in 1998 of Australia's first driver’s licence data exchange, with the NT and NSW going first and other states joining later, and the development and implementation of the 2008 transit security officer legislation, the 2008 alcohol ignition lock legislation and the 2009 hoon driving legislation.

A standout moment in Steve’s career was his 2006 secondment to a World Bank project in Samoa, where he helped establish the new Samoan Land Transport Authority.

On behalf of the people of Blain and all Territorians, thank you, Steve, for your long career of service. May you well enjoy your retirement with your loving wife.

Gary Browder from Woodroffe recently swam 100 laps over two-and-a-half hours at SWELL Palmerston for Dolly’s Dream to fight bullying and support its initiatives, raising $3,192 as part of Laps for Life 2026.

Gary lost his arm to cancer, but he is the most positive person I know, and he does more with one arm than many people do with two. Each week he completes eight water aerobics classes, two yoga classes, two Pilates classes, three senior swimming classes and a Zumba session.

Gary is such a trooper that when he woke up from the lifesaving surgery that cost him his arm, he told the nurses that was the second-best day in his life, because he had beaten cancer. The best day in his life? Well, that was when he drove into Darwin in 1984 to start a new life here. Gary is a legend; well done, mate!

I congratulate Callum Bailey who recently received the Be-Excellent Outstanding Service Award by the leadership team of Palmerston Bunnings for his much-appreciated contribution to service excellence. I know Callum, and he is a very special guy. He has done a lot of work around Palmerston. Thank you very much for your great work at Bunnings Callum. I appreciate it. I always love seeing you greeting people when I come to visit. Thank you, well done.

Just quickly as I did not get a chance to speak on the MPI today regarding the Katherine floods, Trent De With from Rod and Rifle Tackleworld Katherine; what a legend. I just want to call him out and thank him for his awesome service documenting the floods in Katherine and service to the community.

To Ben Hockey from Hockey’s Northern Services is a landscaper who was driving around donating free sandbags to the community during the floods, that is the true spirit of Territorians, helping each other out when we are in need.

A big shout out to local MLA for Katherine, Jo Hersey came out of surgery and is on the ground in Katherine in a wheelchair out and about looking after the people of Katherine working very hard for her constituents. Good on you.

To the people of Katherine, I wish you a swift recovery.