Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the new structures would enable services to be more agile and responsive. Photo: Facebook.
Northern Territory (NT) Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has laid down her plans for a significant restructure of the public sector, most notably by increasing the number of key agencies from 12 to 18.
The Country Liberal Party (CLP) she represents was voted in by a landslide on a platform that prioritised reducing crime, rebuilding the economy and restoring Territorians’ lifestyle.
Shortly after her new Cabinet was sworn in, the Chief Minister announced her government changes as “vital in delivering the changes the NT and its people need”.
“We are aligning our public sector structures with our government’s top priorities, building a stronger, more specialised public service with technical expertise within smaller departments, empowering quicker and informed decisions that are made closer to the ground.”
As promised during the election, Chief Minister Finocchiaro has created a standalone corrections department that is to be run by Corrections Commissioner Matt Varley.
The move comes in step with a decision to limit the responsibilities of the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities to just children and families. By doing this, her government snuffed out a key recommendation of the 2016 Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the NT.
It called for youth detention to be removed from the Department of Corrections and placed under Territory Families to ensure young people weren’t moved into adult correctional facilities, and the implementation of more therapeutic approaches.
However this, and other changes to the Attorney-General and Justice Department, suggest the CLP intend to return youth detention to adult corrections.
In the days after her electoral win, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro met with CEO of the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet, Ken Davies, and Police Commissioner Michael Murphy. Photo: Facebook.
Several ministries such as treaty and climate change have also been removed from the new government’s portfolio.
Chief Minister Finocchiaro has indicated her feelings on the former, calling treaty and a Voice to Parliament nothing but a “distraction” in the wake of the failed referendum.
“In stark contrast to Labor, the CLP does not support treaty because we are listening and value action over words,” said the then-opposition leader. “The CLP will empower Aboriginal Territorians by acting on their calls for widespread changes to local government that give back control to their communities.”
Local Government Minister Steve Edgington has been given responsibility for this reform, which will undo the former Labor government’s merging of councils into super shires.
“This has been our commitment to predominantly Aboriginal people living in remote and very remote communities around the total loss of leadership they feel,” said the Chief Minister.
“That work will now be able to commence, where we are out consulting on the ground with people living in the bush about what that new style of local government means and looks like.”
Other changes announced include the replacement of NT Health chief executive Marco Briceno with Chris Hoskings, a former chief executive of the Department of Corporate and Digital Development.
Department of Education chief executive Karen Weston has been replaced by Susan Bowden, who’s been an acting deputy chief executive since January 2021.
Craig Graham will be leaving the position of Under Treasurer, for a strategic advisory role, helping with the development of the Middle Arm Sustainability Development precinct.
CEO of the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet, Ken Davies PSM, will be in charge of the new arrangements.
After thanking the outgoing public servants, Chief Minister Finocchiaro said Mr Davies “is experienced and knowledgeable and will provide sure footing to implement the machinery of government changes and our reform agenda”.
