Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner, one of NT Labor’s most successful leaders, has announced his resignation after delivering his latest budget, saying his heart is no longer in the job and he wants to spend more time with his young family.
Gunner intends to stay on as an MP but has expressed no interest in a ministerial portfolio.
The 46-year-old has a two-year old and his second son was born in April. He says he is unable to give 100% to the job and anything less was “short-changing” Territorians.
“There is never a perfect time to step back, to walk away, to give others a go,” he said. “But for me, for my family, this feels like the right time.”
He had a heart attack immediately before the pandemic in 2020.
Gunner cemented the ALP as the natural party of government in the NT after ousting a shambolic, deeply divided Country Liberal government in 2016.
Labor’s Clare Martin had broken the CLP stranglehold on the Top End in 2001 but the CLP had returned to power in 2012. In 2016 Gunner virtually obliterated the conservative party, leaving it with just two seats, and won convincingly again in 2020 on the back of his successful handling of the pandemic.
With a replacement to be chosen by the ALP caucus later this week, it’s unclear what impact Gunner’s departure might have on the federal election. Both Lingiari (vacated by Labor’s Warren Snowdon) and Solomon (held by Labor’s Luke Gosling) are considered up for grabs.
I’m sorry to see him go, but at least I got a selfie with him while he was Chief Minister!
It’s understandable that with two babies the pressures are great. Hopefully it won’t affect the Federal election. I remember hearing him speak on Q&A from the NT some time ago and he was very impressive
He looks relieved…
Dont forget he has been very kind to the mining fraternity including fossil fuel people and especially the fracking kind. The way these deals come about often makes me wonder what we dont know. I am get the feeling the people involved are likely getting some unseen advantage for making things happen. Over time it becomes harder to reconcile this with what is right and that takes a toll. The more corrupt people have no trouble dealing with it but maybe Gunner is struggling. The upshot is that he may have other resources apart from his unfunded pension. Wish we could find out. The tax dept would know.
What sort of unfounded pension entitlement will he get so that he can live the dream at his young age??
Minimum $200K pa for life, expenses for office & staff, business class air travel (remember them days?), free 1st class rail travel, and sundry other expenses pertaining to past representative duties.
I think you need to provide a source for that. Pretty sure it’s incorrect.