Giles takes on the role of leader of the Northern Territory as previous leader Terry Mills is removed from the role following a vote.
Mills was informed of his removal from the role over the phone during a visit to Japan. Labor’s Northern Territory MP Warren Snowdon criticised the move, telling Sky News “We’ve had effectively, a coup…The people of the Northern Territory are fed up to the back teeth with these shenanigans.”
Giles, who will become Australia’s first Aboriginal minister to take over this level of leadership, released the following statement on his Facebook page:
“Today I was asked by a large majority of my Country Liberal colleagues to lead our team.
“I agreed to take on the role as Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and Dave Tollner agreed to take on the role of Deputy Chief Minister.
“I want to acknowledge the hard work and commitment along with the personal sacrifices made by Terry Mills during his time as leader of the Country Liberals. I would also like to thank Robyn Lambley for her time as deputy leader and her dedication to serving the Northern Territory as Deputy Chief Minister.
“The swearing in will be tomorrow. We are both humbled and looking forward to serving shoulder-to-shoulder with Territorians to make the Northern Territory even better.”
In 2009 Giles made an impassioned and controversial statement during a Ministerial Statement on the subject of public housing for indigeounous communities, saying “We have [ex Australian Prime Minister] Kevin Rudd’s scum, bringing boat people over, and we cannot house the First Australians, but we can house the next ones, or the people who want to be the next Australians.”
Main image via Facebook
Video via Sky News AU
