Territory Story

Born in Albury, New South Wales, Dr Adelle Sefton-Rowston was the first in her family to attend university. After completing an honours degree in Arts, Adelle went on to study secondary teaching before doing a PhD in Literary Studies. Her first foray into the Territory was as a teacher on school camp. She fell in love with the landscape, art and culture of the Pitjantjatjara people in central Aust...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: Friday flight from COVID-19 mine site explained: Here’s what we know of how the outbreak started Senator Sam McMahon’s unnamed ‘spokesman’ says unattributed allegations of intoxication untrue Happy Territory Day:...

Giovanna Webb was born and raised in Colombia. After finishing studies in veterinary science and animal husbandry she began working with reptiles including a stint in the Amazon. She has a particular interest in crocodiles and it was through her work that she met Darwin’s own Crocodile Dundee, Professor Grahame Webb, who runs the Crocodylus Park. Not knowing a word of English, Giovanna moved to Da...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week, there was one story that dominated the news cycle: Bombshell ICAC report into grandstand scandal released: ‘Corruption, misconduct and breaches of public trust’

Joanne Griffiths, better known as ‘Jo’, was born in Darwin but her family moved to Katherine when she was four. She grew up in Katherine surrounded by extended family and finished school at Katherine High before returning to Darwin to go to university. A few years in, Jo and her partner decided to move to Geelong where they stayed for three years. It was here that Jo moved into the world of proper...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. 'Why are you so slimy?’: Gunner prevents head public servant from answering questions on free press ban 2. ‘What are you talking about, Chief Minister?’: Fiery estimates hearings over NT financial woes 3. NT bu...

Meet Ali Dhirani and Manfred Mletsin. They are the founders and owners of SAMAF an accounting firm in Darwin, Australia. Ali is from Pakistan and grew up in Tanzania. Manfred is from Estonia. They both met at Charles Darwin University where they were overseas students studying accounting. In the middle of the pandemic last year, these entrepreneurs decided to start up their accounting practice. On...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. NT Government responsible for unqualified cops on the beat, cases could be overturned with millions in damages: National civil rights body 2. Queensland border control point to be re-established; four fined for...

Sizol Fuyana was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. At the age of three, her family moved to Peterborough in the UK. She spent ten years in England before her family moved again, this time to Darwin. Sizol is a Bachelor of Laws and Diploma of Psychology student, and has established her own business, Fuyana Support, which caters for troubled youth. But things have not always been rosy and Sizol went throu...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. NT Police Academy: Audit shows police college employed unqualified instructors, failed to meet national standards. 2. Former chief minister Adam Giles linked to company in talks with Landbridge Group for major...

Born in Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, Jeroen Furstner is from a Dutch family. His father worked as a geologist and they travelled around a lot including Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, before settling down in Adelaide. After school Jeroen started a career in the insurance industry. Thirty years later he started his own business as an insurance consultant. Jeroen shares an intimate portrait of...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. Company faces $6m fine, director $1.2m and five years jail, over worker’s death 2. Darwin Turf Club fire: NT WorkSafe confirms investigation underway 3. Rolfe trial: Chalker kept ‘secret’ reports into Yuendumu...

Born in Emerald, John Coyne joined the Australian Defence Force and has forged a career in security and strategic intelligence. He spent time in the Australian Federal Police before finally settling in as Head of Border Security, Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. John talks about his life, career and role in driving policy discussion on defence an...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. Gunner Government ‘hypocrisy’ over inaction on alleged threats of violence by Treaty Commissioner: Opposition 2. Darwin Council eyes fee increases, borrowings for ‘record breaking’ spend, new civic centre 3. Do...

Born and raised in South Australia, Andrew Meaney, qualified as an electrician before moving into project management and excepting a role that brought him to Darwin. Here Andrew managed a workforce of 100 maintenance workers who are working on the Darwin LNG project. Andrew is now General Manager NT for Sage Automation. He’s also Chair of the Energy Club Northen Territory. A husband and father of...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. Former NT government staffer charged for historic sex offences 2. Youth bail laws passed after ‘confusing’ day in Parliament 3. Gunner Government eroding public’s faith in Parliament by lack of action on ethica...

Born in Darwin in 1988, Dylan Bennett grew up in the northern suburbs and went on to finish school at Darwin High. He then studied teaching at Charles Darwin University and went back to Darwin High, this time as a teacher. He taught maths and physics. Dylan has travelled extensively, living and working in Spain and China. He has a fascinating insight into different education systems and parents’ e...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. Budget 2021: Debt continues to climb despite better than expected revenue 2. Public servants’ union warn Gunner’s pay freeze will hurt NT economy 3. Gunner Government’s bail law reforms criticised by Indigenous...

Born in Mount Isa, Queensland, Katie Woolf is known to many Territorians as the host of the popular Breakfast Show on Mix 104.9. An all round fun but serious journalist, Katie interviews lots of guests and sometimes puts politicians on the spot with hard questions. So for something different, we put Katie on the otherside of a microphone and asked her to tell us her story. This is Katie’s Territor...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. Two public servants cleared of ‘improper’ conduct, but procurement procedures ‘not fit for purpose’: ICAC 2. Woolworths scraps Darwin Dan Murphy’s plans 3. Flights from India suspended as infection numbers cont...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. Fire safety issues unresolved at TIO Stadium ahead of sold-out NRL match, FOI documents reveal 2. FOI documents contradict NT building controller’s statement on Turf Club’s Silks venue 3. Remote police stations...

Associate Professor Ted Steele was born in 1948 at Darwin Hospital. He now lives in Melbourne but he says he ‘feels emotionally as a “Territorian” every waking minute (we really are different)’. Ted went to Adelaide University in January 1967 and joined a group of Territorians there that included: Don Fuller, Peter Whelan, Bob Richards and Barbara Larcombe. Roger Steele, a pioneer of Territory pol...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. ‘A figure of enormous respect in all parts of Australia’: Gunner lauded in national publication 2. Gunner failing to meet Barkly Regional Deal obligations two years on: Senator 3. Deadly mosquito-borne diseases...

Originally from the UK, Gwilym Conran finished his degree in marine geography from the University of Cardiff and moved to Perth, Australia, to take up a job in the oil and gas industry. Over the years Gwilym has worked in Australia, New Zealand and now is contracting in PNG. He is, however, based in Darwin and loves the Territory. Gwilym discusses Wales, marine geography including mapping the Indi...

On this weekend edition of the podcast, Chris Walsh, Editor of the NT Independent online newspaper, talks about some of the stories making news in the Territory. This week’s stories are: 1. Chief Minister acted as referee for best mate and senior adviser for top oil and gas lobby job 2. Gunner announces two commissioner roles to attract private investment to the NT 3. New interim Territory Investm...