Thursday, February 18, 2016

MYSTERY OVERSEAS CANDIDATE FOR NEW TERRITORY PARTY

An  intriguing  story going about  Darwin  is that  the new 1Territory Party , lining up potential candidates  for  all  Territory seats  and  the House of Representatives, could have an overseas  person  interested  in  throwing his hat into the ring . An overseas person-who could that be ? Surely not  the  former  CLP Leader , Terry  Mills , who led the party to victory,  was  voted out  a short time  later  by  his colleagues while in Japan  on  a trade drive in February  2014?

Mills eventually resigned from parliament  saying he did not want to start a  blood feud like Rudd and Gillard.  A fine sentiment ,  but the CLP has been  marked by    seemingly   constant blood letting  ever since, with a  farcical failed attempt to topple  Chief Minister  Adam Giles , a failed attempt to remove the Speaker ,  a  bagful of  other shenanigans , the latest engulfing the Deputy Chief Minister, Willem Westra van Holthe , involving  a Vietnamese   company, a Top End dragon fruit  farm , shares , travel , a  saga  strangely  headed  AMISS SAIGON? (  sounds like a  familiar  musical, wonder why ? )  in the Northern Territory News  of  February 10.  Incidentally , it was Willem who broke  the  news  to Mills  over  the  phone  that  he had been  sacked as Chief  Minister .

Off  to Indonesia  went Mills  as   the  Territory's  Trade  Commissioner . However , the NT Government  sacked  him in February 2015 , the   Darwin based  Indonesian Consul  commenting that  his removal would  damage the Territory's image  in  his country.
 
Mills is still deeply involved in Indonesia  through the  Australian Indonesian Institute Board , its main project  the Australian Indonesian Youth Exchange  and recently posted  photos from  the front of  Starbucks  in Jakarta, bombed by  terrorists.  So, is  Mills the overseas mystery man ?  Only time will tell .