NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles resigned over undisclosed shares

Northern Territory (NT) Chief Minister Natasha Fyles resigned over her undisclosed shares worth $2,000. She announced the news of her resignation in a press conference today at Darwin.

Natasha got emotional while announcing her resignation during a press conference. Her resignation comes after allegations she failed to declare shares she owns in mining company South32. She owns 754 shares in South32 which she did not disclose to the public.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has announced her resignation from her leadership and ministry positions in an emotional press conference.https://t.co/B2LoXGT26h
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) December 19, 2023

NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles also resigned following an earlier scandal that involved unreported shareholdings in the gas company Woodside. She sold those shares last month after they were investigated.

Natasha stated in a press conference that she had always tried to record her shareholdings correctly. Upon further review of her shares, it became clear that one of these was not declared. It included a small shareholding in a company called South32 which came from a BHP demerger in 2015.

She went on to say that (undisclosed South32 shares) was an error on her part and she makes no excuses for it. It was not intentional or planned but it is wrong. She can tell that her small shareholding has never influenced any of her decisions.

Click here to read the updates on sexual assault of Australians traveling overseas

According to Natasha, 169 shares in Woodside were a gift from her grandmother in 1985 when she was seven years old. She declared the exact shares of Woodside as it was in mid-November. However, she announced it when she planned to sell these shares.

Furthermore, she added the honorable course of action is to resign as Chief Minister. She cares too much about their government and what it has accomplished to let her personal error undermine their progress. It is pointless to drag this out.

Natasha said she will take a break before returning in the new year to campaign for reelection in her Nightcliff seat and the reelection of the territorial Labor government. She served as NT chief minister since May 2022.