The mayor of one of the Northern Territory’s largest regional towns has vowed to contest all charges after police arrested him for alleged “drug driving” for the second time in less than six months.
In a statement, police said a 42-year-old male driver had returned a positive roadside test result for cannabis after his vehicle was stopped by officers in Tennant Creek on Friday morning.
They said the man was arrested and charged with unspecified "drug driving" offences and was bailed to appear in the Alice Springs Local Court on February 27.
Jeff McLaughlin, who has been the Mayor of the Barkly Regional Council since September 2020, confirmed to the ABC he had been charged in relation to the matter.
Mr McLaughlin said he would be pleading not guilty to the charges and claimed the positive test was the result of "prescription medication".
In September last year, police alleged Mr McLaughlin tested positive to cannabis during a separate roadside test.
That matter is also expected to be dealt with in the Alice Springs Local Court on February 27.
Shortly after he was charged last year, Mr McLaughlin took a period of personal leave from his official role.
"For me to continue in working as the public face of council through this time will detract from our work," he said in a statement at the time.
He has since returned to his role as mayor and has not indicated if he'll stand down while he faces the new charges.
Mr McLaughlin was first elected as a councillor in August 2017.
