Independent politician Robyn Lambley has slammed the Northern Territory Government for a lacklustre agenda in Parliament this week.
No major legislation is being debated in sittings and Chief Minister Michael Gunner, Opposition Leader Gary Higgins and independent Terry Mills are missing from Parliament because they are in Indonesia for a trade expo.
Ms Lambley, the Member for Araluen, expressed her disappointment there was essentially nothing happening in Parliament over the next couple of days and possibly into next week.
"I think that you should be ashamed of yourselves for not working harder to ensure that there's not some more substantial business that we are here to undertake and to preside over in this Parliament," she told the chamber.
"I'm also very disappointed that the Chief Minister has decided to not avail himself to be here this week. I don't that that's a good reflection of how important Parliament in the Northern Territory is."
Fyles defends Government
Attorney-General Natasha Fyles denied there was nothing meaningful on the agenda.
"I absolutely dismiss the comments from those opposite around lack of business in this Parliament," Ms Fyles said.
"The Chief Minister, as I know the Leader of the Opposition, were torn this week whether they were here in this chamber or whether they were in Indonesia on a very important trade delegation."
Ms Fyles said it was a "bit rich" of Ms Lambley to criticise the Government because she would miss Parliament next week while on a taxpayer-funded trip to Canada for a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association trip.
It costs about $18,000 to run a sitting day in Parliament, in addition to normal costs, according to Speaker Kezia Purick.
Parliament sits for 11 weeks each year.
