1. Michael Patrick Francis Gunner was born on 6 January 1976 and is an Australian former politician who was the 11th Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 2016 to 2022.
34 Facts About Michael Gunner
1. 2.
Michael Gunner was a Labor member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, holding the seat of Fannie Bay in Darwin from the retirement of then Chief Minister Clare Martin at the 2008 election until his resignation in July 2022.
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Michael Gunner led Labor to a landslide victory in the 2016 Northern Territory election.
4.
Michael Gunner led Labor to another victory in the 2020 election, albeit with a reduced majority.
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On 10 May 2022, Michael Gunner announced his intention to resign the position of Chief Minister.
6.
On 27 July 2022, Michael Gunner resigned his position as member for Fannie Bay.
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Michael Gunner was born in Alice Springs in 1976, the eldest of four children, to Mick and Jane Michael Gunner.
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Michael Gunner's great-grandfather settled in Tennant Creek in the 1930s from Tbilisi in Georgia, fleeing the country after the Russian Revolution.
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Michael Gunner has Indigenous relatives in Utopia north of Alice Springs.
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Michael Gunner went to school in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Darwin.
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Michael Gunner began a law degree at Northern Territory University, switching to a Bachelor of Arts degree which he completed.
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Michael Gunner supported himself by working at retail chain Big W and as an electorate officer.
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Michael Gunner went on to work as a senior government ministerial and policy adviser between 2001 and 2008 to former Chief Minister Clare Martin.
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Michael Gunner was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for the Electoral division of Fannie Bay in 2008 after the retirement of Chief Minister Clare Martin at the 2008 election.
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Four days later, Lawrie resigned and Michael Gunner was elected unopposed as leader.
16.
Michael Gunner held the portfolios of Major Projects, Northern Australia Development, Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Open and Transparent Government and Business and was Shadow Treasurer.
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Originally a member of Labor Right, Michael Gunner became factionally unaligned, resigning from the Right after taking over as Opposition Leader.
18.
Michael Gunner moved a Motion of No Confidence against the Adam Giles Government on 1 December 2015 but was unsuccessful.
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Michael Gunner declared that Territorians had "rejected the chaos of the last four years", in part a reference to the numerous reshuffles that had taken place during the previous government, including multiple leadership spills.
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Accordingly, Michael Gunner was sworn in as Chief Minister on 31 August 2016.
21.
Michael Gunner held 38 portfolios in the three-person ministry in contrast to Manison solely as Treasurer and Fyles as just Attorney General and Justice Minister.
22.
Michael Gunner ordered a moratorium on fracking, and undertook a review of all water licences issued under the previous government.
23.
Michael Gunner has expressed support for Chinese government investment in the Northern Territory in the form of the Belt and Road Initiative.
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Michael Gunner later declared victory an hour later, saying that he was "very confident" that Labor had won another term, with the Country Liberals refusing to concede defeat on election night.
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Ultimately, Michael Gunner led Labor to win 14 of the 25 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
26.
Michael Gunner announced his new cabinet on the 7 September 2020.
27.
Michael Gunner himself dropped half of his portfolios in favour for Treasurer, a portfolio once held by Manison.
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Michael Gunner led the Northern Territory's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
29.
On 10 May 2022, Michael Gunner announced his resignation from his positions as the NT Chief Minister and Treasurer, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
30.
On 27 July 2022, two and a half months after he resigned as Chief Minister, Michael Gunner announced in a speech to the Legislative Assembly his resignation as the member for Fannie Bay.
31.
Michael Gunner was promoted to lead FFI's Australia West division in April 2023.
32.
In February 2024, Michael Gunner announced he had left his job at Fortescue.
33.
On 3 December 2017, Michael Gunner married ABC journalist Kristy O'Brien.
34.
In late January 2020, it was reported that Michael Gunner would undergo heart surgery, after suffering a heart attack earlier in the month which had originally been described as a "minor heart scare".