The Northern Territory news Sat 16 Apr 2022
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2022-04-16
English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.
News Corp Australia
Darwin
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
News Corp Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/869965
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/870141
04 NEWS Saturday April 16 2022 NTNE01Z01MA - V1 Focus on kids in school TERRITORY families are being encouraged to maintain consistent school attendance ahead of term two, with rates dropping across the NT. Data showed there was an attendance rate decline of 3.9 per cent for government schools in term one, compared to the same period last year. The decline was across all regions, with Darwin in particular recording a 3.4 per cent drop to 86.2 per cent attendance, compared with 89.6 per cent last year. Covid-19 and students being unwell is partially attributed to the drop. Education Minister Lauren Moss stressed the importance of students maintaining a consistent five days a week attendance. The benefits of a child attending schools versus the risk of getting Covid at this point in time is far greater. The wellbeing, social and emotional development of children are at risk if children do not attend face-to-face learning, she said. Face-to-face learning is the best option for kids to get these benefits, so it is essential they attend five days a week. A targeted campaign to boost attendance will be rolled out. RAPHAELLA SAROUKOS Drug 2ICs bid to be top dog THE chief lieutenant in a $20m Darwin cannabis importation racket was plotting to usurp syndicate top dog, Peter Wellman James, when the criminal enterprise came crashing down, a court has heard. James has pleaded guilty to commercial drug supply, conspiracy and dealing with property in the commission of an offence, and faced a sentencing hearing in the Supreme Court on Thursday. The court has previously heard James was the boss of the syndicates Darwin operations, which involved sourcing large quantities of cannabis from a shadowy cabal of Adelaide suppliers, known as the Russians. His barrister, David Edwardson QC, told the court that after a significant shipment of the drug was inter cepted by police en route to Darwin, James 2IC, Shannon Wagner, had lost faith in James ability to head up the Darwin operations. By November 2020, a plan was under way between the Russians and Mr Wagner for Mr James to be ousted, he said. In a covertly recorded conversation with his wife on the 21st of July 2020, Wagner expressed the view that (James) was proving to lack the organisational and other skills that Wagner had, he said. (He) noted that theyre ripping him off again Mr Edwardson said, the following day, Wagner was also recorded telling his wife that the Russians were not happy with how things were going. Wagner told her that their view was that f***ing Peter is f***ing up and the moneys f***ed up and the count wasnt right, he said. As things developed in the course of the history of this significant criminal syndicate, there was very much in play a changing of the guard. Mr Edwardson said James was only an underling of the elusive Russians, who are yet to be apprehended, saying it was the Russians cannabis and as such, most of the profits were remitted to them, via a key contact, codenamed MilkMan. He said his client was inserted by the Russians as the head of the Darwin syndicate, but by the end there was little to distinguish between (him) and Wagner. Indeed it was Mr Wagner who, during the End of Days before arrest, was directly involved specifically with the MilkMan and was clearly positioning himself as being the person who would take over, or run the show, and was effectively marginalising my client, he said. Crown prosecutor, David Dalrymple, said he accepted the Russians had seen a business opportunity to enter the more lucrative Darwin cannabis market, but that did not mean James was acting at the direction of the Russians. All the Russians need to know, once the product reaches Darwin, is that theyre going to get their money, he said. What happens then in terms of the distribution to preferred dealers in Darwin is not a matter for the Russians, its a matter for Mr James. Its a mutual benefit scheme that has different roles to play for different people. Wagner was jailed for 12 years in November for his role in the syndicate and James will return to court at a later date. Jason Walls Cannabis and cash seized by police in Operation Medina, targeting Darwin kingpin Peter Wellman James. Picture: NT Police Contact: P: 08-89483555 | E: senator.mcmahon@aph.gov.au F: DrSamMcMahonNT | W: drsammcmahon.com Authorised by: Dr Sam McMahon Liberal Democrats | 1/229 McMillans Rd Jingili NT 0810 Dr SAM MCMAHON SENATOR FOR THE NORTHERN TERRITORY GETTING THINGS DONEGETTING THINGS DONE Delivering What Matters to Territorians Freedom of Choice - Removal of Mandates Lower Taxes for Business and Individuals Ensuring NT Rights - Enabling Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation Infrastructure that will develop Sustainable Industry Action on Property and Personal crime Support for NT Police Defence Industry Works Packages to suit local NT contractors Water Storage Infrastructure Please dont hesitate to get in contact, Im here to help. Advertisement