Michael Gunner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Gunner
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Gunner in 2017
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| 11th Chief Minister of the Northern Territory | |
| In office 31 August 2016 – 13 May 2022 |
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| Deputy | Nicole Manison |
| Administrator | John Hardy Vicki O'Halloran |
| Preceded by | Adam Giles |
| Succeeded by | Natasha Fyles |
| Treasurer of the Northern Territory | |
| In office 8 September 2020 – 13 May 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Nicole Manison |
| Succeeded by | Natasha Fyles |
| 11th Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory | |
| In office 20 April 2015 – 31 August 2016 |
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| Deputy | Lynne Walker |
| Preceded by | Delia Lawrie |
| Succeeded by | Gary Higgins |
| Member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for Fannie Bay |
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| In office 9 August 2008 – 27 July 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Clare Martin |
| Succeeded by | Brent Potter |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Michael Patrick Francis Gunner
6 January 1976 Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse | Kristy O'Brien |
| Alma mater | Charles Darwin University |
| Occupation | Political adviser |
| Cabinet | Gunner Ministry |
Michael Patrick Francis Gunner (born 6 January 1976) is a former Australian politician. He was the 11th Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 2016 to 2022. The Chief Minister is the head of government in the Northern Territory.
Gunner was a member of the Labor Party. He represented the area of Fannie Bay in Darwin in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. He held this position from 2008 until he resigned in July 2022.
In 2015, Gunner became the leader of the Labor Party in the Northern Territory. This made him the Leader of the Opposition. He led his party to a huge victory in the 2016 election. He was the first Chief Minister to be born in the Northern Territory.
Gunner led Labor to another win in the 2020 election. On 10 May 2022, he announced he was stepping down as Chief Minister. A few months later, on 27 July 2022, he also resigned from his role as the member for Fannie Bay.
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Early Life and Education
Michael Gunner was born in Alice Springs in 1976. He was the oldest of four children. His family has a long history in the Northern Territory. His great-grandfather moved to Tennant Creek from Tbilisi, Georgia, in the 1930s. Gunner also has Indigenous relatives in Utopia.
He went to school in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, and Darwin. He studied at Charles Darwin University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. To pay for his studies, he worked at the retail store Big W. He also played rugby union for the Northern Territory.
From 2001 to 2008, he worked as a policy adviser for the former Chief Minister, Clare Martin.
Political Career
In 2008, Gunner was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. He took over the seat for the Fannie Bay area after Chief Minister Clare Martin retired.
In April 2015, Gunner became the leader of the Labor Party in the Northern Territory. This also made him the Leader of the Opposition. The opposition is the main political party that is not in power.
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
Winning the 2016 Election
Going into the 2016 election, the Labor Party was expected to win easily. On 27 August 2016, Gunner led Labor to a massive victory. They won 18 out of 25 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
The other major party, the Country Liberal Party (CLP), lost badly. They were left with only two seats. This was one of the biggest defeats for a ruling government in the Territory's history.
Gunner was officially sworn in as Chief Minister on 31 August 2016. At first, he formed a small, three-person government with Nicole Manison and Natasha Fyles. His full team of ministers was sworn in on 12 September.
First Term (2016-2020)
As Chief Minister, Gunner had a strong majority in the government. One of his government's first actions was to change the speed limits. They removed the "open speed limits" on some parts of the Stuart Highway and set a new limit of 130 km/h.
His government also placed a temporary ban on fracking. Fracking is a method used to get natural gas from the ground. This ban was put in place in September 2016 and was lifted in April 2018 after a review.
Winning the 2020 Election
Gunner led the Labor Party into the 2020 election. His campaign focused on how his government handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
On election night, it became clear that Labor would win again. Gunner's party won 14 of the 25 seats. This was enough to form a majority government, meaning they had more than half the seats.
Second Term and Resignation
After the 2020 election, Gunner formed a new team of ministers. He took on the role of Treasurer himself.
Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Gunner was in charge of the Northern Territory's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2021, he got international attention for a tweet. He responded to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who had criticized the Territory's health rules. Gunner's reply quickly spread online.
| Michael Gunner |  |
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| @fanniebay |
Replying to @tedcruz
G'day from Down Under @tedcruz. Thanks for your interest in the Territory. I'm the Chief Minister. Below are a few facts about COVID down here.
18 October 2021
Leaving Politics
On 10 May 2022, Gunner announced he was resigning as Chief Minister and Treasurer. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family. Two months later, on 27 July 2022, he also resigned as the member for Fannie Bay, ending his political career.
Life After Politics
In November 2022, Gunner started a new job at Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), a green energy company. He later became the head of FFI's Australia West division. He left this role in February 2024. In 2025, Gunner became a partner at the consulting firm KPMG.
Personal Life
Gunner is married to journalist Kristy O'Brien. They got married on 3 December 2017. The couple has two sons, who were born in 2020 and 2022.
In January 2020, Gunner had a heart attack. He had surgery and recovered.
