NT independent MLA Kezia Purick to retire from politics at next election in August

Kezia Purick quit the CLP NT government in 2015 before becoming an independent. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)

One of the longest serving politicians in Northern Territory parliament, Kezia Purick, has announced she will retire from politics at the upcoming election.

The former CLP member turned independent, who represents the Darwin rural area electorate of Goyder, will not contest her seat when territorians go to the polls in August.

Ms Purick was elected to parliament in 2008, and has served as speaker under previous CLP and Labor governments.

Speaking on Darwin radio station Mix 104.9 on Thursday morning, Ms Purick said the time was right for her to allow someone else to represent the seat.

She said she had “mixed emotions” about resigning but said after discussions with her family, she had made the decision to step away.

Ms Purick said there had been ups and downs during her tenure.

She said she was looking forward to seeing her replacement in the seat of Goyder, urging whoever wins the seat in August to “make their own footprints” in the role.

“They may do it better, they may do it differently, they may not quite do it how I would do it, but they will do it their own way,” she said.

Ms Purick left the CLP in 2015 amid turmoil within the Adam Giles government, citing dissatisfaction with its integrity issues.

Her departure lost the Giles government its one-seat majority in parliament and put it into minority government.

She has a colourful history in NT parliament, including calling a federal minister “pasty-faced” and suggesting he should be castrated.

In 2020, the NT Independent Commissioner Against Corruption found Ms Purick had engaged in corrupt conduct by intervening in the attempted creation of a political party, and then allegedly misleading the watchdog under oath.

She resigned as speaker but stayed on as member for Goyder, saying she did not accept the findings of the report.

Ms Purick is widely respected by members of parliament across the political spectrum for her frank assessments of politics, and held her seat on a 56-43 per cent margin at the last NT election.

Her decision not to run for the seat of Goyder sets up a contest for the seat, which takes in Humpty Doo, Virginia, Marrakai and Mount Bundey.