NT Chief Minister Eva Lawler says a decision by two former Ministers to not recontest the next election makes way for fresh faces, rejecting suggestions people are abandoning the party.

She told Katie Woolf it’s got nothing to do with crime, instead pointing to Paul Kirby and Nicole Mansion’s’ years of service in politics and desire to spend more time with their families.

Ms Lawler says she is aware of assaults on service station workers and hospital staff, adding that employers need to ensure staff safety with security guards also vital.

She also explained the new tact for tackling alcohol problems with a trial of reduced trading hours at Darwin bottle shops coming to an end.

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