The Northern Territory's sports minister has told television personality Eddie McGuire to butt out of territory affairs, following his comment the NT is in too much social disarray to field an AFL team.
In the wake of the AFL's announcement that Tasmania will gain Australia's 19th AFL team, McGuire speculated which jurisdiction could possibly field a 20th, to prevent having byes each week.
"I would love to see something happening in Northern Territory," McGuire said on his Eddie and Jimmy podcast with fellow AFL commentator Jimmy Bartel, published by Nine.
"But the Northern Territory as we know is in complete disarray socially at the moment.
"But I think there is a role there."
For months, the NT has been grabbing national headlines over its ongoing surge in crime and antisocial behaviour, from regional towns like Alice Springs to the capital city of Darwin.
Sports Minister Kate Worden – who is also the jurisdiction's police minister – said such commentary from a high-profile national personality as Mr McGuire was "incredibly disappointing".
"Here's a person that probably hasn't stepped foot in the territory in a very, very long time making a comment about the territory," Ms Worden said.
"I would invite Eddie to come here and speak to the kids that are playing AFL football here in the Northern Territory, come and sit with the government and see the things that are on the ground … and then walk away and make a comment.
"But people just living on the eastern seaboard and having a pot-shot at the territory and thinking that because they're a name they can do that – it's really disappointing."
Shadow minister says comments are damaging
Shadow NT tourism minister Marie-Clare Boothby said the former Collingwood president's comments made the NT look like an embarrassment on the national stage.
"Eddie McGuire is a national figure, he is broadcasting his views to the whole of Australia, it is Australians who are listening to what he is saying," Ms Boothby said.
"This is just another example of receiving the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
"When we can't get crime under control here in the territory, this is what Australians say about us, and that is not the message we want to send."
Respected NT AFL commentator and Gurindji man Charlie King said now was the time to talk up the territory, not talk it down.
"I think we've got problems, we know we've got problems, but I don't think that twentieth licence, an announcement of that, is imminent. I think it's quite a few years away," he said.
"A lot of things can change between now and then."
McGuire says football can play role in helping NT
In response to the criticism, McGuire told the ABC he was a "massive supporter of NT football".
"This is all coming from a position of hoping to help, and to build in," he said.
"It's not having a go.
"It's not saying don't put teams up there.
"There are big issues that we need to look at, that we need to get through there, which are wonderful opportunities. And football can play a huge role."
Ms Worden said while she understood the NT was grappling with serious social issues, that shouldn't preclude it from one day having its own AFL team.
"We've been exporting fantastic AFL players for many, many years into the AFL competition – why shouldn't they be able to stay at home and play here?"
She's among the officials on a taskforce looking to develop a bid for the Northern Territory to be considered a viable chance to become the AFL's 20th team.
"You have to have those aspirational dreams, you've got to know the AFL wants to play even numbers of rounds, that goes with their TV contracts as well," Ms Worden said.
"Tassie getting the nod makes it much more credible I think for the territory to have an opportunity."
