Her 43-year-old son Richard was taken into custody and appeared at Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, pleading guilty to charges of shoplifting as well as driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle.

Scrymgour said she made no excuses for him but offered a partial explanation for his current and previous string of offences.

The 64-year-old politician concluded her candid statement with a promise to help other families in similar situations.

“I have always spoken out for and in support of victims of crime, and I will continue to do so,” she said.

“I believe in law and order and protecting the vulnerable.

“But I also need to do more, I need to improve my efforts to help those family members across the Territory who are willing, especially older mothers like me, to rescue those scarred by addiction who, without assistance, may end up harming themselves and others,” she stated.

Scrymgour began her political career in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in 2001, later joining Labor and getting elected as the Federal MP for Lingiari in 2022.

She has previously served as the deputy chief minister and held the child protection and natural resources, education and arts portfolios.