A party that bills itself as one that listens to all Territorians is moving to silence its own members from talking to the media, unless bosses give them the say-so.

Key points: 1 Territory members barred from talking to media without permission from executive committee

1 Territory members barred from talking to media without permission from executive committee But some members do not know who the committee members are

But some members do not know who the committee members are Labor politician Ken Parish questions lack of transparency within the party

The catch-22 is that even some of 1 Territory's own members cannot find out who the party executive committee is, to obtain permission.

It led to a situation last week when a member who was asked to appear before party bosses, under suspicion of leaking to the media, could not get inside the building to attend the meeting, with committee members not answering their phones.

It is believed committee members were inside the building at the time and had noticed media waiting outside.

Palmerston man Phillip Taylor, 43, who was supposed to front the 1 Territory executive committee last Wednesday at 5.30pm, is not admitting to any breach.

But Mr Taylor, a steel fabricator and mechanical engineer, questioned how it was possible to get authorisation from the executive committee to talk to the media, given the party still had not told him who made up the group.

He said he originally asked for those details back in December.

"How do you communicate with a party when you don't know who's in there?" Mr Taylor said.

"If you don't know who the secretary is, if you don't know who the treasurer is, if you don't know who the committee members are."

The 1 Territory party has been searching its ranks after the NT News quoted an anonymous member criticising the party for a secretive management style and a lack of transparency.

It was registered as a party in November, and was painted as a grass-roots alternative to out-of-touch and self-interested major parties.

President refuses to reveal executive committee members

Former Country Liberals boss and Palmer United Party member Braedon Earley is the public face and president of 1 Territory.

He has already attracted media attention for refusing to reveal the identity of the party's executive committee members.

Mr Earley, who has criticised the Country Liberals for a lack of transparency over political donations, was also forced to defend himself in October when it was revealed he had advised potential donors they could give money without having to declare it if they donated before 1 Territory was officially registered.

He declined to be interviewed by the ABC, but has before insisted his fellow executive committee members would be in danger from vindictive major parties if they were to reveal themselves.

Law lecturer and former Territory Labor politician Ken Parish said he saw some merit in Mr Earley's comments.

"I think small parties have a certain propensity for cartoon paranoia, and perhaps this is an example of that," Mr Parish said.

"That being said, it may well be that executive members identified with a small party might run some risk of being victimised and discriminated against in their employment if they're public servants or run businesses and have contracts with government and so on.

"But at the end of the day, if you're going to put yourself forward as a candidate or an executive member of a political party, you need to accept that it comes with the territory."

Voters want to know who they are voting for: Labor

Mr Parish said it was crucial to be transparent and accountable because 1 Territory's own constitution made its executive all-powerful.

"If we have a situation where even the members of the party are not allowed to know who the executive is, let alone the public, then we're entitled to ask the question: well who is this party and who are we voting for?" he said.

"Who are the people who've got all the power in this party?

"Surely that's a very important part of democracy."

Mr Taylor said he was left none the wiser as to who was running 1 Territory, after his appointment with the party committee ended without a meeting.

He gave up after waiting outside 1 Territory's head office for 45 minutes.

Mr Taylor was later emailed and asked why a television crew was outside the building.