High-profile Darwin silk Jon Tippett is facing multiple charges after he allegedly crashed into the back of a police car while driving over the legal blood alcohol limit late last year, the NT Independent can reveal.
Attorney-General mum on potential conflict with acting local judge appointment
Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby has announced the appointment of three acting local court judges, including the lead prosecutor for the upcoming Matt Wright trial, but would not say if the appointments, that also include one of Mr Wright’s previous defence lawyers, would delay the high-profile case, while also refusing to comment on one of the surprise new judges’ connections to the Chief Minister and her husband.
Long-serving NT public servant named new acting ICAC, as Riches remains suspended indefinitely
Long-time NT public servant Greg Shanahan, who conducted a secret review of the ICAC Act for Labor two years ago, has been appointed the new acting anti-corruption commissioner, with Michael Riches remaining on indefinite leave with full pay, while the long-running investigation into his conduct continues with no end in sight.
Chief Minister refuses to call for resignation of Alice Springs elder and community group director who beat partner with stick
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has refused to condemn the domestic violence crimes of an Alice Springs traditional owner and director of two community groups she met with last week, after it was revealed by The Australian on Tuesday that Benedict Stevens pleaded guilty in June to aggravated assault for striking his partner in the face with a tool during an alcohol-fuelled domestic violence incident.
‘Cautioned and counselled’: Kirkman cleared in OCPE probe again after judge found he engaged in inappropriate conduct
A government-ordered investigation into senior executive Andrew Kirkman’s inappropriate conduct against a female staffer, in which he was found in court to have verbally abused and threatened her costing taxpayers more than $1 million to defend, has been concluded with no action being taken, the Chief Minister said.
Katie Woolf’s husband lands plum CLP Government-appointed gig
Patrick Bellot, a local real estate agent and husband of Mix 104.9 radio personality Katie Woolf, has been appointed chair of the Darwin Waterfront Corporation through a mysterious hiring process that does not appear to have been publicly advertised.
CLP announces Labor’s anti-crime measures amid latest Alice Springs crime surge
The Finocchiaro CLP Government has announced a “Circuit Breaker Program” for Alice Springs in the wake of a surge of violent crimes in the troubled town that it says will address the “root causes” of crime, but the program as described is exactly what Labor announced in April.
CLP Minister kept Telstra shares amid party election pledge to fully divest
CLP Education Minister Jo Hersey says she is now in the process of divesting her shares in telecommunications giant Telstra, despite pledges from the CLP in February amid Labor’s shares scandal that all its MLAs’ shares would be divested “to show Territorians that we are ready to take government”.
Chief Minister backs corrupt cops as evidence of serious misconduct mounts
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has committed to taking no action against five senior police officers who lied to the court about their involvement in the racist TRG awards, despite evidence the joint investigation by the ICAC and NT Police executive failed to properly review the officers’ criminal conduct.
NT pollies gifted $8,200 annual raise in middle of cost of living crisis
The Territory’s politicians have quietly been given an early Christmas present in the form of an $8,200 annual pay rise as of January 1 – bringing their base salaries to $175,000, plus benefits and expense accounts – while ministers will see their pay packet increase by nearly $14,000 a year.
NT Police lawyer requested sworn statements from officers that were later revealed as misleading
EXCLUSIVE: The man who organised five senior NT Police officers to sign sworn statements that the racist Nooguda awards were not racist has refused to answer questions about why those five officers were chosen and what was said to them before their misleading statements were tendered to the court, the NT Independent can reveal.
Police Commissioner Michael Murphy misled two separate coronial inquests this year
EXCLUSIVE: NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy misled Coroner Elisabeth Armitage in two separate coronial inquests, first when he claimed at the inquest into domestic violence that a senior officer who shared a picture on social media of a half-naked domestic violence survivor could not be disciplined because it would affect his family and later when he claimed at another inquest that he would order a review into the matter.