EXCLUSIVE: Acting anti-corruption commissioner Naomi Loudon will not confirm the nature of her conflict of interest with the ICAC’s investigation into Territory Labor’s misuse of public funds at the last election despite her friendship with Labor staffers now revealed, while alleged compromising photos of Ms Loudon were circulated internally by office staff last year.
EXCLUSIVE: Anti-corruption commissioner Michael Riches allegedly used taxpayer-funded cameras installed at the family home to monitor his then-wife, that she alleges were operated to exert coercive control, which could constitute misuse of public resources, however the ICAC Inspector dropped the matter and it is not expected to be investigated further.
Territory Day public fireworks are back on at Mindil Beach after public outrage, nearly a week after the Lawler Government announced moving the iconic celebration, which it now claims was because of a single complaint made to organisers of the event.
The Territory’s acting anti-corruption commissioner says she disclosed a conflict of interest relating to the recently published major ICAC investigation into Territory Labor’s election rorts at the last election, which leaves the status of the second part of the report in limbo, while pledging to provide leadership in the office after a “tumultuous” two weeks for staff.
UPDATED: ICAC Inspector Bruce McClintock has cleared anti-corruption commissioner Michael Riches of misconduct after he failed to disclose a domestic violence allegation and offered to pay his wife $20,000 to drop a DVO out of fear it would be made public, but Mr McClintock’s investigation involved only a single text message to the victim of the alleged domestic violence.
The ICAC Inspector’s investigation into the conduct of anti-corruption commissioner Michael Riches and his failure to disclose domestic violence allegations needs to be done “quickly”, Chief Minister Eva Lawler says, but would not commit to a full independent investigation into his conduct and would not say when the Inspector’s report would be made public.
The NT Police Association has backed Commissioner Michael Murphy after he failed to investigate racist material last year and lied to the public about it, with the union’s boss saying Mr Murphy has done “everything to rectify the situation”, but was unable to point to one instance in which the NTPA has publicly criticised the Commissioner specifically for any issue.
Calls are mounting for ICAC Michael Riches to resign or be sacked by the Chief Minister, after revelations he paid his estranged wife $20,000 to ensure a domestic violence order never made it to court and failed to disclose the allegation, while a leading national integrity expert says the only way to restore the public’s confidence in the Office of the ICAC is to “put a broom through it”.
The NT’s anti-corruption commissioner Michael Riches was so afraid his career would be over after being served with a domestic violence order in May 2023, that he offered to pay his estranged wife $20,000 to ensure the matter never made it to the courts, according to a report in The Australian, while the NT Independent can confirm he did not disclose the matter to the ICAC Inspector.
The Aboriginal peak body in the Northern Territory has condemned Police Commissioner Michael Murphy for covering up racist awards handed out by police officers and later lying about it, calling for an “urgent independent review” of systemic racism in the NT Police force and questioning why the Lawler Labor Government has continued to minimise the “ongoing impact of racism”.
The Lawler Government and NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy have shown little interest in fixing the “growing disease” of racism in the NT Police force, Member for Mulka Yingiya Mark Guyula has said in a blistering statement, calling for real action to “change a culture that normalises racism and dehumanises people”.
EXCLUSIVE: The NT’s anti-corruption commissioner Michael Riches has taken leave while at least two possible investigations are underway into accusations made by his estranged wife that he perpetrated domestic violence over a 10-year period and his possible failure to disclose the allegation.
