The developer behind the proposed 11-storey hotel at the Darwin Convention Centre has announced it will not proceed with the project following strong opposition from Larrakia elders, but the CLP Government has committed to proceeding with a “high-level concept” at the same site anyway.

Two Larrakia elders have filed an application to the Federal Government calling on the Environment and Water Minister to protect the Stokes Hill sacred site against the “damage and desecration” they say the proposed hotel at the Darwin Convention Centre will have on the site, which follows controversial changes the CLP Finocchiaro Government made to the NT Sacred Sites Act that the NLC says has “put all sacred sites in the NT at risk”.

The Finocchiaro CLP Government racked up an $886 million net operating deficit in the 2024-25 financial year, while also borrowing $1.4 billion, according to a new audit report by the Auditor-General, which shows the big-spending CLP helped raise the Territory’s debt level to $12 billion.

The Finocchiaro CLP Government has refused to explain how disgraced former NT Government senior executive Andrew Kirkman obtained a government-marked vehicle, which he was seen driving and which was parked outside his house last week, more than seven months after announcing his departure from the public service.

The Australian Federal Police have now charged Jessica Buckley for her alleged role in the fraud involving $71 million worth of Department of Defence contracts, which comes nearly a week after her husband and a woman she started another company with were charged.

Two companies linked to Michael Buckley and his co-accused have had their government contractor accreditation pulled, which will prevent both businesses from receiving government works and may affect subcontractors, as Mr Buckley faces federal corruption charges relating to the alleged rorting of Department of Defence building contracts valued at $71 million.

M+J Builders co-director Jessica Buckley’s claims that she is an Indigenous woman from the Bundaberg region in Queensland have recently been called into question, the NT Independent understands, which comes as the NT Indigenous Business Network suspended the company’s membership on Tuesday, but which it said was due only to the federal corruption charges against her husband and co-director Michael Buckley.

SunCable has reached a 70-year, multi-million dollar Indigenous Land Use Agreement with native title holders and the Northern Land Council for the construction of its proposed multi-gigawatt solar facility and battery storage facility at Powell Creek station, outside of Elliott.

A Darwin businessman and vice-president of Master Builders NT has been identified as one of three people facing charges in a federal corruption investigation involving the alleged rorting of Department of Defence contracts valued at up to $71 million, with business records revealing connections to a Commonwealth employee and his wife, who are also believed to be facing charges.