Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro’s failure to disclose her husband’s directorship in a company linked to the Darwin Waterfront Corporation for two years, while at the same time publicly demanding other politicians follow the rules, is the type of double standard that destroys the public’s trust in its elected officials, an independent MLA says.
Member for Johnston Justine Davis said the public expects Territory politicians to be open and honest about their conflicts of interest and disclose accordingly, especially when that includes the use of public funds, adding that public roles should not be treated as a “private club”.
“When public institutions and political leaders break the rules they expect the rest of us to follow, it doesn’t just erode trust, it destroys it,” Ms Davis said.
“Public confidence can’t survive double standards.”
The NT Independent revealed on Saturday that Ms Finocchiaro breached Parliament’s Disclosure of Interests Act by not disclosing that Mr Burke was the director of a company called Place Leaders Asia Pacific, which received taxpayer-funded annual payments from the Waterfront Corporation for years and was the beneficiary of an undisclosed sum of taxpayer cash to hold a conference in Darwin earlier this year, estimated to be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Mr Burke is also the deputy chief executive of the DWC. He declined to comment on the matter or explain how he managed the conflict of interest between the two bodies.
Ms Finocchiaro has also refused to explain why she did not disclose the directorship for two years between 2022 and 2024, only disclosing it last February when public scrutiny around MLAs’ register of interests increased, following revelations of Labor ministers’ shares and disclosure issues.
The Labor Opposition earlier this week called for Ms Finocchiaro’s resignation, given her insistence back in December 2023 that then-chief minister Natasha Fyles resign for “a profound betrayal of public trust” by failing to disclose her shares in a mining company on the register of interests, while Ms Finocchiaro had not disclosed her husband’s directorship on the register at the time.
Ms Fyles ultimately resigned over her disclosure issues, citing a failure to meet the “high standards” expected of the chief minister role.
Ms Davis said the latest revelations also reinforced broader issues around conflicts of interest not being effectively managed at the Darwin Waterfront Corporation, which has been mired in controversy over unresolved nepotism, mismanagement and possible misuse of public funds.
“This latest allegation makes it clear just how serious the issue of conflict of interest management really is at the Darwin Waterfront Corporation,” Ms Davis said.
“During the [Public Account Committee’s] Waterfront inquiry, we were told over and over again that there were ‘robust systems’ in place to handle conflicts of interest. But when we asked to see what those systems actually were, we couldn’t get concrete evidence – just vague assurances.
“This case shows exactly why that matters.
“The deputy CEO allegedly approved sponsorship payments to an organisation where he was a director, while his wife – now the Chief Minister – failed to disclose this directorship for two years, in breach of disclosure laws. Politics aside, this is simply not acceptable.
“Public roles and leadership positions should not be treated like a private club, where conflicts are ignored and standards only apply to some.”
Ms Davis added that the DWC receives over $20 million of taxpayer money every year, but was not being fully accountable and transparent to the public.
“The CLP Government talks endlessly about accountability, but if a 10-year-old is expected to be accountable, so too should our public corporations and so should our political leaders,” she said.
The Public Accounts Committee’s report into the Darwin Waterfront Corporation is expected to be released next week when Parliament resumes, with political sources indicating at least two dissenting reports are expected to raise concerns about how the taxpayer-funded corporation is managed.
Place Leaders Asia Pacific has declined to say how much the Darwin Waterfront Corporation paid for its 2025 conference, citing “confidentiality” reasons, despite the money belonging to Territory taxpayers. DWC chief executive Alastair Shields also refused to say how much money the conference cost.
Place Leaders chair Claire Ferres-Miles told the NT Independent Mr Burke resigned as a director in August 2024, three days after Ms Finocchiaro was elected Chief Minister, however ASIC records still list him as a director in the company that calls itself a “member organisation” for public sector workers and local government groups that holds “networking events and awards”.
The latest issue involving the conflict of interest and directorship of Place Leaders Asia Pacific was not part of the PAC’s narrow inquiry into the Waterfront, which focused on unadvertised lucrative government contracts, some involving ongoing higher duties allowances, awarded to Mr Burke with no oversight.
“FAILURE TO DISCLOSE” Same as Accountability / Transparency. Each has value if functional. Neither ALP before or CLP now, has stepped up. But those currently in denial will do so. Just before BILLIONS OF DOLLARS DEBT . . . . crashes NT citizens employment into insolvency.
So, it’s ok to divert huge sums to companies involving politicians families and interests, but there isn’t enough in the budget to keep funding indigenous ranger programs? Please, show us the real money you shady bunch!
Why is the taxpayer funding rangers looking after private property? The bill should go to the Land Council.
Territory public and taxpayers are absolute mugs who are being laughed at and ripped off by their politicians and so called public servants including Ms Finnochiaro and Sam Burke, Alistair “I am a collector” Shields , the Kirkmans, the Shanahans and the rest of the cozy coterie clique syndicate they form.
No surprise that the latest scandal has the Darwin Waterfront Corporation and Alistair Shields fingers in the mix. Shields is after all a self proclaimed collector of many things including jobs, friends in high places and perks and privileges like attending races and other events as a guest of bookmakers and gambling companies he supposedly regulates. He clearly likes to share his collections particularly jobs and appointments around amongst friends.
Feel sorry for any honest public servant stuck in the NTPS!
Alastair Shields From The Public as DWC CEO did exactly what his name suggests when he and Patrick Bellend sat on their Big Boy Chairs of Righteous Indignation, cried their fake tears and complained that they were being unfairly picked on for doing things that they claimed were ‘normal’ and ‘commonplace’.
Alastair Shields From The Public as DWC CEO would know precisely how much money was given to the organisation employing his Deputy CEO and good mate, the Chief Minister’s husband (who is also a lawyer don’t forget).
Alastair Shields From The Public as DWC CEO would know exactly when that money was paid and where it came from and who else is involved.
So too would everyone in the money chain who helped make this kind of thing possible, again.
Maybe this was another one of those magical cost sharing agreements that Alastair Shields From The Public cooked up in the background?
Who are the facilitators and protectors in Government helping them to enrich Sam Burke even further?
We’re really interested to find out just how much money is enough for these people? You greedy bastards just can’t stop, can you?
Alastair Shields From The Public is on approx 10 Boards and Committees connected to NT Government.
Is 10 enough Alastair? Maybe we could squeeze you into a few more?
Shockingly, Alastair Shields From The Public is also the Chair of the NT Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
Here is one definition of corruption we found:
‘Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offence that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one’s gain. Corruption may involve activities like bribery, influence peddling, embezzlement, and fraud. Political corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain.’
‘“The deputy CEO allegedly approved sponsorship payments to an organisation where he was a director, while his wife – now the Chief Minister – failed to disclose this directorship for two years, in breach of disclosure laws. Politics aside, this is simply not acceptable.”’
Politics aside, if true then this is simply corruption, according to that definition.
‘“During the [Public Account Committee’s] Waterfront inquiry, we were told over and over again that there were ‘robust systems’ in place to handle conflicts of interest. But when we asked to see what those systems actually were, we couldn’t get concrete evidence – just vague assurances.
“This case shows exactly why that matters.”’
This case shows exactly, we were lied to about so-called “robust systems” and also by omission of this payment connection to Sam Burke. Intentionally. By Alastair Shields From The Public. To our faces. On the record too.
Imagine sitting there, knowing this had been going on for a long time, yet saying absolutely nothing about it.
‘Place Leaders Asia Pacific has declined to say how much the Darwin Waterfront Corporation paid for its 2025 conference, citing “confidentiality” reasons, despite the money belonging to Territory taxpayers. DWC chief executive Alastair Shields also refused to say how much money the conference cost.’
Of course they did and they won’t be forced to reveal any of that either because Sam Burke’s wife is the current Chief Minister.
They think we don’t deserve answers.
They think they can take our taxpayer money, stuff it into their fat bank accounts, spend it on investment properties and stock portfolios, fine wine and fancy cars, yet when we ask how they got it, they lie to us and refuse to explain what’s going on and what they’re conspiring to do in the background. Again.
The arrogance of this group of people is really astounding.
Cover up of corruption is also corruption.
So let’s see what CLP Corrupt Little Party Government appointed Greg Shamahan does with this.
We’ll arrange for this to be filed as an ICAC complaint, including what we think are the lies and cover up by Alastair Shields From The Public at the PAC and all the other reporting about this DWC Definitely Worse Corruptoration.
Will he try to bury it? Will he give them yet more preferential treatment? Will he promise them no adverse consequences like his predecessor did for the NT Police? Will his office shut down any proper investigation of this whole Corporation and its tentacles stretching into NT Government circles?
Over to you Greg.
These people are GREEDY TICKS gorging on the system.
They will fall off when they choose to, full of our tax payer dollars and scurry off somewhere, like Andrew Kirkman did, to lavish all their extra cash on themselves and their families while most hard working public servants are struggling to make ends meet day to day.
And they are being allowed to. This could all be stopped and reconfigured very easily by those controlling the levers of power.
But they choose to let it continue, partly it looks like because they too are financially benefiting from it all.
Hopefully we’ll now see all those commenters who whinged about the money spent by the coroner recently, also publicly up in arms at thousands and thousands sucked out the system by this conspiratorial crew. Which could be spent on hospitals and schools etc, right?