Infrastructure Minister Eva Lawler has rubbished an independent engineer’s report into safety issues at TIO Stadium, saying her “advice” from unnamed advisers is that the building is “safe” and fire hydrant water pressure issues resolved, despite the report clearly showing the building’s water pressure is substandard and could “impact life and safety” at the facility.

Ms Lawler is currently under investigation by the NT’s anti-corruption body after she moved to temporarily exempt the building from requiring the proper safety certification in March for three months, following years of failed attempts to obtain an occupancy permit and while the ICAC was making enquiries about the issue.

The occupancy permit could not be obtained because professional certifiers and engineers would not sign-off on the building due to unresolved critical safety issues, including the water pressure concerns.

Last week, NT firefighters raised concerns with NT Fire and Rescue Service and the government about the weak water pressure at the facility, necessitating mitigation measures including bringing in a water tanker, which at least one firefighter said would not help in the event of an emergency.

The lack of proper water pressure could put firefighters lives at risk, as well as the public, in the event of a fire at the stadium.

Speaking on Mix 104.9 radio on Tuesday morning, Ms Lawler said the issues with the stadium are “legacy issues” from when the building was built in 1991 and accused “15 ministers” that came before her of being “in breach of the [Building] Act” for not bringing the building into compliance during their tenures.

However, Ms Lawler is the current minister and has been for four years, which would also put her in breach of the Building Act by not rectifying the safety issues in a timely manner.

Ms Lawler contradicted herself, saying the department is working to get the building certified, but also said her “advice” was that the building is currently safe. It was unclear how the building could be determined safe and not be certified as safe.

She then stated that the water pressure issues were up to the national standard, despite the independent report showing they were not.

“We continue to get the expert advice and the expert advice that had been provided was that the [water] capacity and pressure were fine at TIO,” she said, without explaining who had provided her that “expert advice” that blatantly contradicts the independent engineer’s report.

“Public safety is the number one issue. But the advice that I have is that TIO is safe. We will continue to work around making sure that we get it certified.”

Her office refused to respond to an offer to show what advice she was relying on to make the claims.

The 2021 engineer’s report Ms Lawler suggested is not accurate was provided to her department last year, and commissioned in 2020, which the NT Independent obtained earlier this year, that showed an examination of the grandstand by BCA Engineers discovered serious concerns around electrical issues, lighting and emergency exit problems, as well as the water flow and pressure issues that fail to meet minimum national standards, creating the potential to put lives at risk in the event of a fire.

“Based upon inspection findings it is evident that the water supply to the site is not sufficient compared to the requirements at the time of construction,” the report said.

“In particular, the water supply to fire hose reels is insufficient.”

The government refused to publicly release the full report under Freedom of Information laws, but the NT Independent later obtained it. A graph, which the department appeared to have inadvertently left attached to the appendices at the end of the redacted report, also showed the feed hydrant and the “unassisted test results” fall below the basic minimum requirements for flow and pressure.

‘Catastrophic risk’: NT firefighters concerned about inadequate water pressure

NT firefighters raised their concerns about the safety issues at the stadium – which one said was a “catastrophic risk” ahead of last weekend’s AFL game, causing the government to enact temporary mitigation measures including the water tanker and a larger fire truck on site.

The government also claimed to firefighters that the water pressure was up to the national standard, but could not provide documented evidence of the claim.

The United Workers Union NT, that represents firefighters, confirmed on Tuesday that the government has still not provided proof of their claims.

Both department chief executive Andrew Kirkman and NT Building Controller Mark Meldrum have repeatedly refused to say why they permitted people to enter the building without an occupancy certificate and while aware of the unresolved safety issues, in contravention of the Building Act.

Ms Lawler has also refused to explain why she issued a ministerial declaration to exempt the building after allowing thousands of football fans into the stadium since August 2020.

The ICAC’s investigation will include possible breaches of Section 66 of the Building Act that forbids anyone to “promote or conduct a public assembly in a place, building or temporary structure unless an occupancy permit has been granted…” and could presumably also include looking into misleading public statements provided by Ms Lawler and her department.