Several undisclosed conflicts of interest have been raised over an NT News article about a purported incident at a Darwin restaurant last year involving independent candidate for Solomon Phil Scott and Tamboran Resources CEO Joel Riddle, including the political connections of the journalist who wrote the article and the witnesses quoted.

The article, titled ‘Candidate Phil Scott denies claims of abuse of gas executive Joel Riddle’ was first published online on Thursday evening ahead of Saturday’s federal election, but it inexplicably did not appear on the NT News website’s main page or on its app.

It claimed, without hard evidence, that Mr Scott had shouted at Mr Riddle at a Darwin restaurant last year, which was strongly denied by Mr Scott.

The piece did not disclose that its author, Camden Smith, is a former long-term CLP staffer and that he was previously media adviser for former federal MP Natasha Griggs, who is currently the president of the CLP and the person authorising party election campaign ads.

The article also failed to indicate that Tamboran Resources is a major advertiser for the NT News and its parent company News Corp., with the company involved in a major pro-gas campaign advertising blitz last December, involving undisclosed advertorials purported to be real news articles that was referred to the Australia Press Council.

The story also relied on a “business associate” of Mr Riddle’s to attempt to substantiate the incident, but did not immediately disclose that the associate is also a communications adviser and pollster for the Coalition through a consultancy company called Freshwater Strategy.

That firm was recently exposed for its involvement in the gas industry group Australians for Natural Gas, which claimed to be a grassroots movement representing households and small businesses, but was later found through an ABC investigation to have been established and funded by Mr Riddle.

The NT News article stated that Mr Riddle was “sharing a meal with three business associates at Chow! on Darwin’s Waterfront” when Mr Scott “allegedly” approached Mr Riddle and “shouted at him”. It stated that was denied by Mr Scott.

The article then said it was an “allegedly unpleasant incident” that “only ended when Waterfront security moved on Mr Scott”.

However, the newspaper then quotes Mr Riddle stating that he “can confirm witnessing on September 5 the unprompted incident involving Phil Scott and Waterfront security”.

It then quotes Mr Flegg claiming that Mr Scott was “hurling abuse at Mr Riddle’s table and worked himself up into an apoplectic state, screaming at the top of his lungs”.

The newspaper later added an “editor’s note” at the bottom of the story, indicating Mr Flegg’s connection with the Liberal Party.

Mr Scott’s campaign team issued a statement Friday strongly denying Mr Flegg’s version of events. The statement said that Mr Scott was with his family at the time and “briefly spoke” with Mr Riddle at a Darwin Waterfront restaurant.

“Phil raised serious concerns about Tamboran’s use of taxpayer funds to extract Northern Territory gas for private profit, contributing to the climate crisis that threatens future generations,” Mr Scott’s volunteer spokesperson Cath McLeish said.

“He questioned Mr Riddle about the company accepting public money, Mr Riddle not residing in the Territory, and about Tamboran’s recent move to Delaware, USA, a known corporate tax haven. After a brief exchange, Phil and his family left the restaurant area.

“Phil stands by his conduct, describing it as ‘assertive but calm’, and confirms there was no disturbance. Any suggestion to the contrary by a media outlet, Mr Riddle or Mr Flegg is potentially defamatory. The conversation was consistent with Phil’s belief in holding powerful interests to account and speaking up for the Northern Territory community.”

The statement also said the campaign team was “seeking legal advice and media ethics advice in relation” to the article.

NT News editor Melanie Plane did not explain why Camden Smith’s past engagements with the CLP were not disclosed at the end of the article. She also did not explain why current Head of News Gary Shipway’s past employment with the CLP and Queensland Labor last year is also not disclosed in political stories he authors that routinely only offer the CLP Government’s side.

Plane also did not explain why the article about Mr Scott was not on its main webpage or app, but denied a conflict of interest between the newspaper and Tamboran Resources.

“We stand by our reporting – and your allegations of a conflict of interest involving Tamboran Resources are false,” she said in an email. “In fact, the Australian Press Council has found that last December’s gas series, mentioned in your questions, did not breach its ethical principles, was accurate, there was disclosure and it did not involve a conflict of interest.

“The previous employment history of our reporters is well known, as is your own. Like you, our staff work as ethical journalists who report the news without fear or favour – and this was a balanced report that gave appropriate rights of reply to those named in the story.”

Plane declined to answer how the various perceived conflicts of interest were managed internally at the NT News.

 

DISCLOSURE: NT Independent editor Christopher Walsh was senior political reporter for the NT News between 2014 and 2017 and sued News Corp for wrongful dismissal in 2017. The matter was settled out of court.