CLP Member for Daly Ian Sloan has announced this morning that he will retire from politics less than a year after being elected, triggering a by-election for the hotly contested seat.
‘Chairman’s friend’: Police commissioner Chalker received gifts of hospitality from Brett Dixon, Turf Club
EXCLUSIVE: NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker, who internal Darwin Turf Club records show was invited to racing events as the “chairman’s friend”, has confirmed police resources are being used to investigate the NT Independent based on allegations made by former chairman Brett Dixon.
Grandstand scandal: This is why the Northern Territory needs independent media
We told you we would focus on exposing corruption – in the government, public service and elsewhere – and that we would be shaking up the media landscape in this town that was long ago compromised by different interests affecting how your stories are told and that led to public interest issues covered up.
‘Michael Gunner has lost the trust of the people’: Opposition says Chief Minister’s job ‘untenable’ following Dixon statement
Chief Minister Michael Gunner has “lost the trust of the people” and must immediately release the document Cabinet relied on to approve a $12 million grant for the Turf Club grandstand to restore integrity in government, Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro says.
Former Darwin Turf Club board member appointed to chair another taxpayer-funded board
EXCLUSIVE: A disgraced Darwin Turf Club board member who was forced to resign by Chief Minister Michael Gunner for “improper conduct”, has been appointed chair of another government-funded board that her company has previously had contracts with, the NT Independent can reveal.
Manison says $12m grandstand grant followed ‘normal process’ despite ICAC corruption findings, Gunner doing ‘fantastic job’
Chief Minister Michael Gunner has been dodging media interviews on local radio stations despite feeling no pressure from his caucus colleagues, his deputy says, over his handling of the $12 million Darwin Turf Club grandstand grant.
‘Dodgy $12m grandstand grant tip of the iceberg’: Gunner Govt’s millions to horse racing questioned, possible breaches of funding agreement raised
EXCLUSIVE: The Gunner Government appears to have gifted more than $3 million to the NT’s peak horse racing body in its first budget – on top of an estimated $75 million five-year funding agreement – following a pre-election donation from companies owned by Darwin Turf Club chairman Brett Dixon, 2017 budget figures show.
Horse rorts: Dixon and Thoroughbred Racing NT board charged taxpayers $7500 per meeting, plus expenses
EXCLUSIVE: Thoroughbred Racing NT chairman Brett Dixon and deputy chair Syd Stirling charged taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars to attend the peak racing body’s board meetings – which are arranged to coincide with different racing events across the NT – including costs for accommodation, hospitality and flights, the NT Independent can reveal.
Gunner gives Drabsch free pass, says ‘deceptive’ conduct ‘happened two years ago’
Executive public servant Shaun Drabsch – who was found by the ICAC to have engaged in “deceptive” conduct involving the $12 million grandstand grant – will not be sacked by Chief Minister Michael Gunner because that conduct is two years old “when he first took up the role”, the Chief Minister says.
Minister confirms Gunner rushed grandstand grant through Cabinet, Drabsch now overseeing ICAC recommendations despite ‘deceptive’ conduct
A second Minister has confirmed Chief Minister Michael Gunner rushed the $12 million Darwin Turf Club grandstand grant through Cabinet himself and that the senior public servant who failed to warn Cabinet of the submission’s lack of details is now, remarkably, in charge of implementing the ICAC’s recommendations.
Senior public servant who worked on grandstand proposal still in role despite findings of ‘deceptive’ conduct
Chief Minister Michael Gunner has not taken any action against senior public servant Shaun Drabsch, who the ICAC found engaged in “deceptive” conduct with former Labor powerbroker Alf Leonardi to ensure the $12 million publicly-funded Darwin Turf Club grandstand project was awarded a taxpayer grant.
‘I was following instructions’: Chief Minister’s former chief of staff’s stunning claim to ICAC revealed
Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s former chief of staff Alf Leonardi was only “following instructions” while playing a key role in the Darwin Turf Club grandstand scandal, he told the ICAC, raising new questions about the Chief Minister’s involvement.