Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has caused confusion with her public remarks about the five lying officers who misled a coronial inquest over their involvement in racist TRG awards, telling Parliament today that they are currently under an NT Police “internal review”, but later saying “this matter is closed” when asked what action she is taking as Police Minister to clean up the mess.

Independent MLAs Justine Davis and Yingiya Guyula questioned Ms Finocchiaro in Parliament last week about what action the government was taking to deal with the issue of five senior police officers who filed false stat decs to the Inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker, but the Chief Minister said she was not aware and would seek further information. She had previously defended the lying officers.

The NT Independent revealed in an investigative series that the officers lied to the Coroner in false stat decs, that at least one of the five allegedly attempted to delete evidence of the racist awards on computer drives, that some shared jokes on social media about their involvement and getting away with lying, that videos and photos showed some of the officers at the so-called “Noogudah Awards”, that one officer produced the “most coon-like BBQ” award, and that one officer who denied knowledge had his name engraved on the “Noogudah club” – an improvised weapon seized from a remote community during riots that he told the court was “never linked to Indigenous people”.

On Wednesday, Ms Davis asked Ms Finocchiaro if the five officers had been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for charges for misleading the inquest.

Ms Finocchiaro pointed to the flawed ICAC Operation Beaufort report – which was started by currently suspended ICAC Michael Riches who had pledged to disgraced police commissioner Michael Murphy not to make any adverse findings against the five officers days after launching the probe – as evidence that the ICAC did not refer the matter to the DPP.

“It is absolutely within the remit and the scope and the practice of the ICAC to do that [refer the matter] and do that if they believe it necessary,” she said. “So, I’ll leave that as a matter for them.

“And then on the policing side, I can confirm that there has been an internal review being done in relation to Operation Beaufort and the members that you have mentioned.

“And again that’s an operational matter and so that sits with police to deal with. But as you’re aware, the ICAC went through the matter.”

Ms Finocchiaro appeared frustrated after being asked again by Ms Davis what action the government is taking against the officers.

“If you think someone’s allegedly done something wrong, why don’t you walk over to the DPP and let them know,” she said. “But as far as I’m concerned, this matter is closed.”

Ms Finocchiaro has in recent days been promoting her government as taking action on misconduct when it is presented to them, after finally being pushed by public pressure to sack Murphy as police commissioner after a week of political inaction.

Multiple police sources have previously told the NT Independent the inaction on the false statements to the court has cost the NT Police force good members who won’t work for an organisation that protects officers who lie in court and that the force had lost credibility and the respect of Territorians over the debacle and lack of action.

Instead of questioning any of the five senior officers, the Office of the ICAC concluded its investigation by stating there was “no admissible evidence” to pursue the officers, in part due to commissioner Michael Riches’ “assurances” to some officers that any evidence they provided would remain anonymous. That material, provided by other officers, was not put to the five.

The ICAC has never explained why the five officers were not directly questioned about the accuracy of their sworn statements against the evidence made public through the inquest – or material recovered from police computer drives – that included the award certificate with an Aboriginal flag as a backdrop, as well as a graphic of a person in blackface, another award for the “most coon-like BBQ ever” and another Noogudah award given to a drunk officer for displaying the “utmost level of Aboriginality while being an elite member of the TR[G]”.

Operation Beaufort was billed as a joint investigation with NT Police, with the police input managed by current Acting Police Commissioner Martin Dole. It was never disclosed what the police side of the investigation entailed.

In December, Ms Finocchiaro also ruled out referring the police officers for further investigation for the crime of perjury, despite now claiming her government takes action on misconduct.

None of the five senior officers – James Gray-Spence, Meacham King, Craig Garland, Shaun Gill and Mark Clemmens – have publicly accepted their role in producing the awards or lying under oath to the court.