EXCLUSIVE: CLP Education Minister Jo Hersey took a luxury private jet between Katherine and Darwin to attend a boozy, “bottomless” high tea at the Hilton Garden Inn Darwin in early December, but she claims no taxpayer money was expended despite posting photos of the jaunt on her government-funded social media account, which comes as the Minister was also caught out misleading Territorians about her disclosable interests.
The CLP Government and the Labor Opposition have not ruled out supporting independent MLA Justine Davis’s calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the rorting of a government Indigenous employment scheme that saw an estimated $60 million fraudulently obtained by up to 146 Territory contractors.
The CLP Government will plunge the Territory into further debt rather than find necessary cost savings of $450 million a year, with Treasurer Bill Yan proclaiming the move “responsible action to repair the budget”.
Two men have been charged over Monday’s shooting in Coconut Grove, another person who was arrested has been released, while the gun that was used has not been found, NT Police said.
An independent MLA has called for a full parliamentary inquiry into how $60 million was stolen from Territory taxpayers through the Indigenous Employment Provisional Sum scheme, with only $900,000 recovered and two small-time contractors jailed for rorting $300,000, while larger companies suspected of obtaining millions were never charged.
Suspended ICAC Michael Riches did not investigate NT Health Department findings of nepotism in procurement and recruitment processes that it identified may warrant criminal prosecution, and instead conducted a “review” two years after the department raised its concerns, with the corruption watchdog finally making four “best practice” recommendations, while providing “guidance” to support ethical practices and thanking staff.
UPDATED: Airnorth is launching direct flights between Cairns and Alice Springs, with an undisclosed subsidy from taxpayers, while tickets started being sold on Monday for the first flight on April 14.
More than 2,300 illegal nicotine vapes worth $140,000 and an undisclosed amount of marijuana were seized by NT Police on Friday, following a raid of a Palmerston residence after a tip-off that illicit substances were at the house.
EXCLUSIVE: The staggering amount of money believed stolen by NT construction companies through the government’s flawed Indigenous Employment Provisional Sum scheme has finally been released, following the conclusion of multiple investigations into the troubled program that ended with only two small-time contractors going to jail, with the NT Government recovering less than 1.5 per cent of the total funds it suspected were rorted.
The head of Royal Darwin Hospital advised Territory divers in mid-December to reconsider diving activities because the hospital could not offer emergency recompression treatments due to the hyperbaric chamber unit being shut, while the Health Department will not say when it closed, why, or when it may re-open.
Corrections Minister Gerard Maley has assured Territorians the CLP’s plans for dealing with overcrowded prisons and watch houses is “working” amid an influx of prisoners, while an independent MLA has raised human rights concerns with the UN about the ongoing conditions in the Territory’s jails.
The Federal Labor Government has announced $24 million for essential infrastructure and community facilities across the NT in another pre-election goody for the Territory.
