EXCLUSIVE: Investigations into the largest known fraud ever perpetrated in the Northern Territory have ended with only two small-time contractors convicted of defrauding the Indigenous Employment Provisional Sum scheme, that saw potentially tens of millions of taxpayer money rorted by dozens of NT construction companies.
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he supports “in principle” all seven points of action requested of the Federal Government by Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro to help fight crime in Alice Springs, and pledged support should the Coalition secure victory at the next federal election.
Treasurer Bill Yan is taking the crumbling Territory economy on the road through the NT next week – with special guest Under Treasurer Tim McManus – in an effort to explain to Territorians how the CLP Finocchiaro Government is planning “to fix the economic mess”.
Darwin Council’s proposed 21-storey civic centre building that will be co-owned by a private developer has been criticised as an “horrifically expensive” cost for the council per square metre, but the Lord Mayor has said it is good value for money, while a residents’ petition has been launched to stop the project.
Despite improving retail spending and rising equipment investment, CommSec’s State of the States report reveals that the Northern Territory remains firmly recognised as the country’s worst-performing economy, ranking eighth out of eight once again.
A stolen Mercedes motorhome discovered in a Darwin CBD street with ammunition inside led NT Police to uncovering meth, a fake firearm and stolen IDs and bank cards belonging to more than 50 victims.
Channel 9 has axed Darwin’s local nightly bulletin with some staff sacked and others possibly “redeployed” to other areas of the company in a shock move.
WATCH THE VIDEO: A video of prominent Darwin silk Jon Tippett recorded in the police watch house shortly after he was arrested for drunkenly crashing into a police car last November, shows him repeatedly laughing at the situation while asking officers to “make it a whole lot easier” on him, the NT Independent can reveal.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has named former Palmerston CEO Luccio Cercarelli as the new head of the NT public service, an appointment that has left some scratching their heads, given Mr Cercarelli’s lack of experience in the NT Government and his contentious history with Territory developers.
More than $8 million from the federal and NT governments will improve access and essential services for survivors of domestic, family, and sexual violence across the Territory, through the National Partnership Agreement.
Qantas will resume non-stop flights from Darwin to Canberra and introduce flights from Darwin to Singapore in the coming months, as part of a new long-term agreement between Qantas and the Airport Development Group.
The Finocchiaro Government has ordered a review into the Territory’s horse racing industry, while the Minister responsible has raised the prospect of increasing funding to the industry that is already receiving tens of millions of taxpayers’ dollars annually, while suffering decreased attendance at events and substantial financial losses.
