Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro continues to reject calls for an independent investigation into a series of questionable senior executive appointments in the NT Police top brass that has left the force reeling in recent days, while an integrity expert said the NT needed an interstate senior police officer to conduct the investigation and restore stability and public trust to the police amid the “ridiculous” situation.

The CLP Government’s ministers appear to have gone into hiding, with none of them holding press conferences in the last two days, while the instability in the ranks concerning integrity issues at the highest levels of the police force continues unaddressed.

The NT Police Association renewed its calls on Tuesday for the independent review of all senior appointments made under outgoing commissioner Michael Murphy – including Acting Police Commissioner Martin Dole – who was appointed through a suspicious process overseen by Mr Murphy early last year.

Centre for Public Integrity director Geoffrey Watson said the Murphy recruitment scandal and the political handling of its fallout was a “terrible mess”.

“I’m aware it’s easy for someone from Sydney to pretend the Territory should do things the same way as Sydney, I am aware people know people in Darwin,” he told the NT Independent.

“But this is at the point where you need an outsider. It should be a retired senior police officer to look at the systems and whether the appointments were appropriate appointments for these very senior positions.”

Ms Finocchiaro has rejected the mounting calls for a review into the matter, even after it was revealed yesterday that Mr Murphy was on the recruitment panel with at least two other unknown people that decided the Deputy Commissioner’s role last year, with Mr Dole announced as the successful candidate in mid-May, after a previous recruitment process was scrapped by Mr Murphy for unknown reasons, with the original candidates never provided an explanation.

Mr Dole, whose promotion came six weeks after he was on the panel with Mr Murphy that selected Mr Murphy’s best friend Peter Kennon as an assistant commissioner, also said yesterday that a review into Mr Murphy’s appointments was not necessary.

“This is a terrible mess,” Mr Watson said.

“Beneficiaries of questionable decisions are saying they are independent enough to say there should not be an inquiry – it’s ridiculous.”

The appointment of Mr Kennon led to the Office of the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption investigation into Mr Murphy, which found he had not adequately declared that friendship to the panel, which it concluded was improper conduct that amounted to “negligence and incompetence” on his part.

He has since been put on leave, while his contract is terminated.

Ms Finocchiaro appeared on ABC Radio this morning, but was inexplicably not asked about the union’s calls for an independent review of the appointments. She backed in Mr Dole as the Acting Commissioner, stating he was providing “stability” despite the unresolved issues around his hiring process and his involvement in the hiring of Mr Kennon.

Mr Kennon also remains in his role as Assistant Commissioner.

“What I’m most concerned about is stability for our police now, they have been through a tumultuous period over many years and our job in coming to government was to support them with all of the resources and powers that are necessary,” she said, adding that there have been “increases in morale” since the CLP came in.

“So, leadership is very important and the doubt being cast over, you know, recruitment processes, does destabilise things and so I’m working through methodically what we can do to give confidence about those processes, but ultimately, the police need the support of the community and the government to go out every single day and…keep our streets safe.”

The NTPA maintained that a review was necessary to clear the air.

President Nathan Finn said multiple complaints were made to the Northern Territory Police Association last year about the recruitment process that led to Mr Dole being made Deputy Police Commissioner, which he raised concerns about at the time with Mr Murphy and then-police minister Brent Potter.

The NT Independent yesterday reported that Mr Murphy had abruptly closed down the recruitment for the deputy role in late 2023 without telling the applicants, and opened it up again early last year, after reportedly telling Mr Dole to apply for the job.

“The NT Police Association has received multiple complaints surrounding the recruitment process of deputy commissioner under Commissioner Michael Murphy’s tenure. Enquiries were also received from interstate applicants about the process via the Police Federation of Australia,” Mr Finn said.

“These concerns were raised [by the NTPA] with Commissioner Murphy and the Police Minister at the time.

“As expressed in our statement on Thursday, the Northern Territory Police Association has concerns about a number of appointments made under Commissioner Michael Murphy’s leadership, including that of Deputy Commissioner.

“The Northern Territory Police Association has called for a review on all senior appointments made under Commissioner Michael Murphy’s leadership.”

Ms Finocchiaro finally responded to the NT Independent’s questions about the calls for an investigation into the appointments Tuesday evening, but again rejected it in a three-line statement that did not address all the questions.

“Mr Dole as Deputy Commissioner is the appropriate person to act in the role of Acting Commissioner, as he has done many times before,” she said.

Labor Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said Ms Finocchiaro needed to show leadership, take action and “restore confidence in the top brass of police or step aside”.

“Restoring trust and integrity in the police executive must be a priority,” she said, adding Labor supported a review into the appointments made by Mr Murphy.

“‘It will all come out in the wash’ is not a good enough response from a Police Minister who should be trying to re-establish confidence in the Northern Territory Police.”