It’s that time of year again to reflect on the wacky and wonderful stories that made news this year, and in most cases, crucial stories and issues that would never have come to light had the NT Independent not existed.
Following last year’s election, 2025 marked the first full year of the CLP Finocchiaro Government, which can politely be described as turbulent.
Of course, all of the troubles were based on a conscious decision to continue to run the Territory the same way every government has for the past 40 years: hiring mates for senior statutory roles, taking bad advice from conflicted senior public service executives more concerned with saving their pay checks than improving the Territory, failing to front up to media and explain themselves to the public, changing laws to block transparency or enable human rights abuses, focusing our economic future solely on gas, cherry-picking stats to back up tough-on-crime rhetoric, and putting politicians’ and their mates’ (and at least one leader’s spouse’s) own interests ahead of Territorians.
After an almost complete lack of faith in the government’s institutions led to Territory Labor being booted out in 2024, it became difficult in 2025 to see how the CLP was doing anything differently. Except, of course, the ineffective and racist tough-on-crime policies that have become the Finocchiaro CLP Government’s hallmark (and which Labor was moving towards before they were thrown out).
The NT Police force’s chaos and dysfunction continued unabated in 2025 with seemingly little concern for the crucial body that administers law and order in the Territory.
Police commissioner Michael Murphy, brought in to replace the deeply unpopular Jamie Chalker, saw his position as top cop terminated in disgrace in March of this year amid findings from the ICAC’s delegate that he engaged in “negligence and incompetence” concerning the mismanagement of a conflict of interest while hiring a mate for a senior role. But Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro needed to be pressured into sacking Murphy after initially attempting to downplay the seriousness of the situation by claiming the report was simply an “educational tool” for all other senior executives.
Then there was the identified systemic racism in the police force fostered over a hundred years that our leader couldn’t bring herself to acknowledge despite all the evidence and the police force’s own admissions and ‘action plan’ to address the problem.
Seven times – while in opposition – the CLP called for a public inquiry into the deep and systemic dysfunction in the NT Police force, but once elected, threw those calls in the bin.
The results were less than spectacular.
By November, the ‘Blow Jobs Report’ was finally released, highlighting the inner turmoil in the ranks and painting a portrait of the most senior police officers in this jurisdiction at each other’s throats amid nepotistic hiring practices that the CLP Government chose to ignore outright – partly because they engage in the same practices. To that end, ths year Martin Dole was hired as the Territory’s new top cop by Lia without adhering to a full and independent hiring process. The joke at the time was that at least Murphy rigged one for public perception when he hired his mate for a senior role.
When will the public inquiry to restore the public’s faith in its battered police force occur?
The CLP did not stop there, using their numbers in Parliament to push through their stale brand of ‘tough-on-crime’ laws that were repeatedly criticised as racist and ineffective. The best our Chief Minister could offer by way of explanation was that she was tired of “evidence-based” solutions and wanted to give her policies a go despite any evidence they would work. They were, of course, CLP policies from previous decades that have continually failed us so we can expect the same outcome in 2026 and beyond.
Then there were law changes to consolidate the NT’s integrity bodies under one office – which was already proven ineffective years ago – creating an unhealthy concentration of power with one “super body” while its component bodies couldn’t get their shit together on their own.
Other laws were passed to block the public’s right to government information; political mates were appointed to serious statutory bodies including Legal Aid NT, the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority and the courts themselves, culminating with a ‘good ol’ boy’ being appointed Administrator in what can only be described as “on brand” for Lia Finocchiaro.
All of this led to our elected parliamentarians under the CLP having their wages increased late this year at a rate that outstripped our real, hard-working public servants.
Crime continued unabated, the ICAC resigned in disgrace, a man with a chequered past was hired to circumvent all environmental and development laws, an alleged rapist in the health profession was allowed to return to work, ministers and the Opposition Leader misused ‘white cars’ for personal errands, a Waterfront executive at the centre of a national embarrassment scandal parked his vintage cars at taxpayer expense, a cyclone hit, construction company directors were arrested for alleged rorting of federal contracts (which shocked the industry considering tender manipulation is a Territory pastime, but scary when a federal body from the real world gets involved), a drunk lawyer argued for leniency on DUI charges because he had a “government gig” lined up, senior executives of major agencies left mysteriously, the DPP was caught hiring family members for gigs in his office, the dogs barked but the caravan rolled on…
And at the end of the year, the current Mayor of Darwin – another former Member of the Legislative Assembly – remains under investigation by the NT Police for allegedly producing and distributing fraudulent how-to-vote cards at this year’s civic election.
So nothing out of the ordinary for the Northern Territory in 2025.
Here is the Year in Review:
January:
Attorney-General mum on potential conflict with acting local judge appointment Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby has announced the appointment of three acting local court judges, including the lead prosecutor for the upcoming Matt Wright trial, but would not say if the appointments, that also include one of Mr Wright’s previous defence lawyers, would delay the high-profile case while also refusing to comment on one of the surprise new judges’ connections to the Chief Minister and her husband.
CLP announce new head public servant in surprise move 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.
https://ntindependent.com.au/clp-announce-new-head-public-servant-in-surprise-move/
Largest fraud ever perpetrated in the NT dropped with no further charges, department hiding total amounts 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, which saw potentially tens of millions of taxpayer money rorted by dozens of NT construction companies.
‘Can we get it under 0.1?’: High-profile Darwin lawyer’s night with police after drink driving crash revealed in video EXCLUSIVE: 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.
February:
‘Who is responsible?’: Calls for public inquiry into $60m Indigenous Employment Provisional Sum fraud scandal 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.
Minister admits ‘perceived’ conflict of interest, pledges to disclose private jet brunch as calls for action mount CLP Education Minister Jo Hersey says she will now disclose the gift of a free luxury jet flight to a boozy brunch paid for by a wealthy Katherine businesswoman after breaching the Disclosures Act by failing to report the gift, with the Opposition calling for the Minister to be reprimanded for flouting NT disclosure laws on multiple occasions.
ICAC finds senior public servant engaged in ‘corrupt conduct’ after four-year probe into misuse of leave entitlements A senior NT public servant on an executive contract dishonestly claimed sick days while he was gambling at a casino, on fishing trips and golfing, which amounted to “corrupt conduct” the ICAC has found after a four-year long investigation, but chose not to name the executive or the government department involved.
Chief Justice defends granting bail to alleged violent teen who absconded last week Chief Justice Michael Grant has issued a rare public statement in the wake of public outrage over a young offender granted bail to fly to Lajamanu on a taxpayer-funded chartered plane for a funeral that he later absconded from, telling the public their criticism of the situation is misguided and that they fail to understand “the circumstances of compassionate bail”, while also criticising the current legislation.
Darwin Waterfront Corp hires board member’s wife raising multiple conflicts of interest EXCLUSIVE: The publicly-funded Darwin Waterfront Corporation hired board member Andrew Kirkman’s wife for a key role that was not advertised late last year and that came with an undisclosed hefty pay packet, the NT Independent can reveal, raising questions about undeclared conflicts of interest at the corporation and a cosy culture of political appointments and nepotism.
DPP’s son and daughter-in-law hired for office jobs he created EXCLUSIVE: The NT’s Director of Public Prosecutions created new jobs in his office that were ultimately filled by his son and daughter-in-law, but Lloyd Babb says he was not involved in recruitment for the positions that weren’t publicly advertised and claims he declared a conflict of interest upon learning that his family members just happened to apply for the mysterious jobs.
https://ntindependent.com.au/dpps-son-and-daughter-in-law-hired-for-office-jobs-he-created/
March:
Chief Minister and ‘senior public officer’ who ICAC found to be ‘incompetent’ refuse to address misconduct EXCLUSIVE: Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro refused to take action against, or publicly identify, a “senior executive public officer” who was found in a new ICAC investigation to have engaged in improper conduct amounting to “negligence and incompetence” concerning the mismanagement of a conflict of interest, who the NT Independent can reveal at this time is the head of a major government agency.
‘Negligent and incompetent’: Police Commissioner Michael Murphy the ‘senior public officer’ ICAC found engaged in improper conduct Police Commissioner Michael Murphy is the “senior public officer” the ICAC found engaged in improper conduct by hiring a mate for a senior role in the NT Police, but he has refused to resign, despite the findings that his actions amounted to “negligence and incompetence”.
US Bulk fuel storage facility in Darwin Harbour built without a building permit US-based logistics company Crowley says it’s collaborating with the NT Government to find a resolution to its Project Caymus bulk fuel storage facility being unlawfully constructed in Darwin Harbour without the necessary building permit.
Police Commissioner’s mate’s wife also promoted rapidly into management role Sonia Kennon, the wife of Police Commissioner Michael Murphy’s good mate Peter Kennon, whose promotion led to the downfall of the top cop, was herself promoted twice over a short period of time under the Murphy regime, taking her into the lower reaches of management after allegedly failing the Senior Sergeant’s exam multiple times before that requirement for promotion was removed, sources have told the NT Independent.
Chief Minister’s integrity called into question again over tainted police hiring panel EXCLUSIVE: Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro maintained yesterday that she was not aware Acting Police Commissioner Martin Dole was on the same tainted hiring panel as Michael Murphy until Monday, but the NT Independent can reveal she was informed of the matter on Saturday, during a discussion with the NT Police Association concerning her appointment of Mr Dole to the top job and likely knew about it before then.
More questionable DPP hiring practices revealed, including adviser to Attorney-General EXCLUSIVE: Director of Public Prosecutions Lloyd Babb was involved in more questionable hiring practices in his office that do not appear to have followed proper processes – outside of his own family members – the NT Independent can reveal, including hiring one lawyer to a non-advertised role last year who is now a senior adviser to the Attorney-General.
Secret memo reveals Kirkman recommended Waterfront CEO’s pay rise before his wife was hired EXCLUSIVE: Senior government executive Andrew Kirkman advocated for a pay rise for Darwin Waterfront Corporation CEO Alastair Shields, despite various conflicts of interest and while he was acting head public servant, six months before the DWC hired Mr Kirkman’s wife for an unadvertised role on a hefty pay packet, a secret government memo obtained by the NT Independent has revealed.
REVEALED: Martin Dole appointed Deputy Police Commissioner through questionable process overseen by Murphy Disgraced police commissioner Michael Murphy mysteriously cancelled a recruitment process for the deputy commissioner role in late 2023, multiple sources have told the NT Independent, and later struck a new panel that appointed current Acting Commissioner Martin Dole in the deputy role, which comes amid calls by the police union to investigate all of Mr Murphy’s appointments, that have so far been rejected by the Chief Minister.
April:
Territory Families CEO leaves role as Minister silent on mysterious departure Department of Children and Families chief executive Emma White suddenly announced on Friday she is leaving the role, while her partner who led the department’s office of domestic, family and sexual violence reduction also announced she is leaving, but the Minister has refused to comment on the high-profile departures.
Kirkman suddenly leaves public service amid growing Waterfront scandal Long-serving government executive Andrew Kirkman suddenly departed his role in the public service Thursday afternoon after 26 years, amid the growing scandal at the Darwin Waterfront Corporation that has led to calls for an independent public inquiry.
https://ntindependent.com.au/kirkman-suddenly-leaves-public-service-amid-growing-waterfront-scandal/
REVEALED: Shields attempted to arrange taxpayer cash for mate’s sister to sit on waterfront board EXCLUSIVE: Darwin Waterfront Corporation chief executive Alastair Shields advocated for his mate Andrew Kirkman’s sister Jodie Ryan to be given more than $44,000 of taxpayer money to continue sitting on the waterfront board after she resigned as the NT’s head public servant, a new secret memo has revealed, raising further questions about undisclosed conflicts of interest at the DWC and the possible misuse of public resources.
Chief Minister’s husband received $400k in ongoing ‘higher duties allowance’ for years at Waterfront: Internal documents EXCLUSIVE: Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro’s husband Sam Burke was given a made-up, part-time government job while general manager of the Darwin Waterfront Corporation, internal government documents show, that boosted his already substantial salary by $60,000 a year through a ‘higher duties allowance’ that continued for years after he left the department role, the NT Independent can reveal.
Territory Coordinator Stuart Knowles’ animal abuse probe revealed EXCLUSIVE: Animal welfare officers seized four dogs registered to Territory Coordinator Stuart Knowles from his rural Darwin property in late 2015 after they were discovered suffering from severe tick infestations and other health problems, a government animal abuse investigation report obtained by the NT Independent shows.
https://ntindependent.com.au/territory-coordinator-stuart-knowless-animal-abuse-probe-revealed/
May:
Attorney-General rejects ‘meritorious’ candidate as Legal Aid boss, instead appoints person who was not interviewed Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby appointed a person who was not interviewed to be the new director of the beleaguered Legal Aid NT, rejecting the candidate who was recommended by an independent selection panel who had significant managerial experience inside the organisation, an internal report shows, but the Minister has refused to explain her intervention.
Public servants to be made redundant rather than provided two years to find a job under new proposal NT public servants will have a redeployment option taken from them and the Commissioner for Public Employment will be able to make determinations about their employment outside of the current enterprise agreement under a proposal put forward amid ongoing negotiations, the Community and Public Sector Union says, adding it could result in job cuts.
An embarrassment of Riches: Redacted report into former ICAC’s conduct released Former ICAC Michael Riches had “a thing for pretty girls in the office” an investigation into his conduct as the NT’s anti-corruption watchdog has revealed, according to one former staffer, while 15 people described Mr Riches’s leadership style as “erratic, controlling, and awkward socially”, with one describing his office as “the most horrible place I’ve ever worked”.
Animal abuse investigation into Territory Coordinator killed by Mining and Energy CEO EXCLUSIVE: The animal abuse investigation into Territory Coordinator Stuart Knowles was suddenly terminated by current Mining and Energy CEO Alister Trier while he was CEO of Primary Industries, the NT Independent can reveal, raising concerns about the perceived favour and the potential for coercion of the most powerful public servant in the Northern Territory.
Chief Minister was told about cover-up of Territory Coordinator’s animal abuse in 2023, email reveals EXCLUSIVE: Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro’s claims that she was unaware of criminal animal abuse charges against Territory Coordinator Stuart Knowles before she appointed him have been seemingly contradicted by a May 2023 email sent to her from a whistleblower, detailing the animal abuse investigation cover-up and other alleged misconduct concerning current Mining and Energy CEO Alister Trier, who ordered the charges against Mr Knowles be dropped.
Territory Coordinator’s hidden work history revealed amid lack of public recruitment for role EXCLUSIVE: Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has defended hiring former low-level bureaucrat and one-time gas lobbyist Stuart Knowles as the Territory Coordinator, claiming on radio that he was hand-selected for the role without going through a public recruitment process because of his “vast experience” in the government and private industry and for his record of delivering “major projects”, but his work background suggests neither claim is accurate, the NT Independent can reveal.
Alice Springs cop involved in fatal supermarket arrest of Aboriginal man identified EXCLUSIVE: One of two ‘plain-clothes’ police officers who pinned a disabled Aboriginal man to the ground at an Alice Springs supermarket where he lost consciousness and subsequently died, has been identified as a police “liaison sergeant” who was not on frontline duties at the time of the fatal incident, the NT Independent can reveal, with the officer previously the subject of complaints over his use of force against Indigenous people.
June:
Police suspend coronial investigation into Kumanjayi White death without ‘consulting’ Coroner UPDATED: NT Police have suspended the coronial investigation into the death of 24-year-old Yuendumu man Kumanjayi White and altered a public statement it issued claiming the decision was made “in consultation” with the Coroner, which comes as police and the government continue to reject calls for an independent investigation into the fatal incident.
Kirkman workplace abuse legal action suddenly settled before hearing Territory taxpayers have bailed out former DIPL chief executive Andrew Kirkman once again, preventing him from testifying in a Federal Circuit Court legal action scheduled for last week about a mental health injury he inflicted on a female staffer when he pounded his desk, screamed at her and told her in a 2021 meeting that her career would be “destroyed” if she challenged him.
Kirkman workplace abuse legal action suddenly settled before hearing
CLP-led committee clears Waterfront Corporation after short hearing, lack of evidence provided A CLP-run parliamentary committee that ended a public hearing 45 minutes early and did not request documented evidence from Darwin Waterfront Corporation officials to back up its claims has cleared the organisation of wrongdoing, with the chair of the corporation claiming he was getting too “worked up” to continue discussing the issues involving the use of public funds for extended higher duties allowances and executive contracts awarded to the Chief Minister’s husband.
NAAJA needs to ‘wake up’ and take action amid ‘broken’ NT justice system: Barrister The legal agency defending Indigenous Territorians needs to “wake up” and start taking action amid the NT’s broken justice system that is long past crisis point, a prominent local barrister has said, while crime continues to soar with a system that cannot manage the strain.
Cover-up: Nurses union accuses Health Department of protecting alleged rapist A health practitioner under investigation by NT Police for alleged multiple rapes has been allowed to return to work by the Health Department, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has said.
Major Crime Squad refers death of St John Ambulance patient to Coroner EXCLUSIVE: The death of a man who was treated by St John Ambulance in 2021 has recently been investigated by the NT Police Major Crime Squad, including allegations the patient’s records were altered to cover up treatment failures, with the matter now referred back to the Coroner, the NT Independent can reveal.
Five cops who lied to Coroner about racist awards were warned by union not to file false statements EXCLUSIVE: The five senior NT Police officers who lied to the Coroner about racist TRG awards approached the president of the police association before filing their false sworn statements, who advised all of them not to file the misleading documents, multiple sources have said, raising further questions about collusion and who ordered the officers to make the statements.
Five cops who lied to Coroner about racist awards were warned by union not to file false statements
Bus cops and public housing officers to be given guns under latest CLP crime reforms Following the previous Labor government’s move to arm public housing and bus safety officers with pepper spray last year, the current Finocchiaro CLP Government has moved to give them guns, as part of a plan to quickly train those officers and police auxiliary members as new “Police Public Safety Officers” to “target antisocial behaviour in public places”.
Bus cops and public housing officers to be given guns under latest CLP crime reforms
Chief Minister kept husband’s directorship of company linked to Waterfront secret for two years EXCLUSIVE: Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro breached the Disclosure of Interests Act by not divulging for two years that her husband Sam Burke was a director of a company that received annual payments from the Darwin Waterfront Corporation and which held a conference at the Waterfront earlier this year with the assistance of an undisclosed amount of taxpayer funds, the NT Independent can reveal.
July:
Health practitioner accused of multiple rapes suspended by health regulator The NT health practitioner at the centre of claims by the nurse’s union that he is under investigation by NT Police for alleged multiple rapes, and who was allowed to return to work by the Health Department, has been suddenly suspended by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
Calls for Chief Minister to resign after criticising previous govt for failing to disclose interests Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro must explain why she breached the Disclosure of Interests Act by keeping her husband Sam Burke’s directorship in a company connected to the Darwin Waterfront secret for two years – while she was criticising the previous Labor government for its failures to properly disclose – and simply resign, the Opposition says.
‘I hear you on Castle Law’: Chief Minister muses about permitting Territorians to kill home intruders Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has publicly mused about introducing Castle Law in the Northern Territory – the legal doctrine that would decriminalise the use of lethal force for people to protect themselves and their property – saying on radio that she hears from the public about it “a lot” and that “people are very, very interested”, while laughing off the public’s concerns about current bus safety officers being armed with guns.
Reason Empire Energy was recommended for prosecution finally revealed EXCLUSIVE: A fracking well drilled by Beetaloo Energy Australia that potentially connected two different aquifers, posing a risk of contamination for both, and which was forbidden under the company’s environmental management plan, was the reason the Department of Lands Planning and Environment recommended former environment minister Kate Worden prosecute the company, a response to questions on notice from Budget Estimates hearings shows.
https://ntindependent.com.au/reason-for-recommended-prosecution-of-empire-energy-finally-revealed/
Land councils label government ‘pathetic’ and ‘racist’, call for independent inquiry into racism in NT Police The Finocchiaro Government has been “pathetic” and “appalling” by introducing overtly racist policies, the Northern Land Council chair has said, adding government spending on Indigenous disadvantage should be audited, while all four land councils have called for an independent inquiry into structural racism in NT Police, an independent body to investigate police misconduct, and a better policing model for remote communities.
August:
Lia joins Gunner, Fyles in fleeing the NT Independent Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro joined her deeply unpopular Labor predecessors by fleeing the NT Independent Tuesday morning when confronted by this masthead outside ABC Darwin’s studio, which followed her evading all media at the NT Police Association annual conference last week and failing to hold a press conference in six weeks.
https://ntindependent.com.au/lia-joins-gunner-fyles-in-fleeing-the-nt-independent/
Community groups, unions and Victims of Crime oppose CLP’s ‘alarming’ crime policies in open letter The Finocchiaro CLP Government’s proposed ‘tough on crime’ measures that will see pepper spray on the street next week and bus cops armed with guns by early next year will not produce safer communities, a group of unions, non-government organisations, community medical groups, Victims of Crime NT and faith-based bodies say, after penning an open letter to the Chief Minister calling for sanity to be restored.
Community groups, unions and Victims of Crime oppose CLP’s ‘alarming’ crime policies in open letter
‘The public deserves answers’: CLP goes silent as calls for independent Waterfront investigation mount Territorians have a right to know how $25 million of taxpayer dollars are being spent at the Darwin Waterfront Corporation every year, an independent MLA says, following a compromised parliamentary hearing that did not fully investigate unadvertised jobs, poor governance practices and an unusual overlap of board and executive roles, but the Finocchiaro CLP Government have refused to explain how it intends to deal with the matter now, while ruling out a proper investigation.
September:
ICAC called in over Darwin council counterfeit how-to-vote card scandal Fake how-to-vote cards distributed to polling centres purportedly for Darwin mayoral candidate Amye Un and another candidate that had their preferences altered has led to an NT Electoral Commission investigation, with the Territory’s anti-corruption body also briefed on the situation, as current mayoral frontrunner Peter Styles and candidate Leah Potter face allegations of breaching the Electoral Act.
‘I really admire Lia, she is a legend’: New CLP ‘crisis management’ comms director heaps praise on Chief Minister After many months of searching, the Finocchiaro CLP Government has hired a former adviser to the NSW police commissioner and noted “crisis management specialist” as its new director of communications.
Michael Murphy awarded deputy CEO job with Royal Flying Doctors Disgraced former NT police commissioner Michael Murphy has been appointed deputy chief executive of the Royal Flying Doctor Service SA/NT, with the organisation praising his “principled leadership” and “strong commitment to public trust”, despite a corruption watchdog report earlier this year finding he was “incompetent” and “negligent” and created a substantial detriment to the public interest by hiring a mate as assistant commissioner.
https://ntindependent.com.au/michael-murphy-awarded-deputy-ceo-job-with-royal-flying-doctors/
Mayoral how-to-vote card scandal intensifies as Styles fires legal letter at Amye Un Newly-elected Darwin Lord Mayor Peter Styles has sent defeated candidate Amye Un a cease and desist legal letter, attempting to publicly silence her on questionable legal grounds over her allegation he and his election team were involved in the production and distribution of fraudulent how-to-vote cards during the mayoral election, which is currently under investigation by the NT Police.
Mayoral how-to-vote card scandal intensifies as Styles fires legal letter at Amye Un
Showdown with Feds looms after CLP’s Sacred Sites tactic to push through Waterfront hotel The Finocchiaro CLP Government’s move to amend the Sacred Sites Act to ultimately push through a hotel project at the Darwin Waterfront precinct against traditional owners’ wishes may spark a direct conflict with the Federal Government, as the Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians has vowed to take the matter to Canberra.
October:
‘He kicked the shit out of me’: Hostel manager tells of alleged assault by newly released prisoner The manager of a Darwin hostel says she is lucky to be alive after being repeatedly kicked in the head by a man who was previously described by a psychiatrist as “not safe to be released into the general community”, but who she said was booked into her accommodation by a government contractor through the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency without disclosing his long history of violence.
Opposition Leader caught misusing taxpayer-funded govt white car service Opposition Leader Selena Uibo was forced on Friday to admit abusing the taxpayer-funded government white car chauffeur service for personal use following an FOI application filed by the ABC, saying she will now pay back the money, which the NT Independent understands was used for transport to dinners in Darwin, a birthday celebration earlier this year and other personal events.
Opposition Leader caught misusing taxpayer-funded govt white car service
CLP Minister says she also used govt white car service for personal trip, adds to confusion around rules Education Minister Jo Hersey has become the first CLP minister to admit using the taxpayer-funded white car chauffeur service for a personal trip, raising the prospect of other potential misuse by ministers, but claims she received advice from a body that has nothing to do with the car service that her personal trip to Casuarina was “within the guidelines”, even if “it doesn’t probably float with the public”. She also unusually claimed she took a public bus back to the city, so the matter should not be publicly discussed.
Judicial Commission dismissed nearly all complaints against judges last year with no investigation The government body that investigates complaints against the Territory’s judges dismissed 15 of 16 complaints it received last financial year, according to its annual report, with only one active complaint into substantiated allegations of “judicial bullying” currently being dealt with.
Judicial Commission dismissed nearly all complaints against judges last year with no investigation
REVEALED: Shields secretly using Waterfront carpark for vintage Mercedes car collection at taxpayer expense EXCLUSIVE: Darwin Waterfront Corporation chief executive Alastair Shields has been using at least two valuable parking spaces on the top level of the Kitchener Drive multi-storey carpark as his own personal garage to keep two Mercedeses – including the red one that featured in a recent Four Corners episode – which the former chair of the corporation says he had no knowledge of, raising questions about undisclosed gifts and whether fringe benefit tax has been paid for Mr Shields’s free parking fancy.
Judicial Commission probe into Southwood’s conduct ‘misleading’, lawyer says An investigation ordered by the NT Judicial Commission that cleared Justice Stephen Southwood of malice determined other serious allegations including judicial bullying, breaches of judicial conduct, and unnecessary delays in handing down his decisions were “partially made out” and referred to Chief Justice Michael Grant to be dealt with, but a prominent lawyer who brought the allegations has raised questions about the process.
Judicial Commission probe into Southwood’s conduct ‘misleading’, lawyer says
‘Attack on transparency’: CLP changing FOI laws to block Labor minister’s emails from public Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby has moved to change Freedom of Information laws to block correspondence between ministers and their staff ever being made public, which will effectively end a legal challenge seeking a former Territory Labor minister’s correspondence, in a move Ms Boothby claims is somehow “strengthening integrity”, while a national integrity expert says it removes a “cornerstone of accountability”.
‘Attack on transparency’: CLP changing FOI laws to block Labor minister’s emails from public
November:
Blow jobs report finally released into questionable NT Police senior appointments The Justice Alan Blow inquiry into senior police appointments under former commissioner Michael Murphy has found the promotion and appointment processes “have many shortcomings” that need to be addressed immediately while also exposing a war within the senior ranks of the NT Police over unresolved allegations of favouritism, bias and “undeclared or unmanaged conflicts of interest” that is continuing to affect the police’s culture and morale.
Territory’s national embarrassment exposed in Four Corners investigation The Northern Territory’s heavily conflicted and “useless” regulatory authority that oversees Australia’s $50 billion online gambling industry was exposed on ABC’s Four Corners program Monday night, which featured NT Racing and Wagering Commission chair Alastair Shields fleeing media questions in an old Mercedes that initially wouldn’t start during a hasty getaway.
‘Mind-boggling’: Martin Dole appointed Police Commissioner with no recruitment process undertaken Fresh off an “inquiry” into questionable senior police appointments that found serious dysfunction in how senior officers are promoted, including that merit is not the over-arching principle, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has appointed Martin Dole as the next NT Police Commissioner without going through a proper hiring process to seek the best candidates.
Darwin Basketball Association solvency raised again by auditors but bingo night income gives board optimism Auditors have warned the Darwin Basketball Association is at risk of going under for the third year in a row, this time due to a more than $600,000 cash shortfall for the year, with the association blaming Basketball NT for its situation but claiming it is confident in its solvency partly based on the $9,000 it pulled in from a weekly bingo night at the Casuarina Club, a figure the auditors have also called into question.
CLP appointed Chief Minister’s husband’s ‘best mate’ as head of Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority The Finocchiaro CLP Government’s pick to run the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority went to university with the Chief Minister’s husband and remains close friends with him, the NT Independent can reveal, with the appointment made amid sweeping changes to the Sacred Sites Act and the government’s move to push through the proposed Darwin Waterfront hotel project despite traditional owners’ objections.
Local businessman identified as one of three facing federal corruption charges A Darwin businessman and vice-president of Master Builders NT has been identified as one of three people facing charges in a federal corruption investigation involving the alleged rorting of Department of Defence contracts valued at up to $71 million, with business records revealing connections to a Commonwealth employee and his wife, who are also believed to be facing charges.
Local businessman identified as one of three facing federal corruption charges
M+J Builders’ Indigenous Business Network membership suspended as Jessica Buckley’s aboriginality claims raised M+J Builders co-director Jessica Buckley’s claims that she is an Indigenous woman from the Bundaberg region in Queensland have recently been called into question, the NT Independent understands, which comes as the NT Indigenous Business Network suspended the company’s membership on Tuesday, but which it said was due only to the federal corruption charges against her husband and co-director Michael Buckley.
Pollies get annual pre-Christmas pay rise under CLP The Territory’s politicians have once again been gifted a pay rise amid record debt, with their salaries now increased by $5,000 – which follows last year’s generous $8,200 pay rise – which works out to an eight per cent increase, while the government is currently offering public servants an annual three per cent pay increase.
Pollies get annual pre-Christmas pay rise under CLP
CLP’s new Integrity Commission a ‘dangerous concentration of power’ with weak oversight, experts say The Finocchiaro CLP Government’s legislation to roll the ICAC and Ombudsman offices into a new Integrity and Ethics Commission has been roundly rejected by multiple national and international integrity experts as weakening independent oversight and creating potential “political interference” in the new commission, with the Centre for Public Integrity recommending the bill be withdrawn and sent back for review to ensure the NT’s “broken integrity system” is fixed properly.
CLP’s new Integrity Commission a ‘dangerous concentration of power’ with weak oversight, experts say
December:
Vote to dissolve Darwin Basketball Association after review finds integrity risk with income proposal The troubled Darwin Basketball Association’s financial situation worsened this year, with proposed income streams possibly breaching the sport’s national integrity rules, Basketball Australia has said, leaving the NT basketball fraternity to now vote on whether to dissolve the association.
Who funded your council members’ election campaigns? New political donation disclosures have revealed who funded local councillors’ election campaigns with a few surprises, including one mayoral candidate raking in more than $50,000 in donations – including money from a Chinese business executive connected to the Landbridge Group – while the other Darwin mayoral candidate claimed no donations at all; meanwhile a disgraced former Labor powerbroker appeared more times than any other donor on different lists and one councillor had a former chief minister’s father kick in for his successful run.
https://ntindependent.com.au/who-funded-your-council-members-election-campaigns/
Matt Wright sentenced for attempting to pervert the course of justice Celebrity croc wrangler Matt Wright has been sentenced to 10 months in jail for attempting to pervert the course of justice, but his sentence will be suspended after serving five months, while he was also issued with a fine.
Matt Wright sentenced for attempting to pervert the course of justice
Former Litchfield mayor facing serious assault charges Former Litchfield mayor Doug Barden was bailed on Monday after spending the weekend in the Palmerston watch house following the NT Police laying 10 charges against him, including aggravated assault, ‘choking, strangling or suffocation’ and numerous firearms offences.
https://ntindependent.com.au/former-litchfield-mayor-facing-serious-assault-charges/
David Connolly announced as next NT Administrator A man who wrote a character reference letter for convicted criminal Matt Wright has been appointed the next NT Administrator by Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, following a five-month stoush with the Prime Minister over his suitability for the role.
David Connolly announced as next NT Administrator
The MJ Builders case is super interesting!!
If you steal from a Australian Federal Government, you meet Lae Enforcement and have to go to court and possibly end up in court with punishing fines.
However If you steal from a NT Government ala NT Government pensioner travel scheme or the $60+ million Indigenous Employment Provisional Sum scandal (where in both cases , small businesses went to jail), you get to win more Government contracts, get invited to Parliament house events, if you donate to the political parties.
The rule is simple in the NT: You cannot upset or send to jail the donators who will fund your next election campaign.
Thanks for reporting what goes on up here.
The NT truely is a living time capsule of 1970’s style corruption
The world is watching
2026 is the year 2015 DWC CEO Andrew Kirkman is investigated for DWC money laundering, abuse of office, bullying whilst Foundation 51 Founder Graeme Lewis & 2013-16 DWC Chair colluded with Darwin DPP to target Toga apartment owners who questioned body Corporate charges (Sterling Management Services).
Well done NT Independent .