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The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Claims waterfront funds were misused are rejected
Claims public funds were misused at a popular waterfront precinct where a territory chief minister's husband is a senior executive have been rejected by a parliamentary committee. Conflict of interest allegations involving the Darwin Waterfront Corporation were referred to the Northern Territory parliament's public accounts committee by Opposition Leader Selena Uibo in May. She said under parliamentary privilege that among the claims was the "alleged creation of a made-up, part-time job for Mr Sam Burke", the waterfront corporation's deputy chief executive. Mr Burke, the husband of Chief Minister Lia Finocchario, has worked at the corporation since 2016. Ms Uibo said his the role was "reportedly unadvertised" and allegedly resulted in a $60,000 salary increase through a temporary higher duties allowance. The allegations were too serious and the public money involved too significant to be "swept under the rug", she told parliament. The waterfront corporation is a statutory authority set up by the NT government to control one of the Top End's most popular recreational precincts, including a wave lagoon, beaches, parks, restaurants and bars. Ms Uibo also referred to reports of public service rules being repeatedly breached, roles not advertised, promotions bypassing merit-based reviews and job evaluation processes ignored to benefit certain individuals. But Tourism Minister Marie-Clare Boothby said the Public Accounts Committee had found there was "absolutely no case to answer", with the public now questioning Ms Uibo's integrity and judgment. "The current leader of the opposition used parliamentary privilege to smear public servants with baseless allegations," Ms Boothby said in a statement on Tuesday night. She said Ms Uibo owed public servants and all Territorians an apology after making "baseless claims". "I dread to think how much taxpayer's money was wasted by the opposition slinging mud at public servants," she said. The waterfront corporation has denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement it was audited annually by the NT auditor-general who had found "no evidence to support any finding of financial or governance misconduct". Ms Uibo's office has been contacted for comment. Claims public funds were misused at a popular waterfront precinct where a territory chief minister's husband is a senior executive have been rejected by a parliamentary committee. Conflict of interest allegations involving the Darwin Waterfront Corporation were referred to the Northern Territory parliament's public accounts committee by Opposition Leader Selena Uibo in May. She said under parliamentary privilege that among the claims was the "alleged creation of a made-up, part-time job for Mr Sam Burke", the waterfront corporation's deputy chief executive. Mr Burke, the husband of Chief Minister Lia Finocchario, has worked at the corporation since 2016. Ms Uibo said his the role was "reportedly unadvertised" and allegedly resulted in a $60,000 salary increase through a temporary higher duties allowance. The allegations were too serious and the public money involved too significant to be "swept under the rug", she told parliament. The waterfront corporation is a statutory authority set up by the NT government to control one of the Top End's most popular recreational precincts, including a wave lagoon, beaches, parks, restaurants and bars. Ms Uibo also referred to reports of public service rules being repeatedly breached, roles not advertised, promotions bypassing merit-based reviews and job evaluation processes ignored to benefit certain individuals. But Tourism Minister Marie-Clare Boothby said the Public Accounts Committee had found there was "absolutely no case to answer", with the public now questioning Ms Uibo's integrity and judgment. "The current leader of the opposition used parliamentary privilege to smear public servants with baseless allegations," Ms Boothby said in a statement on Tuesday night. She said Ms Uibo owed public servants and all Territorians an apology after making "baseless claims". "I dread to think how much taxpayer's money was wasted by the opposition slinging mud at public servants," she said. The waterfront corporation has denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement it was audited annually by the NT auditor-general who had found "no evidence to support any finding of financial or governance misconduct". Ms Uibo's office has been contacted for comment. Claims public funds were misused at a popular waterfront precinct where a territory chief minister's husband is a senior executive have been rejected by a parliamentary committee. Conflict of interest allegations involving the Darwin Waterfront Corporation were referred to the Northern Territory parliament's public accounts committee by Opposition Leader Selena Uibo in May. She said under parliamentary privilege that among the claims was the "alleged creation of a made-up, part-time job for Mr Sam Burke", the waterfront corporation's deputy chief executive. Mr Burke, the husband of Chief Minister Lia Finocchario, has worked at the corporation since 2016. Ms Uibo said his the role was "reportedly unadvertised" and allegedly resulted in a $60,000 salary increase through a temporary higher duties allowance. The allegations were too serious and the public money involved too significant to be "swept under the rug", she told parliament. The waterfront corporation is a statutory authority set up by the NT government to control one of the Top End's most popular recreational precincts, including a wave lagoon, beaches, parks, restaurants and bars. Ms Uibo also referred to reports of public service rules being repeatedly breached, roles not advertised, promotions bypassing merit-based reviews and job evaluation processes ignored to benefit certain individuals. But Tourism Minister Marie-Clare Boothby said the Public Accounts Committee had found there was "absolutely no case to answer", with the public now questioning Ms Uibo's integrity and judgment. "The current leader of the opposition used parliamentary privilege to smear public servants with baseless allegations," Ms Boothby said in a statement on Tuesday night. She said Ms Uibo owed public servants and all Territorians an apology after making "baseless claims". "I dread to think how much taxpayer's money was wasted by the opposition slinging mud at public servants," she said. The waterfront corporation has denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement it was audited annually by the NT auditor-general who had found "no evidence to support any finding of financial or governance misconduct". Ms Uibo's office has been contacted for comment. Claims public funds were misused at a popular waterfront precinct where a territory chief minister's husband is a senior executive have been rejected by a parliamentary committee. Conflict of interest allegations involving the Darwin Waterfront Corporation were referred to the Northern Territory parliament's public accounts committee by Opposition Leader Selena Uibo in May. She said under parliamentary privilege that among the claims was the "alleged creation of a made-up, part-time job for Mr Sam Burke", the waterfront corporation's deputy chief executive. Mr Burke, the husband of Chief Minister Lia Finocchario, has worked at the corporation since 2016. Ms Uibo said his the role was "reportedly unadvertised" and allegedly resulted in a $60,000 salary increase through a temporary higher duties allowance. The allegations were too serious and the public money involved too significant to be "swept under the rug", she told parliament. The waterfront corporation is a statutory authority set up by the NT government to control one of the Top End's most popular recreational precincts, including a wave lagoon, beaches, parks, restaurants and bars. Ms Uibo also referred to reports of public service rules being repeatedly breached, roles not advertised, promotions bypassing merit-based reviews and job evaluation processes ignored to benefit certain individuals. But Tourism Minister Marie-Clare Boothby said the Public Accounts Committee had found there was "absolutely no case to answer", with the public now questioning Ms Uibo's integrity and judgment. "The current leader of the opposition used parliamentary privilege to smear public servants with baseless allegations," Ms Boothby said in a statement on Tuesday night. She said Ms Uibo owed public servants and all Territorians an apology after making "baseless claims". "I dread to think how much taxpayer's money was wasted by the opposition slinging mud at public servants," she said. The waterfront corporation has denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement it was audited annually by the NT auditor-general who had found "no evidence to support any finding of financial or governance misconduct". Ms Uibo's office has been contacted for comment.
ABC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Misuse of public money claims at Darwin Waterfront Corporation referred to NT Public Accounts Committee
Misuse of public money allegations involving the Darwin Waterfront Corporation (DWC) and its deputy chief executive have been referred to a parliamentary committee for scrutiny. On Wednesday night, Opposition Leader Selena Uibo told NT parliament she was referring "serious" allegations relating to conduct at the DWC to the NT Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The DWC is a statutory authority established by the NT government which controls the Darwin Waterfront, one of the Top End's most popular recreational facilities. The DWC board released a statement on Thursday saying it "categorically denies any wrongdoing and welcomes the opportunity to respond to any matters raised by participating in any inquiry". Ms Uibo's referral follows a series of media reports by the NT Independent about the allegations, which the online publication said were based on internal memos. Speaking in parliament, Ms Uibo said the allegations involved "significant sums of public money and they cannot be allowed to quietly fade into the background". She said among the claims was the "alleged creation of a made-up, part-time job for Mr Sam Burke", the DWC's deputy chief executive. Ms Uibo said the role was "reportedly unadvertised" and allegedly resulted "in a $60,000 salary increase via a temporary higher duties allowance". "The higher duties allowance allegedly continued for up to six years," she said. Ms Uibo also referenced "reports of public service rules being repeatedly breached". "With roles not advertised, promotions bypassing merits-based reviews and job evaluation [processes] ignored for the benefit of certain individuals," she said. Mr Burke, Chief Minister Lia Finocchario's husband, has worked at the DWC since January 2016. He is also the chief executive of AustralAsia Railway Corporation (AARC), another statutory authority established under NT law. Ms Uibo said the allegations included money being transferred between "taxpayer-funded entities to support Mr Burke's salary". "There have been claims of funds being moved between the DWC and the AARC," she said. "It has been further alleged that a memo outlines how the DWC would recoup salary costs from the AARC, raising concerns of potential fraud and gross conflicts of interest." In a statement, AARC chair Alastair Shields said the two corporations were co-located and for many years had "shared some corporate services and staff for efficiency". "There is nothing untoward or unusual about this arrangement, and it predates the appointment of Mr Burke as chief executive." Mr Burke initially joined the DWC as general manager, which a spokesperson said he secured "following an open recruitment process". The DWC spokesperson said in 2023, Mr Burke's title changed from general manager to deputy chief executive — a role responsible for the corporation's daily operations. "This was a change in title only and there was no salary increase at this time," they said. Ms Uibo said allegations had been made about Mr Burke being "promoted" in 2023. "Mr Burke signed a new four-year executive contract in November 2023 ... promoting him … with a salary of $259,824, plus benefits," she said. Ms Finocchiaro has declined to answer questions relating to the allegations, saying that "clear separations are appropriately and properly in place". Calls for an inquiry, by the Labor opposition and independent MLA Justine Davis, have been shut down by Tourism Minister Marie-Clare Boothby. In deciding not to call an inquiry, Ms Boothby referenced a departmental briefing which she said proved "due process under those allegations was actually followed". Ms Boothby has refused to publicly release the briefing. In its statement, the DWC board said it had been subject to annual audits by the NT auditor-general. "These audits, conducted in accordance with the relevant NT laws and with reference to the Commonwealth corporations law, have consistently found no evidence to support any finding of financial or governance misconduct," it said. Ms Uibo acknowledged in her speech that the allegations occurred solely during Labor's eight years in power. "But that does not, and it will not, deter me from demanding accountability," the former cabinet minister said. The DWC board said it had invited Ms Uibo "for a briefing on the allegations", but had not received a response. The five-member Public Accounts Committee — which has a government majority of three members — will now decide whether to accept Ms Uibo's referral and investigate the allegations. Mr Burke was contacted for comment.
The Advertiser
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
NT budget a 'missed chance' to tackle causes of crime
The latest Northern Territory budget is a missed opportunity to address the root causes of crime and how the justice system fuels repeat offending, the opposition leader says. Selena Uibo, who is also shadow treasurer, gave her budget reply speech on Wednesday after Treasurer Bill Yan outlined a record spend of $1.5 billion on law and order. Ms Uibo said the Country Liberal Party government was putting investment in prisons well above investment in jobs and economic growth, social cohesion and community development. About $500 million will go to corrective services, with Mr Yan saying the government was "unapologetic about shifting the focus from offender rights to the victims' rights to feel safe". He noted the government had provided more than 500 extra prison beds since coming to power in 2024. Tougher new bail laws introduced two weeks ago mean even more beds will be needed. Ms Uibo said being on bail or serving a sentence should never be a pathway to further offending. But that happened when governments failed to invest in intervention, rehabilitation and support programs that broke the cycle of crime and gave people the chance to change course, she said. "This is how we deliver long-term reductions in crime and safer communities across the territory." The CLP government was failing Territorians badly, Ms Uibo said. "Their refusal to invest in meaningful crime prevention will have consequences that reach well beyond this budget cycle," she said. "If the CLP believes their decisions aren't contributing to the territory's rising crime rates, then they are not just out of touch, they're delusional." Ms Uibo said Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro had promised her government would establish boot camps in Alice Springs and Darwin to give courts a place to send youth offenders as part of sentencing, but there was no sign of them. A promise to make diversion programs mandatory for youth offenders had also failed to materialise. Ms Finocchiaro has insisted her government is taking action to break the cycle of crime through early intervention, education, family support and housing initiatives in the budget. That included reforms to improve school attendance and hold parents accountable for ensuring children's attendance. Ms Uibo said the budget was the most expensive ever and showed the chief minister's big promises about reining in debt and responsible fiscal management were "up in smoke". The debt, forecast to steadily decrease under the former Labor government's stewardship, would blow out in the next three years under the CLP, she said. The budget showed the territory's net debt sat at $10.55 billion and was projected to rise to almost $14 billion by 2028/29. The latest Northern Territory budget is a missed opportunity to address the root causes of crime and how the justice system fuels repeat offending, the opposition leader says. Selena Uibo, who is also shadow treasurer, gave her budget reply speech on Wednesday after Treasurer Bill Yan outlined a record spend of $1.5 billion on law and order. Ms Uibo said the Country Liberal Party government was putting investment in prisons well above investment in jobs and economic growth, social cohesion and community development. About $500 million will go to corrective services, with Mr Yan saying the government was "unapologetic about shifting the focus from offender rights to the victims' rights to feel safe". He noted the government had provided more than 500 extra prison beds since coming to power in 2024. Tougher new bail laws introduced two weeks ago mean even more beds will be needed. Ms Uibo said being on bail or serving a sentence should never be a pathway to further offending. But that happened when governments failed to invest in intervention, rehabilitation and support programs that broke the cycle of crime and gave people the chance to change course, she said. "This is how we deliver long-term reductions in crime and safer communities across the territory." The CLP government was failing Territorians badly, Ms Uibo said. "Their refusal to invest in meaningful crime prevention will have consequences that reach well beyond this budget cycle," she said. "If the CLP believes their decisions aren't contributing to the territory's rising crime rates, then they are not just out of touch, they're delusional." Ms Uibo said Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro had promised her government would establish boot camps in Alice Springs and Darwin to give courts a place to send youth offenders as part of sentencing, but there was no sign of them. A promise to make diversion programs mandatory for youth offenders had also failed to materialise. Ms Finocchiaro has insisted her government is taking action to break the cycle of crime through early intervention, education, family support and housing initiatives in the budget. That included reforms to improve school attendance and hold parents accountable for ensuring children's attendance. Ms Uibo said the budget was the most expensive ever and showed the chief minister's big promises about reining in debt and responsible fiscal management were "up in smoke". The debt, forecast to steadily decrease under the former Labor government's stewardship, would blow out in the next three years under the CLP, she said. The budget showed the territory's net debt sat at $10.55 billion and was projected to rise to almost $14 billion by 2028/29. The latest Northern Territory budget is a missed opportunity to address the root causes of crime and how the justice system fuels repeat offending, the opposition leader says. Selena Uibo, who is also shadow treasurer, gave her budget reply speech on Wednesday after Treasurer Bill Yan outlined a record spend of $1.5 billion on law and order. Ms Uibo said the Country Liberal Party government was putting investment in prisons well above investment in jobs and economic growth, social cohesion and community development. About $500 million will go to corrective services, with Mr Yan saying the government was "unapologetic about shifting the focus from offender rights to the victims' rights to feel safe". He noted the government had provided more than 500 extra prison beds since coming to power in 2024. Tougher new bail laws introduced two weeks ago mean even more beds will be needed. Ms Uibo said being on bail or serving a sentence should never be a pathway to further offending. But that happened when governments failed to invest in intervention, rehabilitation and support programs that broke the cycle of crime and gave people the chance to change course, she said. "This is how we deliver long-term reductions in crime and safer communities across the territory." The CLP government was failing Territorians badly, Ms Uibo said. "Their refusal to invest in meaningful crime prevention will have consequences that reach well beyond this budget cycle," she said. "If the CLP believes their decisions aren't contributing to the territory's rising crime rates, then they are not just out of touch, they're delusional." Ms Uibo said Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro had promised her government would establish boot camps in Alice Springs and Darwin to give courts a place to send youth offenders as part of sentencing, but there was no sign of them. A promise to make diversion programs mandatory for youth offenders had also failed to materialise. Ms Finocchiaro has insisted her government is taking action to break the cycle of crime through early intervention, education, family support and housing initiatives in the budget. That included reforms to improve school attendance and hold parents accountable for ensuring children's attendance. Ms Uibo said the budget was the most expensive ever and showed the chief minister's big promises about reining in debt and responsible fiscal management were "up in smoke". The debt, forecast to steadily decrease under the former Labor government's stewardship, would blow out in the next three years under the CLP, she said. The budget showed the territory's net debt sat at $10.55 billion and was projected to rise to almost $14 billion by 2028/29. The latest Northern Territory budget is a missed opportunity to address the root causes of crime and how the justice system fuels repeat offending, the opposition leader says. Selena Uibo, who is also shadow treasurer, gave her budget reply speech on Wednesday after Treasurer Bill Yan outlined a record spend of $1.5 billion on law and order. Ms Uibo said the Country Liberal Party government was putting investment in prisons well above investment in jobs and economic growth, social cohesion and community development. About $500 million will go to corrective services, with Mr Yan saying the government was "unapologetic about shifting the focus from offender rights to the victims' rights to feel safe". He noted the government had provided more than 500 extra prison beds since coming to power in 2024. Tougher new bail laws introduced two weeks ago mean even more beds will be needed. Ms Uibo said being on bail or serving a sentence should never be a pathway to further offending. But that happened when governments failed to invest in intervention, rehabilitation and support programs that broke the cycle of crime and gave people the chance to change course, she said. "This is how we deliver long-term reductions in crime and safer communities across the territory." The CLP government was failing Territorians badly, Ms Uibo said. "Their refusal to invest in meaningful crime prevention will have consequences that reach well beyond this budget cycle," she said. "If the CLP believes their decisions aren't contributing to the territory's rising crime rates, then they are not just out of touch, they're delusional." Ms Uibo said Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro had promised her government would establish boot camps in Alice Springs and Darwin to give courts a place to send youth offenders as part of sentencing, but there was no sign of them. A promise to make diversion programs mandatory for youth offenders had also failed to materialise. Ms Finocchiaro has insisted her government is taking action to break the cycle of crime through early intervention, education, family support and housing initiatives in the budget. That included reforms to improve school attendance and hold parents accountable for ensuring children's attendance. Ms Uibo said the budget was the most expensive ever and showed the chief minister's big promises about reining in debt and responsible fiscal management were "up in smoke". The debt, forecast to steadily decrease under the former Labor government's stewardship, would blow out in the next three years under the CLP, she said. The budget showed the territory's net debt sat at $10.55 billion and was projected to rise to almost $14 billion by 2028/29.
ABC News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
NT Opposition Leader Selena Uibo delivers 2025 budget reply, calls for more crime-prevention funding
The Northern Territory opposition leader has used her budget reply to claim the government is "delusional" about the jurisdiction's crime problem, saying its prison-focused solution will lead to a "bleak" future. Territory Labor leader Selena Uibo on Wednesday delivered her first budget reply since her party suffered a landslide defeat at the NT election last August. After eight years in government, Labor lost every seat it held in Darwin and its satellite city, Palmerston, following prolonged criticisms it failed to find short-term solutions to high crime rates. In delivering the first budget of the new government on Tuesday, Treasurer Bill Yan doubled down on the Country Liberal Party's (CLP) tough-on-crime approach, announcing a $60 million increase for corrections. It brings the department's total annual budget to a record $495 million. The NT Police Force will also receive an extra $36 million next year, bringing its available spend to a record $608 million. Since the CLP took power, the NT's prison population has increased by more than 500, with more than 1 per cent of the territory's entire population now incarcerated. Amid the rise in prisoner numbers, rehabilitation services have either been stopped or disrupted. Ms Uibo, one of four Labor members in the 25-seat parliament, said the government's budget was a "missed opportunity" to help improve community safety in the long term. "Territorians want to see people who do the wrong thing face consequences, but community safety is much more than just the short-term, band-aid solutions or quick fixes that put more people on a path to criminalisation and reoffending." Although the territory's prison population has soared under the CLP, it also rose throughout Labor's time in power. Ms Uibo said the government was "delusional" if it thought its tough-on-crime approach would not lead to higher offending rates in the long term. "Their refusal to invest in meaningful crime prevention will have consequences that reach well beyond this budget cycle," she said. In response, Deputy Chief Minister Gerard Maley said community safety was the government's "number one priority". "Unfortunately, the previous Labor government failed to listen, failed to act, and the consequences were that people weren't feeling safe. "We are listening to the community." Ms Uibo also criticised the government for a projected increase in net debt of more than $1 billion by 2028, compared to Labor's last budget in 2024. "They have absolutely no plan to get the spending back under control," Ms Uibo said. The government has blamed the projected debt increase on unfunded infrastructure promises made by Labor during its eight years in power, in which time net debt rose by more than $8 billion. In response to Ms Uibo's claims, Mr Maley said the government had a clear budget repair plan and said Labor was trying to "re-write history". "[Ms Uibo] is trying to say that things aren't rosy, and the territory is in a bad place, well it was in a bad place, but the tide has turned, and things are moving forward," he said. Ms Uibo also criticised a decrease in funding for housing and tourism in the budget, as well as the scrapping of Aboriginal ranger grants.
ABC News
10-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Labor claims Jacinta Nampijinpa Price's party-room defection driven by 'ego'
Northern Territory Labor has claimed Country Liberal Party (CLP) Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price's party-room defection was driven by "ego", saying she should have been "up front" with voters before the election. The controversial senator shocked political observers on Thursday afternoon by defecting to the Liberal party room, in a move away from the traditional position of sitting with the Nationals. The CLP is an NT-specific party aligned with the federal Coalition, with its senators joining the Nationals party room and lower house members sitting with the Liberals under a long-standing convention. Live results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continues Senator Nampijinpa Price's move has sparked speculation she will run for deputy Liberal leader on a joint ticket with Angus Taylor, when the party meets on Tuesday to fill the power vacuum left by Peter Dutton. Senator Nampijinpa Price formally notified her own party of the move on Thursday afternoon, writing that a "sense of duty" had guided her decision. Territory Labor leader Selena Uibo criticised Senator Nampijinpa Price's move, in comments echoing those from the senator's own National party colleague, senator Matt Canavan. Ms Uibo told the ABC she believed Senator Nampijinpa Price's decision was driven by "ego" and should have been flagged before the election. "Jacinta Price should have been up front with Territorians," she said. "She cannot represent Territorians in a better way by changing party rooms — she is there for herself." "[It's] something that Territorians really dislike about politicians — when politicians have their own personal agenda for their own purposes and their own personal ambitions." Two days after the announcement, the CLP leadership is yet to formally respond to the move, despite the ABC contacting the party for comment multiple times. Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverage Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on ABC iview and ABC Listen But speaking to Darwin radio station Mix 104.9 on Friday morning, NT CLP Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said her party "supports" the defection. "By her making that decision — a very important one which we fully support — it will mean they will do their rebuild after the election, but she will still be a Country Liberal Party senator," she said. Amateur political historian Alex Nelson said Senator Nampijinpa Price was the first and only CLP senator to defect from the Nationals to the Liberal party room in the party's history. The former CLP insider said the move was "a considerable gamble". "I think Senator Price's rather abrupt decision is very short term in its outlook and hasn't really taken into account the long-term consequences," Mr Nelson said. "Given that phenomenal victory that Labor has just won, you're looking at a minimum of two terms of Labor remaining in future. "Whoever wins the position of opposition leader right now is not likely to be in that role in that time six to eight years away." He said in effect, the senator would now be aligned with Liberal Party policies and platforms, rather than those of the National Party. However, he believed she would need to rein in her tendency to "catch everyone by surprise" to succeed. "She does seem to have a bit of an inclination to make statements out of left field in a sense," he said. A spokesperson for Senator Nampijinpa Price said she was unavailable for an interview with the ABC on Friday. But in an interview with Sydney radio station 2GB on Friday morning, she did not rule out a leadership tilt. "People are going to speculate, there will be leaks, all that sort of stuff occurs, so I'm being very considerate with the decisions I'm making and spoken to a raft of people," she said.
