Woolworths has vowed to overhaul its corporate governance and strengthen engagement with stakeholders before it opens new stores after a damning independent review into its proposal to open a Dan Murphy’s mega-store in Darwin.

The independent review, led by Gilbert+Tobin managing partner Danny Gilbert, said Australia’s largest retailer had failed to take into account the challenges facing Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, put profits above public interest, lobbied the NT government for law changes that led to fair processes being ignored, and did not meet the standards expected of a leading corporate citizen when it pursued plans to open the store in the face of overwhelming community opposition.