Senior Defence official and wife charged over alleged $71m contract fraud in Darwin
The federal Defence employee arrested alongside his wife in connection to an alleged $71 million federal government fraud, is a graduate in ‘Fraud investigations, Criminal Justice and Corrections’ this masthead can reveal.
The federal employee accused of exploiting his position in connection to an alleged $71 million federal government fraud is a university graduate in ‘Fraud Investigations, Criminal Justice and Corrections’, this masthead can reveal.
Dallas Wynne, aged 48, and his wife Natalie, aged 40 – who is a director of Transportable Solutions NT – were arrested on Friday in Darwin over the alleged fraud, this masthead understands.
ASIC documents show Ms Wynne co-owns the company, which was founded in December 2022, with Jessica Buckley, whose husband was arrested on Friday in connection to the alleged fraud.
Ms Buckley has not been arrested in connection to the alleged fraud and it is not suggested she has engaged in any wrongdoing.
Mr and Mrs Wynne were arrested the same day as M+J Builders’ co-owner and director Michael Buckley, aged 41, over the alleged $71m fraud, which authorities have previously alleged stems from the contract procurement process.
Each has been charged with dishonestly gaining benefit from a Commonwealth entity, and are expected to appear in the Darwin Local Court on Monday.
One of the trio, believed to be Mr Wynne, has also been charged with abuse of public office.
The AFP have alleged the Commonwealth employee used their position to grant contracts to M+J Builders and another subsidiary company it owned.
According to Mr Wynne’s LinkedIn profile, he currently works as the director of the estate works program for the Department of Defence.
The profile also says Mr Wynne is a CDU graduate in “fraud investigations, criminal justice, and corrections”.
The same profile states he holds further qualifications from Charles Sturt University in “business, business administration and management, general”.
His wife of 17 years, Ms Wynne, was this year awarded the NT News Woman of the Year award in the Trade and Resources category for her work with Transportable Solutions NT.
Ms Wynne was nominated for her work in ensuring the company operates with “integrity and efficiency”, for championing diversity and female leadership and was celebrated for her role in securing and carrying out major Defence contracts.
A month before being arrested, Mr Wynne and Mr Buckley were trading jabs on thinning hair in the LinkedIn comment section with a relationship which seems to go back several years.
The two active users of the platform were often seen commenting to congratulate people on new roles, contracts and awards.
Two years ago, Mr Wynne commented on a post from M + J Builders Pty Ltd on a refurbishment project for the Australian Defence Force.
“Well done team M & J and BGIS,” he stated.
“A great example of agile project delivery, delivering a great outcome for the Department in a record time under the EWP.
“From conception to completion in under 4 months. Well done.”
He again congratulated the company online on the construction of a mixed accommodation and office building at the Bradshaw Training Area the previous year.
Mr Buckley’s company appears to have delivered several contracts for Defence over the years.
One week before his arrest, Mr Buckley posted on the platform about M + J Builders Pty Ltd delivering the $46.1 million facility Kangaroo Flats Marksmanship Range.
“Incredible project and a great example of collaboration done right,” he posted at the time.
“Projects like this highlight the strength of the Territory’s local industry and what can be achieved when everyone pulls in the same direction.”
“Through using first-class targeting systems that are provided here by ILTS (Integrated Land Target Systems), but also the fantastic facility built here by M & J Builders and Sitzler’s managing directorship and with RPS, those partners have produced something special here,” he said in October.
In 2023, M+J Builders won three awards at the Excellence in Building and Construction Awards, one for the Defence under $5m category for the BGIS Building 512 project.
The following year Mr Buckley posted about attending and “connecting” with defence and trade professionals at the Land Forces 2024 International Land Defence Exposition in Melbourne.
Federal special envoy for defence, Mr Gosling, directed this masthead’s request for comment back to the AFP.
“Because this is an ongoing investigation it’s not appropriate for me to comment and further inquiries should be directed to the AFP,” he said.
If found guilty on the dishonesty charges, the trio face up to 10 years in prison, while the abuse of public office charge carries an additional five years behind bars.
The trio were arrested after a nine-month joint investigation by the Department of Defence, the AFP, and the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Jewellery, a firearm, documentation, and $30,000 was also seized during the arrest, the AFP previously said.
The three remain behind bars on remand pending their first court appearance on Monday, November 17.
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Originally published as Senior Defence official and wife charged over alleged $71m contract fraud in Darwin
