Ross Finocchiaro charged with interfering with authorised mining activities on his Batchelor property
A well known property developer and one of the NT Chief Minister’s relatives has faced court over an alleged ‘altercation’ with miners amid a protracted battle over the mineral rights over his rural block.
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Well known Darwin businessman, Ross Finocchiaro, allegedly tried to drive off gold miners from his land amid a protracted battle over the mineral rights for his Batchelor rural block.
The Territory Property Group and Darwin Central Hotel managing director appeared before Darwin Local Court judge on Monday charged with interfering with authorised activities in June 2023.
Mr Finocchario, a relative of the Chief Minister, has previously served as the NT representative for the Property Council of Australia and the NT Architects Board and is the President of the Italian Festival Committee.
Mr Finocchario is alleged to have tried to kick a mining contractor and his daughter off his land despite it having authorisation to collect mineral samples.
The court heard that while the 67-year-old owned the Batchelor property, the mineral licence was held by Korab Resources as part of its Rum Jungle exploratory project.
The company’s website states that the project 70km south of Darwin had the potential to host gold, tin, copper, lead, zinc, phosphate, rare earths, nickel, cobalt and banded iron formations.
The court heard allegations that in 2018, Mr Finocchario emailed Korab Resources executive chair Andrej Karpinski stating he would “never develop” the mine on his land and the mineral “belong to him”.
Prosecutor Jon Bortoli alleged Mr Finocchio's emails stated that he would “find a way to cancel their (mineral) leases and apply for his own lease”.
Mr Bortoli said that access agreements were eventually formed between the company and landowner.
The court heard five years later Mr Finocchario was allegedly involved in the “altercation” with mining contractor Dominic Boyle and his daughter on his Batchelor property.
Mr Bortoli said Korab Resources authorised Mr Boyle to conduct sampling work and advised him to bring someone with him as the “samples would be heavy”.
Defence barrister Mary Chalmers said footage had captured the alleged “altercation or sorts” between Mr Finocchiaro and the pair.
Mr Bortoli flagged that it was likely the legal debate would centre around Mr Finocchario’s “state of mind” during the confrontation.
“There is a requirement to prove that the interference with the authorised activities which were being carried out was intentional,” he said.
“We would say that is relevant as to his knowledge over whether they were authorised to be there, or not.”
Despite his hearing being set for Monday Ms Chalmers said the prosecution had failed to provide a statement from a key witness, Korab Resources executive chair Mr Karpinski.
Ms Chalmers called the “significant disclosure issue” was “the very definition of prejudice.”
She said it was Mr Karpinski who contacted the Department of Mining and Energy in June 2023, but it took 12 months for the Department to commence the prosecution against her client in 2024.
Ms Chalmers said it was “perplexing” that after another 11-months the Department had provided these statements “at the last minute”
Mr Woodcock agreed that it was a late and “inadequate” and “unacceptably vague” disclosure for a “potentially important witness”.
The matter has been delayed for three weeks, and will return to the directions hearing list on July 28, 2025.
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Originally published as Ross Finocchiaro charged with interfering with authorised mining activities on his Batchelor property
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