Attorney-General defends overriding selection panel to appoint Catherine Voumard as Legal Aid NT director

The Northern Territory Attorney-General has defended overriding an independent selection panel to appoint a new Legal Aid director as necessary for reform - while the Opposition has accused her of ‘overstepping her power’.

Legal Aid of the Northern Territory Chair Duncan McConnel with NT Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby. Picture: Zizi Averill

The Northern Territory Attorney-General has defended overriding an independent selection panel to appoint a new Legal Aid director, arguing the organisation “needs reform”.

Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby appointed South Australia barrister Catherine Voumard to lead Legal Aid NT earlier this month, against the advice of the panel which found her unsuitable for the job.

During Question Time on Wednesday Ms Boothby cited Ms Voumard’s previous experience working for Maleys as proof of aptitude for the job – a legal firm where Deputy Chief Minister Gerard Maley used to work, and which is owned by his brother.

The hiring process has prompted several resignations from the Legal Aid board, including chair Duncan McConnel SC who also headed the selection panel.

Mr McConnel expressed his “deep disappointment” in a resignation letter sent to the Attorney-General on May 7, obtained by the NT News.

“The position requires an experienced senior lawyer with extensive executive management experience. Your chosen appointee has none,” he wrote.

Mr McConnel said the hiring panel found Ms Voumard did not meet the selection criteria, and was not selected for an interview.

The panel’s reasons were provided to the Attorney-General in a candidate short-listing report.

“Ms Voumard’s appointment appears to have been based on reasons other than merit or otherwise marks a serious departure of judgement between the Attorney and the Commission,” Mr McConnel said.

“In such circumstances, it is simply untenable for me to continue in the role of chairman.”

NT Legal Aid director Catherine Voumard.

Mrs Boothby told parliament that Legal Aid had been in “disarray” for years and that the Act clearly allowed her to make a captain’s pick.

“I have made a deliberate change management decision to change the leadership of Legal Aid, because it needs reform,” she said.

“We have given Legal Aid certainty of funding, an extra $5.5m ongoing, year after year.

“(Ms Voumard) brings diverse experience across the legal sector in the Northern Territory and South Australia.

“She worked in the Local Court, the Supreme Court, circuit courts, remote communities, prosecutions and defence, she has worked for Legal Aid and NAAJA, she was a barrister at Len King Chambers, and guess what – she also worked for Maleys, which is excellent because Maleys is a good, local, large, experienced law firm in the Northern Territory.”

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro backed her Attorney-General: “This is how government works; ministers must be able to make decisions,” she said.

“These are strategic decisions that must be made at the highest levels. We have a chronically broken justice system because Labor has not invested where it has needed to.”

The opposition and crossbench have come out swinging, labelling the saga as another integrity crisis.

“Why is there one rule for the Police Commissioner and another for your Attorney-General? How can Territorians trust your government if all they see is nepotism and jobs for mates?,” Greens MLA Kat McNamara said.

Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said the Attorney-General had “overstepped her power”.

“It is highly unusual and absolutely inappropriate for the Attorney-General of the Northern Territory to meddle with individual appointments and independent appointments for something so important as the legal aid sector.”

Originally published as Attorney-General defends overriding selection panel to appoint Catherine Voumard as Legal Aid NT director