Opponents to $150m Darwin Civic Centre go to Federal Court for disclosure of council documents

Opponents to City of Darwin’s new civic centre have filed an application in the Federal Court requesting the disclosure of council documents relating to the 21-storey, $150 million development. Read why.

Artist impression new Darwin Civic Centre

Opponents to City of Darwin’s new civic centre have filed an application in the Federal Court requesting the disclosure of council documents relating to the 21-storey, $150 million development.

Work on the joint partnership with builder DCOH is due to get underway soon.

The Federal Court application of disclosure was made by prominent Darwin legal firm De Silva Hebron on behalf of Nourse Nominees; Liveris Nominees; Civitas Properties Pty Ltd, and Rapid Form Systems.

A member of the group said they were concerned about City of Darwin’s alleged ‘lack of disclosure’.

“We have filed in the Federal Court the commencement of the disclosure of documents which they have refused to disclose,” they said.

“We believe there are at least 16 major breaches by the council pursuant to the Local Government Act.

“We believe the project will cost more than the $150 million.

“The council has never answered what will it do if there is a cost over run?

“We want to know what contingencies are in place … will they levee rate payers or will they absorb it within their own financial mechanisms?

“This affects every ratepayer.

“Every rate payer has a right to have an answer to that question.”

De Silva Hebron wrote to City of Darwin on March 19 acting on behalf of Geoff and Kerry Nourse, who live in Chan Ave across from the project site, expressing the “tentative view on the material available that the City of Darwin’s decision to redevelop the civic centre by way of an agreement with DCOH Pty Ltd (or a related company) is invalid and the agreement itself is invalid due to a number of significant failures by the City”.

Councillor Mick Palmer Deputy Lord Mayor, Simone Saunders CEO City of Darwin and Shane Dignan, managing director and CEO, DCOH at the Darwin Civic Centre on April 1, 2025. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The letter then lists 16 points upon which the “tentative view” was formed.

“As we said from the outset, these issues appear at the moment on the basis of the limited information the City has made available after suppressing business papers and minutes of meetings and excluding the public from meetings,” the legal letter said.

Council has defended its decision to build a new civic centre to replace its aged headquarters built in 1967.

It argues financially it is much better to have the new development now because the current 58-year-old building is expensive to operate with current running costs around $1.5m a year to keep it operational.

It says one of the challenges with the current building is it will cost around $19 million over the next five years just to keep it operational and the new building will be more environmentally efficient and cheaper to run.

Council’s cost in the project is $77 million which includes $30 million being spent on public carparking and then the balance on community and office facilities.

DCOH’s private investment is $80 million for its commercial floors owned and operated separately by it for which and there is no contribution by the City of Darwin.

The new civic centre will have community space, a larger library, modern council chambers, a function centre and office floors for City of Darwin staff.

There are three floors of open plan offices and four floors of carparking – 410 public carparks. The ground level will have new public facilities, changing places, and end of trip facilities and also the opportunity for community areas or community based businesses to be in the precinct.

Originally published as Opponents to $150m Darwin Civic Centre go to Federal Court for disclosure of council documents