CLP-linked research foundation under fire

THE NT's chief minister says he will not investigate links between his party and a shadowy organisation that Labor says is a CLP slush fund.

THE Northern Territory's chief minister has refused to investigate links between his party and a private organisation that Labor is calling a CLP slush fund.

In her first parliamentary appearance since defecting to the Palmer United Party, former Country Liberal Party MLA Alison Anderson asked Chief Minister Adam Giles whether he or any other elected officials had ever received funds or favours from Foundation 51.

Ms Anderson also asked whether the foundation was affiliated with the CLP, and whether it had paid for any election campaigns.

Information on the private subscription-based organisation is scarce, save for a 2009 flier that states it is an initiative of the CLP and conducts commercial research, with annual membership levels then ranging from $5500 to $22,000.

Mr Giles responded with a single "no" on Wednesday during Parliament when asked whether he would have the legal and constitutional affairs committee investigate the revelations and establish an anti-corruption body.

During question time, Labor MLAs repeatedly called the foundation a CLP slush fund, but Mr Giles said questions about political donations should be directed to the party rather than MPs.

"A smart politician does not handle money," he said.

Shadow Minister for Justice Michael Gunner said Mr Giles is being "a little bit too cheeky and a little bit slippery."

"Adam Giles is the leader of the CLP in the NT. He is refusing to answer questions ... There is no doubt that Foundation 51 and its relationship with the CLP is worthy of inquiry," Mr Gunner said.

Magistrate and former CLP MLA Peter Maley and Graeme Lewis, NT Land Development Board chairman and CLP management committee member, are both directors of the foundation.

Mr Lewis previously denied setting it up to enable businesses to make large political donations without having to declare them.

He says Foundation 51 "is simply a supporter of the CLP in political terms, as are many other business organisations in the NT, and has no financial relationship with the CLP".

But when the CLP's former deputy treasurer Eli Melky looked into the matter, he was told it was none of his business whether or not the foundation was associated with the party, he told the ABC.

Mr Elky recently defected to the PUP along with Ms Anderson, before making his queries about the foundation public.

In an email sent to CLP president Ross Connolly, Mr Lewis said he had contributed significantly to last month's Blain by-election, which he later said was only research.

The email stated that Mr Giles was aware of his concerns that the foundation might need to be shut down following Mr Elky's probing.