Halikos Group free deal for Berrimah Farm land not reviewed by Auditor General

THE NT Auditor General has not reviewed Halikos Group’s deal for Berrimah Farm that saw the construction company gifted the $30 million land and given $4 million in taxpayer funds towards headworks

A concept image for the new Berrimah Farm development that has been awarded to Halikos to develop. Picture: Supplied

THE NT Auditor General has not reviewed Halikos Group’s deal for Berrimah Farm that saw the construction company gifted the $30 million land and given $4 million in taxpayer funds towards site headworks.

That deal was approved despite another bidder offering full price for the land and to not accept the $4 million.

Auditor General Julie Crisp said Wednesday the deal was not reviewed and does not appear on the schedule of upcoming audits between January and the end of June 2017.

But she has not ruled out examining it.

“Additional audits may be considered during this period and are determined and undertaken based on a range of factors relating to financial materiality, risk to the NT Government and availability of resources,” she said.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he would not be asking Ms Crisp to review the deal, which he called an “initiative of the former CLP government”.

“The probity auditor tasked with undertaking the independent review of the project ascertained it to have complied with all appropriate guidelines and regulations.

The Territory Auditor General has the capacity to investigate any project she chooses to,” he said.

The probity report released last month by Labor showed Darwin-based Merit Partners did not review the business case, but did find processes were followed.

“It is not the role of probity officers to provide feedback on the merits of the business decision … or to provide advice on the financial viability of tenders,” stated the report.

The NT News revealed Tuesday that a Freedom of Information request into the deal has been delayed because retrieving the public information “unreasonably interfere(s)” with the Department of Infrastructure’s daily routines.