Damien Moriarty has stepped-aside as Master Builders NT boss

A leading Territory association is on the lookout for a new chief executive after a shock resignation. Read who quit.

The NT’s building industry will get a new boss. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Master Builders NT will appoint its fourth chief executive in three years following the surprise resignation of Damien Moriarty after six-months in the job.

Master Builders NT released a statement thanking Mr Moriarty for the “hard work and passion” that he brought to his role during his tenure.

Mr Moriarty was appointed in October to replace Ben Carter, who had left the role four-months earlier. Mr Carter had replaced long-term chief executive David Malone, who stepped aside from the organisation in 2022.

In its statement, Master Builders NT president Neil Sunners said the organisation appreciated Mr Moriarty’s focus on member engagement, in particular its regional and remote members.

He said Mr Moriarty’s focus on promoting and advocating the opportunities and challenges faced by Master Builders members had been greatly appreciated.

Former Master Builders NT chief executive Damien Moriarty. Picture: News Corp Australia

“We wish Damien well in his future endeavours and thank him for his contribution to

Master Builders NT,” Mr Sunners said.

“As the leading representative body for the Northern Territory’s construction industry we will continue to build on our long history of working for our members and ensuring they remain at the forefront of the NT’s economic future.

A lawyer, builder and businessman, Mr Moriarty is expected to transition into a private sector position in coming weeks.

He was popular with the MBA membership, with one telling the NT News Mr Moriarty personally signed his own Christmas cards.

During his tenure Mr Moriarty applied a blowtorch to Defence Housing Australia over the extensive delays developing the Lee Point residential project.

The DHA has been cowed by environmental protesters who tried to block the project on environmental grounds and when that failed, they turned their attention to cultural issues. No new houses have been built on the 700-lot housing project since 2022.

Defence Housing Australia has been cowed by greens protesters.

Mr Moriarty said the delays and lack of certainty around the project were impacting Territory businesses and he lashed the construction body for putting the interests of Townsville residents ahead of those in Darwin.

“Builders, like any business, need certainty to plan their work and future,” he said.

“Residential builders are particularly exposed to land not going to market. DHA not providing any certainty one way or another on Lee Point has impacted our residential builders for years now.

“To illustrate this, they invited builders back in 2018 to a display village that never happened, only to release a handful of blocks for homes in the years that followed.

“This uncertainty has contributed to the slowdown in building and land releases from private developers, who informally have advised Master Builders they remain cautious about a flood of government backed DHA blocks that could hit the market at any moment - but ultimately never do.”

The board will appoint an interim chief executive while a recruitment process is undertaken.