Darwin Turf Club chief executive Brad Morgan reveals former board members are among those to nominate for a spot on board

Former board members are among the list of people who’ve put their hands up to serve on the Darwin Turf Club board, chief executive Brad Morgan has revealed.

Darwin Turf Club chief executive Brad Morgan has revealed the new board may include members who previously resigned. Picture: Che Chorley

FORMER board members are among the list of people who’ve put their hands up to serve on the Darwin Turf Club (DTC) board, chief executive Brad Morgan has revealed.

However, Mr Morgan would not confirm whether the nominees included any former board members who had resigned at the behest of Chief Minister Michael Gunner, following the release of the damning ICAC report in June.

The DTC will hold a special election on August 9 to determine who will get a seat at the table overseeing the organisation’s affairs going forward.

“I’m pleased with the number of nominations we received for positions on the board of the Darwin Turf Club,” Mr Morgan said. “There are enough nominations for an election to be held.”

Darwin Turf Club chief executive Brad Morgan relaxes in the new surroundings. Picture: Che Chorley

Mr Morgan said he would not reveal the exact number of nominees or the names of those who had thrown their hats in the ring at this point due to the “sensitive” nature of the situation.

Earlier this month, some former board members said they felt they’d been “scapegoated” by the NT government when Mr Gunner called for their resignations.

Instead, they said they wanted to let the club members decide whether they had their support.

DTC chairman Brett Dixon, who’s taken a leave of absence, said in an 11-page statement released on Monday that the NT government was not in a position to demand that board members resign.

“The NT government has no power to dismiss or discipline me or any other member of the board, just as the government has no power to dismiss or take any disciplinary action against members of the board of any sporting club,” he said.

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“On the very day the ICAC report was released, the Chief Minister demanded my resignation and the resignation of every other board member and threatened to introduce legislation to remove us if we did not comply with his demand.

“Of course the Chief Minister’s recognition that he could not remove us without introducing legislation only serves to make good the proposition that the findings of ‘corrupt conduct’ and ‘misconduct’ against me made by the ICAC are wrong. Moreover, the findings ignore that even on the incorrect factual basis on which they were made, I cannot be suggested to have breached the only laws that govern my position as the member of a board of an incorporated association – the Associations Act.”

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