Michael Gunner refuses to resign over Turf Club grandstand emails scandal

THE Chief Minister has refused to stand down despite shocking revelations about his office’s involvement in the Darwin Turf Club’s controversial bid to secure a $12 million grandstand grant

Chief Minister Michael Gunner sent documents to ICAC which show the involvement of his former chief of staff in the Darwin Turf Club’s bid to secure a multimillion-dollar grant

THE Chief Minister has refused to stand down despite shocking revelations about his office’s involvement in the Darwin Turf Club’s controversial bid to secure a $12 million grandstand grant.

A Freedom of Information request from the ABC revealed Michael Gunner’s former chief-of-staff Alf Leonardi helped draft a letter the turf club used to lobby ministers for the grandstand.

Mr Leonardi exchanged several emails with club chairman Brett Dixon in January last year, six months before Cabinet approved the grant.

Mr Gunner said Mr Leonardi’s actions were “inappropriate” and denied knowing anything about what he had done before a FOI request was made last month.

“I was a bit shocked, I felt like an idiot to be honest,” he said.

“I think he’s tried to be overly helpful in a way that’s unacceptable.”

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‘I felt like an idiot to be honest’: Gunner

The Chief Minister said he sent the documents to ICAC in the interest of transparency.

However, not everyone is convinced that the Chief Minister was in the dark about this.

Former Labor MP Ken Vowles said Mr Leonardi was a “fiercely loyal Labor foot soldier” who would never do anything like this without the Chief Minister knowing.

“They’re trying to spin this like Gunner didn’t know but it reeks of bulls**t,” he said.

“Alf probably did it on his behalf. The project is in his Fannie Bay electorate and Gunner was the one who endorsed the project in Cabinet.”

Member for Goyder Kezia Purick said she also doubted the Chief Minister didn’t know what was going on with his closest political adviser.

“It’s difficult to accept that there weren’t other people, including the Chief Minister, who weren’t involved,” she said on Mix 104.9.

The Chief Minister has refused to stand down despite shocking revelations about his office’s involvement in the Darwin Turf Club’s controversial bid to secure a $12 million grandstand grant. (Artist’s impression supplied)

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro called for Mr Gunner to step down as Chief Minister until a full investigation of the turf club grandstand grant is completed by ICAC and the Auditor-General.

“There are far more questions than answers,” she said.

“The Chief Minister has demonstrated that he is not capable, open, or accountable.”

However, Mr Gunner said he didn’t “see the need” to step down over the matter.

“Based on the work we’ve done since receiving the FOI we’re not aware of any other situation like this,” he said.

Racing Minister Natasha Fyles confirmed that she was one of several ministers who received a letter from the turf club last January.

“In the letter I was requested to fund the turf club that $12 million and I explained to them that I didn’t have that ability,” she said.

“I referred that letter to the Treasurer and Chief Minister.”

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A fifth floor source has told the NT News Treasurer Nicole Manison was opposed to handing $12 million to the turf club but was forced to sit out of the Cabinet decision-making process in July because of a perceived conflict of interest.

Her brother-in-law is on the turf club’s board.

The government revealed it was giving a $12 million grant to the turf club to build a grandstand last July.

Two months later it emerged that Jaytex, a construction company co-owned by the club’s chairman Brett Dixon, had been awarded the tender to build it.

An independent probity auditor later found there was no conflict of interest because Mr Dixon had removed himself from deliberations on the tender.