‘He was aggressive. I was intimidated’: Another woman alleges she was subjected to offensive comments by Treaty Commissioner

Another woman has come forward with allegations she was subjected to offensive comments by NT Treaty Commissioner Mick Dodson.

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ANOTHER woman has come forward with allegations she was subjected to offensive comments by Treaty Commissioner Mick Dodson.

The woman says Professor Dodson called her offensive names on several occasions during an angry exchange at the Alice Springs casino in October 2018, five months ­before he was appointed as the commissioner.

She had been travelling around the country as part of a judging panel of the Indigenous Governance Awards, of which Prof Dodson was the chairman.

The woman told the NT News she had been out for dinner with friends and was walking back to her hotel room when she was confronted by Prof Dodson in the ­casino’s courtyard.

“Mick had been at the casino with other panel members and that’s when we had this interaction in the courtyard,” she said.

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“It was just me and him and he was ­intoxicated. He was aggressive. I was intimidated and definitely didn’t feel that I was in a safe situation.”

She said Prof Dodson was unhappy with decisions being made by the woman and ­another female member of the judging panel.

The woman said she reported the incident to her manager and the Human Resources Department at Reconciliation Australia but is unaware of any action being taken.

Reconciliation Australia policy, research and government affairs general manager Andrew Meehan declined to comment when contacted last night.

The Treaty Commission and Prof Dodson’s lawyers were sent questions about the Alice Springs incident yesterday but had not responded by deadline.

The new allegations come as Minister for Treaty Selena Uibo requested a meeting with Prof Dodson after he was accused of calling a woman a “slut” and threatening to “knock her f***ing lights out” following a football match in January.

“I want to express my concern about a recent allegation made to my office regarding threatening and derogatory language towards a woman following a football match at TIO Stadium,” Ms Uibo said.

“I strongly condemn any threatening or aggressive behaviour, towards any other individual, particularly from senior officials.

“I have requested that the Commissioner meet with me to discuss the impact of the allegation on his role as Treaty Commissioner and the important work the Treaty Commission is undertaking to progress conversations for all Territorians.”

Mick Dodson. Picture: Justin Kennedy

Prof Dodson has not ­denied or confirmed the ­allegations but his lawyers said he has no recollection of the incident.

“Professor Dodson has for many years been treated for post-traumatic stress disorder which emanates from childhood,” his lawyer David De Silva said on Tuesday.

“Professor Dodson has no recall of the incident complained of and his medical practitioners inform the disassociation is a symptom of his medical condition.

“Upon being advised of the incident Professor Dodson’s immediate response to the complainant’s representatives was to agree with their description of the alleged conduct as being disgraceful.”

Chief Minister Michael Gunner has supported the ­action Ms Uibo has outlined.

But Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro has slammed the Gunner government for engaging in “hypocrisy”. She said the NT Treaty Commissioner could not continue in his role while the outcome of an investigation into allegations of abuse and threats of violence against an Indigenous woman were kept secret.

The Chief Minister did not respond to a request from the NT News as to why he isn’t releasing the findings of its investigation into the claims against Prof Dodson.

He also did not say if he personally had concerns about Prof Dodson remaining as Treaty Commissioner.

Ms Finocchiaro has also called for the Chief Minister to release to the public the findings of its investigation into the claims.

“I am calling on the Chief Minister to publicly release the outcome of the investigation into these serious allegations,” she said. “The hypocrisy of the Gunner government is staggering.

“Labor ministers, including Minister Uibo, took part in the March 4 Justice.

“They were there standing alongside women holding signs that said ‘Why Would She Lie?’ yet in this case they have done everything in their power to keep these allegations out of the public eye.”