ICAC boss attends Darwin Turf Club questioning

THE notable presence of ICAC boss Ken Fleming raised quite a few eyebrows in parliament today at a briefing about the Darwin Turf Club’s controversial grandstand tender

The NT’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) Ken Fleming was a notable presence at a briefing about the government’s controversial Darwin Turf Club’s $12 million grandstand tender. Picture: AAP

• DARWIN Turf Club should call for re-tender of grandstand: Labor MLA
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THE notable presence of ICAC boss Ken Fleming raised quite a few eyebrows in parliament on Tuesday at a briefing about the government’s controversial decision to award Darwin Turf Club’s $12 million grandstand tender to a company owned by club chairman Brett Dixon.

The head of NT’s anti-corruption watchdog listened in as the CEO of the Department of Trade, Business and Innovation Shaun Drabsch was grilled about the grant by members of the Public Accounts Committee at a midday public briefing in Parliament House.

While Mr Fleming refused to comment on why he was present at the briefing, he was spotted chuckling at comments made from the public gallery.

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During questioning, Mr Drabsch revealed that discussions about the grandstand project were initiated by the Turf Club late last year and while Mr Dixon was involved in those early discussions, he recused himself from any board considerations in relation to the grant, preparation of the tender and the contract.

“It’s clear to me that the selection panel and the board of the Turf Club were aware about the potential for a perception of conflict of interest and took active action throughout the process to manage those potential conflicts,” he said.

Opposition Leader Gary Higgins, who took part in the questioning, said he was disappointed at times that Mr Drabsch didn’t provide clear answers for all their concerns particularly about a public servant who was involved in the selection panel.

“Some things are still very unclear,” he said.

It was revealed last month that Treasurer Nicole Manison opposed handing $12 million to Darwin Turf Club to build a new grandstand but was forced to sit out of the cabinet decision-making process because of a perceived conflict of interest.

Labor backbencher Kate Worden, who also opposed the decision, went a step further and said Turf Club boss Brett Dixon should give back the tender his company won.

But the Chief Minister previously said that the Department of Trade, Business and Innovation, as well as the independent probity audit conducted by accounting firm Moore Stephens, found that the Turf Club’s procurement process was “independent and fair to all tenderers.”