‘Jealousy’ caused the leaks about alleged conflict of interest in ICAC, Commissioner says

Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Ken Fleming QC has lashed out at a whistleblower after allegations of a conflict of interest in his office emerged.

OUTGOING Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Ken Fleming QC has lashed out at a whistleblower after allegations of a conflict of interest emerged from his office.

It comes after the NT News reported on Tuesday that the corruption body had been rocked by an alleged conflict of interest. During an extraordinary session of Estimates on Tuesday, Mr Fleming said he was capable of using his powers as Commissioner to force the Sky News reporter behind the story to divulge his contact.

Mr Fleming said laws preventing judges from making journalists admit their sources did not apply to the ICAC and he intended to pursue an investigation into the leak.

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Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance media federal president Marcus Strom described the Commissioner’s comments as “outrageous”.

“For him to threaten to ignore journalist privilege in his own situation is out of line,” Mr Strom said.

“The Commissioner knows that journalists have an ethical obligation to never reveal the identity of a confidential source because journalist privilege is acknowledged and enshrined in Northern Territory law.”

Mr Fleming took aim at the so-called the whistleblower, claiming she had been terminated from her employment at the ICAC but it’s unclear when this occurred.

Kenneth Fleming QC, the Northern Territory Independent Commissioner Against Corruption. Picture: Che Chorley

“There was some jealousy in the office that some people were saying that they weren’t getting the investigation work,” he said. “The material from the paper, I can assure you, has come out of our office contrary to the ICAC Act, contrary to the Oaths Act, and I intend to follow it up.”

Mr Fleming, who leaves his role on July 5, also talked up the ICAC’s role in cracking down on corrupt conduct within the NT’s public service.

ICAC Inspector Bruce McClintock SC is investigating the decision to award contracts to conduct several high-level investigations to GAT Risk Management – a consultancy business owned by former South Australian police officer David McGinlay, who is the company’s sole employee, and who has never been found guilty of any corruption offences. It was also revealed in Estimates that the ICAC Inspector had received six complaints in the past year, four of which were dismissed, one was ongoing and one was finalised.