NT ICAC Commissioner offered wife $20k contingent on her withdrawing DV order

The NT anti-corruption chief paid his wife $20k contingent on her unproven DV order being settled before it was due to be made public, saying the matter would end his career.

NT ICAC Commissioner Michael Riches with his now-estranged wife Jen Riches. Picture: Supplied

Northern Territory anti-corruption chief Michael Riches offered his estranged wife $20,000 contingent on her domestic violence order complaint being settled before it was due to be made public, saying the matter would have ended his career if it became known.

Legal documents obtained by the NT News show Jennifer Riches applied for a domestic violence order against Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Michael Riches when she left their marriage in May last year.

That DVO was withdrawn a short time later after the financial offer was made, Mr Riches instead agreeing to a two-year domestic violence undertaking, without any admission to guilt, preventing him from contacting or stalking his former partner.

The withdrawal of the DVO prevented the matter from reaching public Darwin Local Court listings, and was arranged before a deadline of 3pm, May 23, 2023, when Mr Riches would have been required to disclose the matter to the Chief Minister, according to legal correspondence.

NT Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Michael Riches. Picture: Office of the ICAC/Supplied

“You will see that it has been asserted by your husband’s solicitor, if you proceed with the Domestic Violence Restraining Order, that it will necessitate your husband resigning his position,” lawyers for Ms Riches advised her in a letter from May 22 last year.

“Clearly, it is not in your best interests for your husband to no longer work in his high paying job.”

Mr Riches offered Ms Riches $12,000 plus eight instalments of $1000 on the grounds she withdrew her DVO application, and “contingent upon Mr Riches remaining in his employment at ICAC”.

The money was offered as a settlement in an unrelated dispute.

There is no suggestion of any criminal wrongdoing by Mr Riches.

Geoffrey Watson SC, barrister and Director of the Centre for Public Integrity.

Director of the Centre for Public Integrity Geoffrey Watson said Mr Riches should have disclosed the matter at the time.

“It should have been revealed, he could have then come out and said ‘I deny it’,” Mr Watson said.

“They were only ever allegations, they remain unproved, but subject to that, when you have an integrity agency it’s necessary that the reputation of the integrity agency be above and beyond any kind of criticism,” he said.

“The normal sorts of rules which would apply, for example, that a person is innocent until proven guilty, don’t necessarily apply here because it’s got to go above and beyond.”

Mr Watson said it was “a real question” as to whether an ICAC Commissioner could survive being served a DVO, arguing the timing of the revelation was critical.

Jennifer Riches, the estranged wife of NT ICAC Commissioner Michael Riches at her new home in Sydney. Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

Ms Riches told the NT News Mr Riches never harmed her physically, but said she had long felt hopeless, controlled and unsupported in her marriage, describing an incident that catalysed her decision to leave.

Ms Riches said she had taken out a loan for her psychology business without telling her husband, and had struggled to meet the repayments while they were on an overseas holiday together.

“When we came back there was a letter that came to both of us, and it was that a caveat had been put on the house because I hadn’t made those payments,” she said.

“He became extremely angry, and I understand why, but this anger was just beyond anything I had seen from him before.

“He said you should be grovelling at my feet, I’m going to take over all of your personal finances and business finances from now on.

“I was just so horrified and embarrassed by how many times I would apologise and beg for forgiveness.

“It’s all about control with Mike, always walking on eggshells with him.”

Ms Riches spent several nights at a Darwin women’s shelter when she left the relationship.

The matter has been referred to NT ICAC Inspector Bruce McClintock SC. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

On Wednesday membership of the NT Legislative Assembly’s standing committee on the ICAC was updated, to include former cabinet minister Paul Kirby.

The allegations against Mr Riches have been referred to the ICAC Inspector, but no parliamentary inquiry has been announced.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said it was not the place of politicians to comment on an independent statutory position.

“The first time I was made aware of those allegations, I wrote to the ICAC Inspector, the ICAC Inspector is investigating, and that is the right and due process,” she said.

The ICAC office said Mr Riches was currently on unplanned personal leave.

“The Office of the ICAC has procedures to manage its functions during short-term absences of the ICAC,” a spokeswoman said.

“The Office of the ICAC has no further comment on this matter.”