Spill to be held for entire Darwin Turf Club board in August following ICAC report fallout
All positions of the Darwin Turf Club board will be spilled in August after the majority of its members resigned over the fallout from the bombshell ICAC report into the grandstand saga.
Northern Territory
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FORMER NT Licencing Commission chairman Richard O’Sullivan has been appointed to lead the Darwin Turf Club board in the interim amid fallout from the $12m grandstand saga.
A special general meeting will be held on August 9 to spill all positions on the board, as part of a move to restore public trust in the embattled organisation.
It follows the devastating ICAC report into the tender process of the Darwin Turf Club’s $12m grandstand, which found the board and its chairman Brett Dixon committed misconduct throughout the process, a finding Mr Dixon disputes.
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Chief Minister Michael Gunner has since written to the board to demand its resignation.
In a statement late on Friday, the Darwin Turf Club revealed a spill of all positions would be held next month as a result of the resignation of the majority of the board.
A member’s petition prompted by the ICAC report is cited as a motivation for this drastic step.
Mr O’Sullivan, now the acting chairman, promised the move would put members first.
“It is my intention to see this through to the election of a board with the highest governance and probity standards,” he said.
“The future of the club will rest firmly with club members.”
Mr O’Sullivan said the Turf Club needed to rebuild trust with the community following the scandal.
“It is essential in going forward that the club has the support of all stakeholders – members, the racing industry be it trainers, jockeys, and strappers, patrons, sponsors, and government,” he said.
“There are all key stakeholders who underpin the success and viability of this club and the racing industry.”
The spill will be held a week after the Darwin Cup, which is currently being boycotted by Mr Gunner and other politicians.
Mr O’Sullivan said the date was selected to provide stability for the organisation through the carnival.
“We will strive to give maximum support to the hard working and dedicated staff, ably led by chief executive Brad Morgan, who are operating in a difficult Covid-19 environment overshadowed by adverse ICAC findings,” he said.
“My focus is to make the move to a new board as smooth as possible and minimise disruption to Darwin Cup carnival events.”
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