Unpaid fines, unlicensed practice leaves Darwin real estate agent Suzi Milgate ‘unfit’ to trade

The NT Agents Licensing Board found evidence has indicated Suzi Milgate had continued to ‘receive monies from real estate practice activities’ while ‘not dispersing monies to her clients’.

Embattled former Darwin real estate agent Suzi Milgate has been declared “not a fit and proper person” to resume trading after failing to pay a series of fines and practising unlicensed.

The NT Agents Licensing Board revoked Ms Milgate’s licence to practice in January after she and her company racked up more than $18,000 in fines following a series of tenant complaints dating back to August 2021.

Ms Milgate then applied to have her licence reinstated but the application was objected to by deputy registrar of land, business and conveyancing agents Marita Cabot in March.

In handing down the board’s decision to reject Ms Milgate’s application, ALB chairman Robert Bradshaw found she had failed to pay any of the fines.

Mr Bradshaw found while Ms Milgate had sought a review of the latest fine in the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal, she had not sought any review of the previous two fines.

“Even if, in some way, the NTCAT review proceedings were to absolve Ms Milgate of the requirement to pay the fines imposed by the board in its decision in the Rolph and Fiddaman matter, this would not affect the liability to pay the fines imposed by the board in the Smith matter and in the Salimi matter,” he wrote.

Mr Bradshaw said while the decision to revoke Ms Milgate’s licence following the Rolph and Fiddaman complaint was subject to review, “further information that is adverse to Ms Milgate” had subsequently come to light.

“This relates to evidence that she and Milgate Real Estate Pty Ltd have continued to operate as a real estate agent past the dates of revocation of Ms Milgate’s licence and the expiry of the licence held by Milgate Real Estate Pty Ltd,” he wrote.

Mr Bradshaw said the evidence indicated Ms Milgate had continued to “receive monies from real estate practice activities” while “not dispersing monies to her clients” and had been busted holding an open inspection for a rental property in February.

Flowers were delivered to the Darwin Local Court in May addressed to former real estate agent Suzi Milgate ahead of an appearance for the alleged assault of Nightcliff MLA Natasha Fyles.

“The board accepts that the timelines of the revocation decision coupled with the expiry of the licences have made it difficult for Ms Milgate and Milgate Real Estate to either wind up the business or to enter into arrangements for the handover of effective control to another licenced agent,” he wrote.

“However, Ms Milgate has not provided any evidence that this is what she has been trying to do.”

Mr Bradshaw said Ms Milgate had also installed Mercury Real Estate business manager Jeff Thompson as director of her own business despite him being “ineligible” to hold the position.

The board also noted Ms Milgate’s pending charge for an alleged assault on former chief minister Natasha Fyles but said it was not taken into account as it remained unresolved.

“The board finds, on the basis of outstanding unpaid fines in the Smith matter, Ms Milgate is a disqualified person and that, consequentially, is not a fit and proper person,” Mr Bradshaw wrote.

“Even if the fines had been paid, the board would also find Ms Milgate to not be a fit and proper person based on the previous findings in the three disciplinary matters and unlicensed trading.”

Ms Milgate is contesting the assault charge and will return to court on July 2.