Chief Minister voices concerns after NT ICAC Michael Riches cleared of improper payment, corruption allegations

The Territory’s corruption watchdog is on ‘indefinite sick leave’ amid a report clearing him of improper conduct after paying his wife $20,000 amid domestic violence allegations.

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

The Chief Minister said a scandal engulfing the Territory’s corruption watchdog raised significant “integrity” questions, despite a report clearing him of improper conduct over claims he paid his ex-wife to suppress domestic violence allegations.

On Monday Eva Lawler confirmed NT Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Michael Riches had been cleared of any alleged corrupt conduct following a report from ICAC Inspector Bruce McClintock SC.

Mr Riches was accused of offering his estranged wife $20,000 to withdraw a domestic violence order filed against him, with the payment part of an early settlement in an unrelated matter.

Ms Riches did withdraw the DVO application, and Mr Riches agreed to a two-year domestic violence undertaking banning him from contacting his estranged wife.

Mr Riches was not charged with any criminal wrongdoing and he previously denied the domestic violence allegations.

“Any assertion that I have engaged in domestic violence is not only false, but deeply offensive and highly defamatory,” he has previous said.

Ms Lawler said Mr Riches and his ex-wife Jennifer Riches were contacted and made submissions to the Inspector.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler at the Darwin Discovery Parks caravan park on Monday, June 10. Picture: Zizi Averill

However the ICAC inspector was not able to make a “conclusive determination” whether there was any truth in Mr Riches’ ex-wife’s domestic violence allegations.

“The Inspector has concluded that none of the allegations made against the Commissioner could constitute corrupt conduct,” Ms Lawler said.

She would not elaborate if Mr Riches’ alleged failure to disclose the domestic violence allegations to the ICAC inspector was discussed in the report.

While the McClintock report was not able to make a finding over the domestic violence allegations, Ms Lawler voiced her sympathy to “any victim of domestic violence”.

“I understand the wife’s position but I also understand that in the report that I’ve seen some of those allegations weren’t able to be proven through the information that was at hand,” Ms Lawler said.

“But I absolutely do not condone domestic violence.”

28-05-2024 - Jennifer Riches, the estranged wife of NT ICAC Commissioner Michael Riches at her new home in Sydney. Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

When asked if she still had confidence in the Commissioner, the Chief Minister said: “I’m in a difficult situation”.

“I’m not the boss of the ICAC Commissioner. I’m not his line manager,” Ms Lawler said.

“As a politician particularly, I cannot comment on the ICAC commissioner or ICAC inspector.”

However, Ms Lawler said she had significant concerns that the scandal “brings into question the integrity of a really important position”.

“A person that has been appointed in a really important position in the Northern Territory — a person that can literally sack a Chief Minister,” she said.

“It concerns me that these things have come out around that person.”

“I know Territorians want to have trust in an ICAC Commissioner, because we’re the government that bought in the ICAC.

“We wanted to make sure that we didn’t see corruption … so when there are such things it does concern me because I know it adds to that layer of people feeling that the government is not doing the right thing.”

A summary of ICAC Inspector Bruce McClintock’s report has been provided to the public. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

However, she said two months out from the election was not the time to pursue reform to the anti-corruption office.

“There are a whole heap of people that will think I’m trying to remove an ICAC Commissioner, removing an ICAC inspector … (but) as I said those are decisions of a new government.”

Ms Lawler said Mr Riches was on indefinite sick leave, with deputy ICAC Naomi Loudon currently in the role as the acting ICAC Commissioner

“The Inspector has also advised me that these matters are having a damaging and acute impact on Commissioner Riches’ health and as a result he is not fit to carry out his duties at this time,” Ms Lawler said.

“The Inspector has advised the Commissioner will require a period of time to focus on his health and recovery.”

Ms Lawler said the Inspector’s report would not be published in full due to confidential legal and medical information contained in the document, however a summary would be tabled to the parliament on Thursday, June 20, after estimates.

She said the report would not provide much additional detail, saying it would be “very similar” to the information already provided to the public.