Deal to award tender to build $12 million Turf Club grandstand looks an absolute stinker, writes MATT CUNNINGHAM

THE probity report into the $12 million Turf Club grandstand deal has revealed nothing untoward — but many questions remain

Darwin Turf Club CEO Keith Stacy and chairman Brett Dixon with the plans. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

FANNIE Bay might be one of Darwin’s nicest suburbs but there’s a nasty stench that can waft across it when the wind blows in the wrong direction.

The cause of said odour is usually the sewerage treatment plant on the north side of Dick Ward Drive.

Right now the stench is particularly strong, but this time it’s wafting from the other side of the road, straight out of the Darwin Turf Club.

That should come as no surprise, because the deal that has seen a company owned by the Turf Club’s chairman awarded the tender to build a $12 million grandstand looks an absolute stinker.

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Here’s a brief timeline:

■ In 2016, Darwin Turf Club chairman Brett Dixon was one of four businessmen who donated a total of $100,000 to the Labor Party through the businesses Berrimah North Developments and Darwin Corporate Park.

The donations were made before the Territory election, but after the July 1 deadline, meaning they didn’t have to be declared before the poll.

■ On August 27 that year, Labor won the election and promised to restore trust after four chaotic years of CLP rule.

■ In July this year, it was announced the NT Government was giving the Darwin Turf Club a $12 million grant to build a new grandstand. The Government says the project was part of infrastructure work that had already been budgeted for. Independent MLA Gerry Wood says there is no sign of the project in the budget papers.

■ The Turf Club put the contract for the job out to tender.

■ Earlier this month, it was revealed that Jaytex, a company majority-owned by Mr Dixon, had won the tender to build the grandstand.

Let’s combine those points into one sentence. The company of a man who donated money to the Labor Party before the last election has been awarded a contract to build a $12 million grandstand by the Turf Club, of which he is chairman.

Mr Dixon and the Turf Club say everything is above board.

He removed himself from the tender process and the a probity report released on Friday said the process was independent and fair to all tenderers.

The Turf Club says there was no actual bias in the awarding of this contract but there is little doubt there is a perceived one. No reasonable thinking person could look at the series of events listed above and not think something wasn’t quite right. That view was confirmed by the changes announced by the Chief Minister on Friday.

The NT Government will now have the right to cease a tender process if there is a perceived or actual conflict of interest. Individuals who have decision-making power or who are able to influence the operations of an incorporated association will no longer be able to directly benefit from the awarding of a tender. And before a tender is awarded, the NT Government will have the right to approve or not approve the winning contractor or sub-contractor.

Unfortunately the new rules come too late to roll back the Turf Club deal but Mr Gunner deserves some credit for fixing a loophole that should never have existed. Let’s hope this can be the line in the sand that is never crossed again. Now, in the wake of this fiasco, it might pay to recall Mr Dixon’s own words about his decision to donate money to Labor before the 2016 election.

When those donations were revealed in 2017, Mr Dixon said they were made to support a change in government following a turbulent four years of the Country Liberal Party.

“We are all long-time, proud hardworking Territorians that were very concerned about the Northern Territory’s reputation and felt like we needed to assist,” he said.

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Events like the Turf Club grandstand deal have played no small part in ensuring that reputation remains somewhat battered today.

And it may take some time before the current stench around Fannie Bay gives way to clear air.