Michael Gunner hasn’t spoken to Leonardi since his dismissal

Chief Minister Michael Gunner says he has not spoken to his former chief of staff Alf Leonardi since he was sacked from his office and went on sick leave following a review in August.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner says he has not seen his former chief of staff Alf Leonardi since he sacked him in August. Picture: Che Chorley

• Gunner's leadership in deep trouble
• ‘We cannot comment if Leonardi acted appropriately’: Turf club

Chief Minister Michael Gunner says he has not spoken to his former chief of staff Alf Leonardi since he was sacked from his office and went on sick leave following a review in August.

Mr Gunner was interviewed on ABC radio on Tuesday morning largely to talk about the letter Mr Leonardi, then Mr Gunner’s chief of staff, drafted for Darwin Turf Club chairman Brett Dixon, the turf club used as a template to lobby ministers for a new grandstand, that was funded six months later.

The letter only came to public light after an FOI by ABC reporter Jano Gibson on Friday.

Mr Dixon along with three Darwin businessmen donated $100,000 to Labor before the last election.

Mr Gunner said the documents relating to Mr Leonardi’s involvement had been sent to the independent Commissioner Against Corruption for transparency.

ICAC does not disclose what matters it is investigating.

NT NEWS special half price subscription deal: Just $3.50 a week

While the official government line was Mr Leonardi went on sick leave, he was sacked from his job after a review into the workings of the Fifth Floor, along with demotions for his joint deputy chief of staffs Kieran Phillips and Helen Nezeritis.

The review was conducted by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrew’s chief of staff Lissie Ratcliff who the NT News understand was scathing of some parts of the Chief Minister’s internal operations.

“My chief of staff, Alf Leonardi, and I have had a discussion. He will take a leave of absence to focus on his health,” Mr Gunner said at the time.

Mr Gunner made it clear at the time that Mr Leonardi would not be making a come back to the ranks of ministerial staffers.

He had said the pair had shard a “very successful working partnership.”

“He went on sick leave and I haven’t seen him since he left my office,” Mr Gunner said.

When pressed about why he had not spoken to Mr Leonardi the Chief Minister responded: “Well he went onto sick leave and he now has a new job and I haven’t seen him.”

When asked specifically if there was a reason for that Mr Gunner said: “No. Just, that’s life.”

Former Minister Ken Vowles, who was thrown out of Cabinet, said at the time of the sacking that Mr Leonardi ran the government.

“Michael Gunner doesn’t fart without Alf Leonardi saying so,” he said at the time.

Mr Leonardi has since been employed on an executive contract in the Education Department in a job that was not advertised and despite the fact that he was Mr Gunner’s chief of staff at the time Labor announced it would slash the number of public servants employed on executive contracts by ten per cent top try and reign in spending.