ICAC to release five more reports by July that ‘will garner a lot of public interest’, Commissioner reveals

THE head of the Territory’s corruption watchdog has sounded a warning that before he retires from his position there are five reports he will hand down that ‘will garner a lot of public interest’.

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THE head of the Territory’s corruption watchdog has sounded a warning that before he retires from his position there are five reports he will hand down that “will garner a lot of public interest”.

It is expected that one of those reports, by the NT’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Mr Ken Fleming, will shed more light on the Gunner government’s $12m grant to the Darwin Turf Club for its new grandstand.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner has provided ICAC with documents showing the involvement of his former chief of staff, Alf Leonardi, in the matter.

The documents show Mr Leonardi drafted a letter for the Turf Club that the club used to lobby ministers, including the Chief Minister.

Speaking on Mix 104.9, Mr Fleming said he had left enough time to complete the matters he was looking at, before he retires in July.

Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Ken Fleming QC. Picture: Keri Megelus

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“There are five reports that we should hand down before I leave, and there are another three matters that may be coming close to completion before I leave as well,” Mr Fleming told Katie Woolf.

“The five matters will garner a lot of public interest.”

Mr Fleming refused to reveal details about the matters.

Mr Fleming has previously flagged the release of a “major report” in November 2020 that “may just fill all of your expectations and longings”, but the report, including what it is related to, is not yet public.

The ICAC Commissioner also took aim at recalcitrant government departments.

Mr Fleming said, in the main, he was satisfied with departmental responses in following ICAC directions, but he was still not satisfied with the reporting in the first place from all agencies.

“You look at our statistics and you look at the source of the reports and you think, but surely, there would have been some report come to you of improper conduct that is defined by the Act,” he said.

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When asked if he thought there were government departments that had turned a blind eye to some matters being reported to the ICAC, Mr Fleming said “ICAC isn’t a popular body. There have been people slow to come on board.”