Operation Apollo: Labor denies knowledge of allegations against Murphy despite Fyles’ tip off
Concerns about senior NT Police recruitment were raised with the Territory Labor government more than a year before the ‘job for a mate’ scandal ousted Commissioner Michael Murphy.
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Concerns about senior NT Police recruitment were raised with the Northern Territory Labor government more than a year before the ‘job for a mate’ scandal ousted Commissioner Michael Murphy from the top job.
The corruption watchdog has since discredited one of the central allegations sent to Labor concerning Martin Dole’s appointment as Deputy Commissioner; however the saga confirms discontent with Mr Murphy’s leadership was brewing within some sections of the ranks soon after his appointment in August 2023.
Ongoing concerns held by the union about Mr Murphy’s hiring practices have now led the government to launch an independent inquiry into every senior appointment made by the Commissioner during his term.
The NT News can confirm allegations surrounding Mr Murphy’s hiring practices were emailed to then Chief Minister Natasha Fyles in December 2023, and to then Police Minister Brent Potter in January 2024, but no action was taken by the Labor government to investigate or quell the discontent.
On Tuesday, Labor’s Chansey Paech – who became Deputy Chief Minister in December 2023 – denied any knowledge of those allegations.
“I wasn’t the Northern Territory Police Minister at the time, but I was never made aware of these matters as a Cabinet minister, and certainly, if these matters had been brought to light, I can absolutely guarantee that I would have made sure that they would have been addressed appropriately,” Mr Paech said.
Asked why Labor failed to act on the allegations against Mr Murphy, Mr Paech said they were “questions for those individuals”.
“At no time have I, or has the Leader of the Opposition, ever been made aware of those accusations,” he said.
A similar set of allegations was sent to the NT Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) in March 2024, sparking the Operation Apollo investigation.
Central to the whistleblower’s concern was the recruitment process of Deputy Commissioner Dole, with claims Mr Murphy had cancelled the recruitment process to improperly facilitate Mr Dole into the job.
The ICAC investigated and ultimately found no basis to the “rumours” there was “something suspicious” surrounding Mr Dole’s appointment.
The watchdog did find, however, Mr Murphy engaged in “incompetent and negligent” conduct by sitting on the recruitment panel for close personal friend Peter Kennon, for whom he also acted as a referee.
The ICAC revealed it had received a number of complaints about Mr Murphy’s handling of the Kennon recruitment.
Mr Kennon is not accused of any wrongdoing, and there is no suggestion he was not qualified for the position.
“That fact alone, to my mind, demonstrates that the Commissioner’s conduct on this occasion did result in substantial detriment to the public interest,” the report stated.
“Perceived nepotism and bias in recruitment is a significant source of aggravation for public officers and can contribute to poor morale and cultural dysfunction within agencies.
“For that reason, recruitments must be carefully managed for both actual and perceived conflicts.”
The Northern Territory Police Association has led the charge in advocating for Mr Murphy’s resignation, making clear its view his leadership was having an ongoing detrimental impact on morale, wellbeing and confidence within the force.
Mr Murphy has been at loggerheads with the NTPA for months, spectacularly quitting his union membership in August last year.
When Mr Murphy first identified himself as the person at the centre of the ICAC investigation, he said his role as Commissioner was to ensure there was “trust and confidence in the Northern Territory Police Force, the service it provides and its internal governance”.
“In the previous 12 months a number of appointments have been made to the positions of a Deputy Commissioner, three Assistant Commissioners, five Commanders and 18 Superintendents,” he said.
“These appointments have been awarded to the most meritorious and best candidates, each of whom is a strong, intelligent and innovative leader who has shown dedication to serving our community.”
NT Police was contacted for comment.
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