Two-thirds of Darwin Turf Club board resign over ICAC report into $12m grandstand, sparking meeting to elect new members

Six of the nine members of the Darwin Turf Club board have agreed to the Chief Minister’s demand for their resignation in the wake of the ICAC findings into the NT government’s awarding of a $12m grandstand grant to the DTC in 2019.

The controversial $12m grandstand at the Darwin Turf Club. Picture: Che Chorley

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SIX of the nine members of the Darwin Turf Club board have agreed to the Chief Minister’s demand for their resignation in the wake of the ICAC findings into the NT government’s awarding of a $12m grandstand grant to the DTC in 2019.

The three who are staring the Chief Minister down are Brett Dixon, who has taken leave of absence from his position of chairman, Dale Bicheno who joined the board in August 2020 and Damien Moriarty.

The Darwin Turf Club will now need to call a Special General Meeting of members to elect a new board.

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Each board member received a letter from the Chief Minister reminding them that on June 25 he issued a statement in response to the ICAC report and its findings.

He told them in his statement he called for the resignation of the entire Darwin Turf Club board.

He also advised that if the resignations were not forthcoming he would make legislative changes which would permit the government to sack the board. He said he had requested the Commissioner of Consumer Affairs to start an investigation into the Darwin Turf Club board under section 93 of the Association Act.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Board members were told their resignation was required to return confidence to the organisation and the Territory Racing Industry.

On Monday, Mr Dixon issued a statement saying he was taking leave of absence from both the Darwin Turf Club and TENT board. “The ICAC report is biased and the evidence I gave was totally ignored, destroying my reputation and the goodwill I have built up in Darwin and at the Darwin Turf Club over the last 40 years,” he told members.