Territory Alliance MLA Jeff Collins claims ‘further investigations’ pending after ICAC revelations, as corruption watchdog flags leaders’ use of private messaging apps as a ‘security risk’

A TERRITORY Alliance MLA who used to be with Labor has flagged ‘further investigations’ by NT’s peak anti-corruption body into the use of private messaging apps by parliamentarians.

• ICAC calls on NT Parliament to crack down on MLA behaviour
• Speaker probe marks corruption watchdog’s first big finding
• Kezia Purick resigns as NT Speaker following ICAC investigation
• ICAC’s probe into Kezia Purick: Everything you need to know
• Speaker asked to resign amid ICAC probe

A TERRITORY Alliance MLA who used to be with Labor has flagged “further investigations” by NT’s peak anti-corruption body into the use of private messaging apps by parliamentarians.

Fong Lim MLA Jeff Collins however refused to say if he had been tasked to use them while he was a member of Labor caucus.

His comments come after an Independent Commissioner Against Corruption investigation into former speaker Kezia Purick’s corrupt conduct identified the risky practice of politicians and staff communicating “sensitive work information using private online messaging services”.

The ICAC finding was part of a nine-month investigation that found Ms Purick had engaged in a “series of acts” that amounted to corrupt conduct because each was a “serious breach of public trust”.

Territory Alliance MLA Jeff Collins, centre, outside parliament with party leader Terry Mills and deputy leader Robyn Lambley. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

MORE TOP NEWS

Territory Alliance backflips and pledges to ban fracking

Melbourne duo flout quarantine by going on Kakadu boat cruise

Darwin council voucher scheme passes halfway mark

ICAC Commissioner Ken Fleming QC said the practice of using private online messaging services posed a “significant information security” risk to the NT Government.

“Even information that appears to be benign in isolation could, along with other information, have a considerable security impact,” he said.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the CLP did not use private messaging apps for official government business.

Mr Collins, who was excluded from Labor caucus and eventually left the party, refused to say if he had been directed to use those apps while he was with the party.

“I won’t answer that at this point in time, I think it’s, it’s an issue that’s going to come up, given the report,” he said.

“And there really is likely to be further investigations that I really shouldn’t make comment on that.”

A spokesman for ICAC said it would not confirm if an investigation was ongoing due to security concerns.

Just 24 hours after the bombshell ICAC revelations, Ms Purick revealed her political career was not yet over.

Former Speaker of the House Kezia Purick looks around the room in happier times. Picture: Justin Kennedy

She handed in her resignation as Speaker when Parliament resumed yesterday morning but said she did not accept the findings in the report and did not think she had been “afforded natural justice” or “procedural fairness”.

The independent Goyder MLA, in a short speech about firearms legislation, also made it clear she would be recontesting the August election despite the possibility of criminal charges being levelled against her by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“Next session of Parliament I’ll be back,” she said.

Territory Alliance’s Robyn Lambley, once a CLP colleague of Ms Purick, called on the former speaker to quit Parliament altogether.

The ICAC’s findings released yesterday pushed politicians of all stripes to confirm if they use private messaging apps, like WhatsApp.

Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said Labor MLAs used it for things such as birthdays and general chitchat.

NEW OFFER: Get amazing Sennheiser earbuds (RRP: $499) with NT News subscription

The ICAC did reveal the newly minted Speaker, Namatjira MLA Chansey Paech, had been provided the report and also “facts in Commissioner Fleming’s possession which cannot be set out in the report”.

Mr Fleming said “alleged breaches” of the MLA code of conduct, without making specific mention of anyone, were a matter entirely for the Parliament to investigate and impose penalties on if required.

Follow @MaduraMcCormack