Union misinformation campaign led to TGen CEO’s sacking, lawsuit alleges

A UNION-driven ‘conspiracy’ to dethrone former Territory Generation boss Tim Duignan ultimately led to his sacking by the NT government last year, the former chief executive has alleged.

Former Territory Generation chief executive Tim Duignan is suing the ETU for ‘damages for conspiracy’.

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A UNION-driven “conspiracy” to dethrone former Territory Generation boss Tim Duignan ultimately led to his sacking by the NT government last year, the former chief executive has alleged.

Mr Duignan was fired in December along with Power and Water chief executive Michael Thomson in the wake of a blackout that saw Alice Springs residents without power for up to 10 hours on October 13.

In court documents obtained by the NT News, Mr Duignan claims Electrical Trades Union officials Dave Hayes, Stuart Traill and Peter Ong “conspired and combined together wrongfully” with the “sole or predominant intention” of having him sacked.

A statement of claim filed with the Supreme Court alleges that through various public statements following the power outage, the trio suggested Mr Duignan not only caused the blackout but was “grossly negligent” and was “putting the health and safety of the public at risk”.

Territory Generation chief executive Tim Duignan in Alice Springs in 2017. Picture: Andrea Johnston

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At the time, the ETU was angry at TGen’s decision to close the old Ron Gooden Power Station, which was to be replaced by a new Owen Springs facility, resulting in job losses.

As a result, Mr Duignan alleges the union officials waged a campaign of misinformation designed to pressure then minister Dale Wakefield to sack him and keep the old power plant open, which “seriously damaged” his reputation and caused him to suffer “considerable distress and embarrassment” as well as financial loss.

Mr Duignan alleges he had the full confidence of the TGen board and was in line for a $500,000 payout if his contract wasn’t renewed before cabinet gave him his marching orders on December 6.

In a series of examples quoted in the documents, Mr Hayes claimed TGen management was “playing Russian roulette with people’s lives” and said “we are seeking immediate NT government intervention”.

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Mr Hayes said the causes of the blackout “sit directly at the feet” of Mr Duignan and chief operations officer Grant Chorvat, who “must be sacked”.

“If they do nothing and the next blackout comes around and the temperatures get even higher and the length of time is extended it could be more than food spoils and inconvenience,” Mr Hayes said, according to the claim.

“There could be deaths from heatstroke or disease. The risk is too great. Resource and maintain Ron Gooden Power Station now or face the consequence.”

Mr Duignan alleges the statements contributed to cabinet’s loss of confidence in him and “severely impaired” his ability to obtain alternative employment and is seeking damages for defamation and as an example to others.

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