Domestic violence offender on staff of shadow minister for DV
In the last four years Darius Plummer – a NT shadow minister for domestic violence staffer – has been jailed multiple times and faced courts 27 times.
A “notorious domestic violence perpetrator” who has been jailed multiple times for breaching domestic violence orders is on the staff of the Northern Territory’s opposition spokesman for the prevention of domestic violence.
Darius Plummer, the electoral officer for Country Liberal Party MP Steve Edgington, has faced Territory courts 27 times in the past four years on serious domestic violence-related charges, including multiple counts of contravening a domestic violence order and breach of bail.
The 43-year-old was jailed twice last year, just months before he was appointed the electorate officer for the Barkly region.
Since his appointment, Mr Plummer has been pictured on social media with CLP leader Lia Finocchiaro and Mr Edgington, where it was said they discussed “issues of women and children living in domestic violence situations”.
When contacted on Tuesday, Mr Edgington, who is also the Territory’s shadow attorney-general, said he was aware of the 2023 charges and the subsequent jail sentence, but said he was told those charges “don’t involve violence”.
“The explanation that I’ve been told doesn’t involve violence, it involved more of a breach of an order not to drink alcohol,” Mr Edgington said.
“There’s some domestic violence orders in place which involve the use of alcohol, and a breach of a DVO doesn’t necessarily mean there was violence involved.”
The NT Minister for Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Kate Worden, said Mr Edgington’s position was “totally untenable”.
“It is beyond disgraceful for the CLP’s spokesperson on domestic violence to employ someone who has allegedly been to jail for domestic violence offences,” Ms Worden said.
“The CLP don’t care about protecting Territory women and children – they only care about playing politics.
“Mr Edgington’s position as the opposition’s spokesperson for domestic violence is totally untenable and Lia Finocchiaro needs to show leadership and sack Steve.”
Mr Plummer told The Australian he “didn’t know” that Mr Edgington was the opposition spokesman for domestic violence or the shadow attorney-general.
When questioned about the time he spent in jail last year and his previous appearances in court, the call was disconnected.
Mr Plummer’s court appearances, which have stretched from Alice Springs to Tennant Creek and as far north as Darwin, have raised serious questions as to the background checks made for government employees.
Mr Plummer, who often travels with Mr Edgington to meet constituents and attend community events in the Barkly division, was sentenced to 10 days in prison on May 22 for breaching a domestic violence order.
He then pleaded guilty to the same charge – of engaging in conduct that contravenes domestic violence order – on June 6 and was jailed again for 21 days, before starting employment as electorate officer for the Country Liberal Party on August 9.
In December 2022 he spent 14 days in prison for contravening a domestic violence order and was also sentenced to 35 days in prison in 2021 for three counts of contravening a domestic violence order and breach of bail.
He has negotiated plea deals with prosecutors resulting in aggravated assault charge being withdrawn in April 2020. The following year a charge of choking, strangling or suffocating was dismissed. A week ago his licence was cancelled for 12 months after he pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving, for which he also received a fine.
One government source said it was “beyond unreal” that the “notorious domestic violence perpetrator” was working with the CLP.
“It’s sickening that they have allowed him to work on their team,” the insider said.
Another source said it was like “someone working for the treasurer and being done for fraud”.
It comes as the head of the Northern Territory public service last May issued a warning that staff should “carefully verify” employee qualifications, with calls now being made to subject all employees to criminal-background checks.
Earlier this year, Mr Edgington posted on social media about the rates of domestic violence in the Territory.
“We have some of the highest rates of domestic violence in the Territory but the Minister (Kate Worden) continues to blame everyone except for herself even though the number of victims suffering from domestic, family and sexual violence has gone up under her watch!” he wrote.
In July 2022 he wrote he would “always put the rights of victims above those of offenders”.
“The catastrophic increase in domestic violence across the Territory under Labor’s watch has got to stop,” Mr Edgington said.
“The CLP has a plan to tackle domestic violence. Unlike Labor, we will always put the rights of victims above those of offenders.”
A report from the Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation in 2022 found domestic violence was “rampant” in the Barkly region.
“Barkly suffers significant levels of all forms of violence which is often going unreported due to a community belief that violence is tolerated,” the report said.
On Tuesday evening, Lia Finocchiaro said she was notified that Mr Plummer had been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol last week.
“I asked for further information relating to that charge which I have not yet received, and I was not aware of any other matters,” she said.
“The Member for Barkly is dealing with the individual in relation to these matters.”
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