Apology over payout to top NT cop Jamie Chalker

The NT Chief Minister has been forced to apologise to the outgoing police commissioner.

NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles. Picture: Liam Mendes

The Northern Territory Chief Minister has been forced to apologise to the outgoing police commissioner over her comments about the amount of cash her government paid him to drop his legal action against them.

The Territory government released a statement on Sunday that said it had reached a “confidential settlement” with commissioner Jamie Chalker, bringing his civil court proceedings to an end, and that the top cop was “retiring”.

“The Commissioner and the Territory Government will not be making any further statements concerning the terms of his retirement and the settlement of the ­Supreme Court proceedings as they are both bound by confidentiality obligations,” the statement said.

Former NT police commissioner Jamie Chalker. Picture: Liam Mendes

A few hours later Chief Minister Natasha Fyles held a press conference in Darwin where she was asked about the settlement.

“Mr Chalker was entitled to a number of financial matters and all of that has been settled,” she said. “Although I have been involved, in terms of the financial matters they have been at arm’s length from me as Chief Minister so that we can make sure that we’re meeting government’s guidelines around those types of matters.

“I am bound by confidentiality in disclosing details but I always act in the best interest of Territorians, and also [am] very respectful to taxpayer dollars.”

Ms Fyles was forced to apologise on Monday for inferring that Mr Chalker received only his “entitlements” in the secret deal to settle his employment dispute.

“My comments may have been interpreted that Mr Chalker only received his statutory and contractual entitlements under the settlement. That was not intended by my comment,” she said. “I cannot disclose the amount that Mr Chalker received or what it was ­received for under the terms of settlement by which the proceedings were brought to an end.

“I apologise to Mr Chalker for any misunderstanding arising out of my comments.”

If a police commissioner is under 55, they may retire only under strict circumstances and the administrator of the Territory, Hugh Heggie, must be satisfied that “by reason of illness or other incapacity he is unable to discharge the duties of his position”.

As Mr Chalker is only 53, journalists asked Ms Fyles on Sunday what Mr Chalker’s “incapacity” was but she refused to answer, saying only that the “special circumstances” required by law “had been met”.

Mr Chalker’s retirement was announced one day before he was due to file evidence against Ms Fyles and Police Minister Kate Worden in the Supreme Court over their attempt to revoke his appointment.

The born-and-bred Territory cop, who joined the force 25 years ago, had planned to serve a second four-year term after his contract expired in November.

In reaching the settlement, the government and its most senior ministers have escaped being cross-examined by Mr Chalker’s barrister, Arthur Moses, during the Supreme Court stoush.

Ms Fyles said on Sunday the national recruitment campaign to replace Mr Chalker would soon begin.

“We would like to have the ­recruitment done as efficiently as possible … these executive positions do tend to take a few months for the recruitment process,” she said.

Northern Territory Police Association president Paul McCue said its members had recently ­endured “some of the most turbulent times in memory”.

“It would be foolish to think you can come into the Territory without understanding the challenges our members and the general community face,” he said.

“If the best person for the job is already here, so be it, but the ­recruitment campaign needs to ­attract the best possible candidates from across Australia.”

Deputy commissioner Michael Murphy, who has confirmed he will apply for the top job, will continue acting in the role until a permanent replacement is found.