Donations scandal engulfs Adam Giles and CLP

THE NT’s CLP government is in crisis after allegations of political favours promised in return for campaign donations were aired in parliament.

THE Northern Territory’s Country Liberal government is in crisis mode after allegations of political favours promised in return for campaign donations were aired by the opposition under parliamentary privilege last night.

The allegations, which have been circulating for days but have not hitherto been made public because of legal concerns, involve Chief Minister Adam Giles, his recently resigned deputy Dave Tollner and recently resigned magistrate Peter Maley, a former CLP MP.

According to documents tabled by Labor’s Michael Gunner, mining prospector Norm McCleary alleged, in an email sent to Mr Giles in May, that Mr Maley had, in 2008, solicited a $10,000 donation from him in return for the promise of access to sensitive government information once the CLP took office.

Mr Maley was Mr McCleary’s solicitor at the time, but acting on behalf of Mr Tollner, according to the email. The CLP took power in August 2012 and, seven months later Mr Giles became Chief Minister in a partyroom coup. Mr Tollner was appointed his deputy. The Giles government later appointed Mr Maley as a magistrate but he resigned abruptly this week, saying he wanted to return to private practice.

According to Mr McCleary’s email, the $10,000 donation was paid in two parts, one of which appears to have been declared, but the favour was not delivered. Mr McCleary asks Mr Giles to look into the matter.

Mr Gunner told parliament that in further correspondence, Mr Giles had acknowledged receipt of the information by responding: “Thank you for your email Norm. I have flicked your email to Dave Tollner who will get back to you. Please let me know if he doesn’t make contact.”

He said Mr Giles had “failed to maintain the high standards of probity that his office demands” by not referring the matter to police. “The allegation by Mr McCleary is that (the) member for Fong Lim (Mr Tollner) gave Mr Maley riding instructions to offer Mr McCleary a favour in return for a $10,000 donation,” Mr Gunner told parliament.

“Mr McCleary is under no doubt that the CLP is saying to him, ‘If you give the CLP $10,000 then you will get the information you want when we win government’. Adam Giles is Chief Minister, but he is also Police Minister. We understand that this has not been referred to the Police Commissioner.”

Mr Giles said last night the claims made by Mr McCleary referred to conversations he allegedly had with Mr Maley before the 2008 election, “before I even entered parliament”. He said that since he became Chief Minister, no documents had “ever been given to this man”.

“Norm McCleary’s main complaint in the correspondence tabled in parliament is that, in fact, we refused to act illegally in handing over government files,” he said. “We acted on advice from the Department of Mines and Energy who suggested that Mr McCleary was a serial complainer with no right to the documents and we should steer clear. That’s exactly what we did. I have never met Norm McCleary or spoken to him.

“I welcome the Electoral Commission looking into Mr McCleary’s donation. What Peter Maley may have said to his client back in 2008 is a matter for him to explain.”

Mr Tollner did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr Maley said last night: “The allegations made by the shadow attorney-general Michael Gunner under parliamentary privilege are denied and untrue. If Mr Gunner repeats these allegations outside of parliamentary privilege, I will take legal action against him.”

The matter relates to a legal dispute over mineral rights to the Angela and Pamela uranium prospects. “At the time there was a court case over this matter and I was unable to assert ownership, and the court ruled against me,” Mr McCleary wrote in his email to Mr Giles. “It has always been my contention that certain officers in the department and the Labor administration at the time colluded to frustrate my bona fide efforts.”

Mr McCleary went on to say that in the July 2008 phone call, Mr Maley explained the CLP was sympathetic to his concerns but “in a bind and unable to raise enough funds for election advertising”. “When they came to power, I would be given the opportunity to review all the files and documents relating to the matter,” Mr McCleary wrote, “if I would be prepared to contribute, ‘say $10,000’, to help myself and the CLP.”

Earlier this year, backbencher Larisa Lee used parliamentary privilege to allege Mr Maley had telephoned her to offer “inducements” to remain with the CLP before she defected to the Palmer United Party. Mr Maley reportedly denied offering inducements but did not deny making the call. After taking up his position as a magistrate 11 months ago, he attracted controversy for failing to sever his political ties, including taking several months to resign his CLP membership and directorship of a CLP-linked research organisation Labor has described as a “slush fund”.

According to the tabled documents, Mr McCleary emailed Mr Maley immediately after Mr Giles and Mr Tollner assumed control of the government. “Hi Peter, now that Dave Tollner is in the right position can you please arrange for us to view all the documents and files surrounding my original case? With regards, Norm,” Mr McCleary wrote.

Tabled documents show Mr Maley replied: “I agree! I will give them a week to settle down, then I will contact Tollner!”

Mr Gunner told parliament he had spoken yesterday to Mr McCleary, who had told him he had provided the emails to the NT News. One email he tabled states that $4825.60 was paid on August 1, 2008, direct to the CLP, and $5174.40 a couple of days before to NT Broadcasters Pty Ltd, authorised to come from a trust fund controlled by Mr Maley.

Electoral funding disclosures for that year show the CLP received a $4826 donation from Mr Maley. “But what of the $5174.40 that’s been paid to NT Broadcasters for CLP election advertising?” Mr Gunner said. “We have been unable to find any declaration of that amount, and we will be referring it to the NT and Australian Electoral Commissions for investigation.”