NT budget estimates: ICAC Michael Riches facing funding cuts while politicians squabble over figures

In estimates on Monday, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles disputed Mr Riches’ maths, saying there were no ‘continued cuts’ and‘I disagree with the figures that you’re quoting’.

The Territory’s ICAC is more than $1m in the red and bracing for a “further reduction” in funding while warning the cuts could impair its ability to investigate corruption.

Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Michael Riches fronted budget estimates on Monday where he revealed his small office had been operating with $1.4m less funding than last year

“From July 1 this year, we will see a further reduction of around a half a million dollars,” he said.

“It is inevitable that a reduction in resources will impact upon both the breadth of work that can be accomplished and the speed at which that work can be accomplished.

Michael Riches said his office operated with more than a million dollars less funding this financial year than in 2021-22. Picture: Supplied

“I would like us to progress more efficiently and I would like to look at more matters.”

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro asked Chief Minister Natasha Fyles how she could justify the cuts to the ICAC’s budget but Ms Fyles disputed Mr Riches’ maths, saying there were no “continued cuts”.

“I disagree with the figures that you’re quoting,” Ms Fyles said.

“You can clearly see in the budget papers … an allocation of $5,033,000 to an increase of $5,067,000.”

Ms Fyles argued the ICAC was a Labor-led initiative and had her government’s support.

“I note that the CLP, when in government, refused to establish an ICAC,” she said.

Mr Riches said “despite varying views”, his office had “operated on less money than I had when I first started and (will) operate on less money next financial year”.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles argued ICAC was not facing funding cuts. Picture: Floss Adams

He said while the ICAC was running about 20 per cent under capacity due to difficulties in filling staff vacancies, the corruption watchdog had assessed more than 300 reports in the past year.

Of those, he said 15 remained ongoing investigations and one was in the preliminary investigation stage.

Mr Riches said his office investigated more complaints on average than its interstate counterparts – referring an average of 8 per cent of reports for further investigation.

“NSW over a similar period was 0.8 per cent and Victoria was 1.3 per cent, so we commence investigations far more frequently,” he said.

[e-mail]

Originally published as NT budget estimates: ICAC Michael Riches facing funding cuts while politicians squabble over figures