NT Master Builders speaks out against alleged “manipulation” in awarding procurement contracts

Charges against a Northern Territory builder have rocked the construction sector. Read the reaction.

Three Northern Territorians have been arrested as part of Operation Panton Hill.

The arrest of M+J Builders’ coowner and director Michael Buckley, a Commonwealth public servant and his spouse have rocked the Northern Territory’s construction sector.

The trio was arrested on Friday after a long-running investigation, Operation Panton Hill, with up to 80 Federal Police, Department of Defence and National Anti-Corruption Commission officers swooping on addresses across the Darwin region.

While the identities of the three people arrested and charged have not officially been released, images taken during the arrest leave little doubt one man, whose face was obscured, was Mr Buckley.

Three Northern Territorians have been arrested as part of Operation Panton Hill.

Mr Buckley has had a high profile in Northern Territory public affairs in recent years, being appointed by Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro in January to the Northern Territory’s Approvals Fast-Track Taskforce, which disbanded after delivering its report in July 2025.

He is a current an Industry Capability Network NT board member and also on the board of Master Builders NT.

He has an active social media presence and M+J Builders Facebook site still has posts relating to Defence projects from as recently as a fortnight ago.

Ms Finocchiaro previously posted a video with Mr Buckley at a commercial development site trumpeting the project. That post had been removed by Saturday afternoon.

Mr Buckley was also last year nominated for an NT News leadership award.

M+J Builders is described on its website as a “majority Indigenous owned construction company that has been operating in the Northern Territory for more than 15 years”.

The future of its workforce, estimated at over 100, remains unclear.

After Mr Buckley’s arrival in the Territory from Melbourne, M+J Builders received insurance

repair work before the company expanded to residential and commercial construction.

The joint AFP, NACC, DoD investigation centres around allegations of defrauding the Commonwealth of up to $71m allegedly through procurement processes.

The Northern Territory building industry is gravely concerned about the allegations and its impact on the sector’s reputation nationally and abroad.

In 2023 Master Builders NT estimated the Department of Defence would spend $6.2bn in the Northern Territory between 2023 and 2027. That figure did not include US Defence Department spending.

Master Builders NT chief executive Sallyann Innes issued a statement on Saturday afternoon condemning allegations of wrongdoing in the sector.

“Master Builders NT has been made aware of reports in today’s NT News and is deeply concerned by the allegations involving the alleged manipulation of procurement processes and the defrauding of the Commonwealth,” the statement said.

“Master Builders NT was formed, in part, to ensure contracting in the Territory is fair, equitable, consistent and conducted with integrity.

“Fair and transparent contracting is not just a value for our organisation, it is a core principle that guides our industry and protects the reputation of Territory construction businesses.

“We acknowledge the work of the authorities in investigating these serious allegations of unethical behaviour.”

The Top End’s construction sector was on Saturday shocked and worried about the implications of a potential corruption trial that brings focus on the industry, with one insider saying there are fears the three arrests were the tip of the iceberg.

Originally published as NT Master Builders speaks out against alleged “manipulation” in awarding procurement contracts