NT Director of Public Prosecutions Lloyd Babb steps down after four years to return to Sydney

The NT’s Director of Public Prosecutions has announced his resignation from the top legal job amid ongoing pressure on the Territory’s justice system.

Director of Public Prosecutions Lloyd Babb made a surprise visit to the Darwin Local Court on Wednesday, January 1. Picture: Zizi Averill

The NT’s Director of Public Prosecutions has announced his resignation from the top legal job amid ongoing pressure on the Territory’s justice system.

In a speech given to Darwin staff on Friday, Lloyd Babb said he had taken the “difficult decision” to leave the Territory in three months’ time, ending his four-year stint in the job.

“As long as I have been in this job I have worked hard to ensure that the importance of our contribution as an agency - and the need to support our work - is very clear,” Mr Babb told staff.

“This includes the need to ensure that our value is well reflected in our budget allocations.

“I believe in the work we do and I have always advocated for our crucial role as an independent agency, serving all community stakeholders.

“Working for the Director of Public Prosecutions is worthy work and at times, the responsibility can feel onerous...It is not easy and it demands courage and resilience.”

In his resignation speech, Mr Babb highlighted the DPP currently had a “small staff” where “every single person is essential in getting our work done”.

“I want to thank each of you for being part of this blossoming team at the NT DPP,” Mr Babb said.

“Some of you have been here for many years and others are more recently arrived with us. That’s just as it should be.

“Healthy organisations depend on a balance of the voices and actions of experience, and the future-forming energy of newer recruits.

“Take care of each other.”

The DPP said as of November it had a 13.6 per cent staff turnover rate, with the latest annual report flagging that there was “some turnover in senior staff”.

Since late 2023 the department has lost Deputy Director Victoria Engels to the ACT DPP, senior prosecutor Steve Ledek who was appointed as a local court judge and Marty Aust who has become a defence barrister.

Director of Public Prosecutions Lloyd Babb leaving the Supreme Court in Darwin. Picture: Zizi Averill

On Friday Mr Babb said he and his family intended to return to Sydney, saying he recommended that his current Deputy Pat Williams would take on the acting Director’s role.

“I am confident that a change in leadership will in no way hamper the continual improvement that we have seen in our organisation,” Mr Babb said.

Mr Babb said he had notified both the Attorney-General and the CEO of the Attorney-General’s Department of his intentions earlier this week, but had not yet submitted his formal resignation to the Administrator.

“My family and I have been warmly welcomed in the Territory, however as time has moved forward and circumstances have changed, it has become challenging for us to be away from the people and places we feel most needed,” he said.

“While we are moving back to Sydney, we intend to remain connected to the NT and will visit regularly.

Mr Babb was jumped from NSW to be appointed as the Territory’s permanent Director of Public Prosecutions in 2021, shortly after making his name in the Territory by running the case against notorious triple murderer Ben Hoffmann.

Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said she had accepted Mr Babb’s resignation and thanked him for his years of service.

His resignation leaves the Territory without a permanent DPP, Police Commissioner, Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Department of Children and Families chief executive or head of the Work Health Authority.

Lloyd Babb said he had taken the “difficult decision” to leave the Territory. Picture: John Grainger

Mr Babb’s departure comes as the Territory’s legal system grapples with an unprecedented demand on its services.

In the latest DPP Annual report stated that their workload “continues to rise exponentially”, particularly for domestic and family violence matters.

The latest NT Budget did increase the DPP’s budget by $2.92m, to a total of $22.5m, in response to “additional demand pressures” on the legal service.

In comparison the budget for the Corrections Department increased by $59m and Police received an additional $36.3m while justice services — the courts, NTCAT, Registrar-General and the Parole board — had a $929,000 cut to its budget due to the end of a “one-off funding” boost in 2024-25.

Northern Territory Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby. Picture: Fia Walsh.

Ms Boothby said under the “biggest law and order budget in Territory history” the government had secured a 20 permanent DPP staff.

Despite the Attorney-General promising more permanent staff, the NT News is aware of a large proportion of ‘fly-in, fly out’ locum lawyers working for the DPP in Darwin Local Court.

Ms Boothby said to address the attrition rates in the DPP, the government had removed the “insecure, short-term contracts” in the Department and replaced them with permanent roles.

“We are backing our prosecutors with the resources they need to stay here long term, and to provide the stability and certainty our justice system needs,” she said.

Originally published as NT Director of Public Prosecutions Lloyd Babb steps down after four years to return to Sydney