The Northern Territory Chief Minister is under renewed pressure to allow the anti-corruption watchdog to access secret cabinet documents that were the subject of a “serious allegation”.
Key points:
The ICAC was told a cabinet submission was allegedly inappropriately edited by a public officer
Michael Gunner declined a request to give the material to the ICAC, citing cabinet privilege
The Opposition says Natasha Fyles should overturn Mr Gunner’s earlier decision
In a report tabled in parliament last month, Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Michael Riches, said he initiated an investigation after receiving a claim that a cabinet submission had been “edited” by a public officer “so as to be misleading to the true state of affairs”.
However, because current legislation prevents the ICAC from accessing cabinet-related material, Mr Riches said he “invited” then chief minister Michael Gunner to consider handing over the relevant documents.
Mr Gunner declined the request, which Mr Riches said was his legal right, but he added that doing so prevented further investigation.
Opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro has accused the Chief Minister of trying to avoid scrutiny. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
The Opposition has been calling for Ms Fyles, who took over from Mr Gunner in May, to handover the material, given she later agreed to grant the ICAC access to other cabinet-related documents that were the subject of a different allegation.
