Northern Territory Government
3 June 2025
On behalf of the Darwin Waterfront Corporation Board
Today, the Darwin Waterfront Corporation (DWC) welcomed the opportunity to respond to the Public Accounts Committee concerning a number of unfounded allegations that have arisen recently.
The DWC acknowledges that the referral by the Leader of the Opposition of this Inquiry originated from unfounded allegations made by Christopher Walsh on the NT Independent website.
DWC operates with best practice governance and financial accountability. Territorians can have complete confidence that there is no basis for any of the allegations that have been made.
Alleged creation of a made-up part-time job, reportedly unadvertised and resulting in a $60,000 salary increase via a temporary higher duties allowance
No job was created or made up. Across two years, two different, pre-existing and publicly reported positions were temporarily filled by Mr Samuel Burke, in compliance with all laws and applicable Northern Territory Government policies and procedures. No $60,000 per annum higher duties allowance was ever provided. The combined total of all higher duties allowances ever paid to Mr Burke in any position is $42,411.07 before tax across two years.
The higher duties allowance allegedly continued for up to six years, long after the temporary role ended
Mr Burke was paid higher duties allowances across two positions for a total of 551 working days, or approximately 2 years. No higher duties have been paid for any period after a temporary role ended. Mr Burke has not received any other higher duties allowances.
Claims of funds being moved between the Darwin Waterfront Corporation and the AustralAsia Railway Corporation and their appropriateness
The cost sharing arrangements between the AustralAsia Railway Corporation and DWC date back to when DWC was established in 2006 and pre-date the appointments of all current DWC Board Members and staff. Cost sharing is for shared services including staff and office accommodation. This practice is normal, longstanding and appropriate.
Signing of a new four-year executive contract that was not advertised, not subject to the required job evaluation system review and signed six months before the previous one expired
Mr Burke's existing 4-year executive contract was properly renewed in accordance with all laws and applicable Northern Territory Government policies and procedures. The renewal process was the same as for all Northern Territory Government Executive Contract holders. No advertising was required. No job evaluation system review was required. The existing executive contract, as with all Northern Territory Government Executive Contracts, required a renewal process at least 6 months prior to expiry.
Any other information relevant to the above
All of the above originates in unsubstantiated material on the NT Independent website. The Leader of the Opposition was offered a briefing on these matters prior to the allegations being repeated in Parliament. DWC is disappointed this offer was not taken up, particularly given the decision to name Mr Burke in Parliament, and other DWC board members and staff in material tabled in Parliament.
NT Independent Allegations
The DWC has formally referred concerns to NT Police and ICAC regarding the improper retention and disclosure of select internal documents by a former employee of DWC. The DWC notes specifically that NT Independent website appears to selectively use these documents to construct misleading narratives that are unsupported by facts.
Several additional allegations made by the NT Independent website - beyond those central to this Inquiry - are also demonstrably incorrect and readily disproven by publicly accessible sources, including the Act, annual reports, and online Northern Territory Government records. Examples of allegations made that are readily disproven in this way include:
Creation of a "made-up" job:
NT Independent incorrectly and repeatedly asserted that an acting role performed by the DWC DCEO in an NT Government Department was a "made-up" job and claimed there was "no record" of the role in annual reports of the Department of Trade, Business and Innovation.
Fact: Page 6 of the 2017/18 annual report of the Department of Trade, Business and Innovation explicitly references the role, along with the functions of the role, and names the current DWC DCEO as the position holder.
DWC CEO's Board Membership:
NT Independent claimed that the DWC CEO's membership on the DWC Board raises "serious governance issues", stating CEOs typically advise boards rather than serve on them.
Fact: Sections 6 and 9 of the Act explicitly require the DWC CEO to sit on the DWC Board, a practice consistent with standard governance practices in statutory corporations and company boards more broadly. This governance structure is clearly documented in DWC annual reports and aligns fully with accepted governance principles.
Higher Duties Allowance (DWC DCEO):
NT Independent alleged a "conservative estimate" of approximately $400,000 paid in higher duties allowance to the DWC DCEO over six years.
Fact: There was no basis in fact for this claim. Publicly available salary scales clearly demonstrate this figure could never be true. Even if continuous higher duties did occur over a 6 year period (which they did not), this would amount to roughly half of the stated estimate. Actually, as shown in this submission, higher duties allowances only totalled $42,411.07 before tax (nearly 10x less than repeatedly alleged), only occurred for 2 years and were compliant with NT Government policy.
Ministerial Responsibility:
NT Independent incorrectly asserted that DWC has "always been under the responsibility of the Chief Minister since the early 2000s."
Fact: The DWC was established in 2006, not the early 2000s. Ministerial responsibility has rotated among several ministers (such as Tourism and Infrastructure), as explicitly documented in historical Administrative Arrangement Orders and DWC annual reports.
Christopher Walsh and the NT Independent have repeatedly sent DWC misleading or inaccurate questions framed to reinforce predetermined narratives. When responses from DWC are provided, these are frequently ignored, selectively quoted, or presented within a predetermined and negatively skewed context. This consistent pattern of misrepresentation, along with incessant contact, has led DWC to cease responding to NT Independent requests. NT Independent portrays these non-responses inaccurately, using language such as "refused to respond," "gone to ground," or characterising standard administrative or ministerial briefings as "secret briefings", thereby falsely implying concealment or wrongdoing by DWC.
DWC's conduct was and continues to be demonstrably compliant with statutory obligations, sound governance principles, and contractual documentation, verified by independent documentation including personnel records and contracts, and supported by independent audits.
Christopher Walsh and the NT Independent have demonstrated a persistent lack of rigour and due diligence prior to presenting allegations online. It is therefore disappointing that these allegations have now been repeated in Parliament, without independent verification, leading to this Inquiry.
The DWC appreciates the opportunity set the record straight.
The complete DWC submission to the PAC and supporting documents can be found at here
