Leader of the Opposition, Lia Finocchiaro, says despite stepping aside while her Labor
colleagues approved and signed the cheque for the dodgy $12 million grandstand deal,
former Treasurer, Nicole Manison’s fingerprints are all over the proposal.
“The ICAC report and timeline into the dodgy deal makes around a dozen mentions of Nicole
Manison dating from May 2018 to March 2019; when she finally declares a conflict. It shows
she participated in meetings, was lobbied by Labor heavyweights and was supportive of the
proposal.
“Territorians should find it interesting that up until March 2019, former Treasurer, Nicole
Manison – whose brother-in-law was on the Darwin Turf Club board at the time – didn’t feel
like she was conflicted. What changed? Why did she suddenly excuse herself from the
process?
“As time edged closer to cabinet decision day in June 2019, and following the bombshell
warning the NT was facing a $35.7 billion net debt if Labor didn’t rein in spending, it must
have finally dawned on Nicole Manison that it wasn’t a wise move, as Treasurer, to give away
$12 million for the construction of a grandstand in the Chief Minister’s electorate.
“As Treasurer, Nicole Manison had an obligation to demand that Treasury provide forensic
analysis of the proposal prior to any consideration by cabinet. She had an obligation to stop
the dodgy deal from happening. But she didn’t, and instead took the coward’s way out.
Minister Manison tried to get the best of both worlds by not upsetting Michael Gunner, and
not having to vote on a proposal she didn’t agree with.
“Did Michael Gunner and Nicole Manison agree that she would exploit her ‘conflict’ card? Did
they concoct a plan to push the Treasurer out of the frame, so that on 14 June 2019 Minister
Manison was one less ‘no’ vote in the cabinet room, which would move Michael Gunner one
step closer to getting his dodgy deal over the line?
“Did the Treasurer hope that in exchange she could profess fiscal responsibility and
potentially wipe her hands of the deal?
“Nine Labor Members sit in cabinet. With the conflicted Minister sitting out, it put the Chief
Minister in a stronger position to get his project over the line than if Minister Manison had
stayed and voted against the proposal,” said Mrs Finocchiaro.
ENDS