One of the suspects is arrested by AFP officers on 14 November. Photo: AFP.
The Australian Federal Police have arrested and charged a Commonwealth employee and two others over an alleged fraud involving defence contracts in the Northern Territory.
The three were arrested under Operation Panton Hill, an AFP-led joint agency investigation which commenced in March this year after the AFP received a report of alleged crime from the Department of Defence. The case centres around alleged irregularities identified through an internal investigation in relation to the awarding of contracts by Defence with a value of almost $71 million to Darwin construction company, M+J Builders.
The arrests were made on Friday 14 November after homes and businesses in Darwin were simultaneously raided by the AFP with support from the Department of Defence and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). The AFP alleged items including $30,000 in cash, documents, electronic devices, a firearm, jewellery, and a small quantity of an illicit substance suspected to be cocaine were seized.
The defendants – named as Dallas Wynne, Natalie Wynne, and Michael Buckley – appeared in court on Monday after they were charged with dishonestly gaining benefit from a Commonwealth entity, while Mr Wynne is also charged with one count of abuse of public office.
Strict bail conditions were imposed on the three including requirements to surrender their passports, to report weekly to the Palmerston police station, and to not use encrypted messaging apps, with Judge Jonathon Bortoli saying it was likely the case would “end up in the Supreme Court”.
“[The conditions] are fairly strict, and they are so for a reason because, having looked through the statement of alleged facts, the allegations are very serious and there are always risks, in particular, flight risks, when there are such large amounts of money allegedly obtained through deception,” Judge Bortoli said.
The AFP has alleged that Mr Wynne, who is a Department of Defence employee, his wife, and Mr Buckley, who is a director of M+J Builders, were involved in a conspiracy to influence the awarding of tenders to the company, with the intention of dishonestly gaining a benefit from the Commonwealth.
It further alleged Mr Wynne exploited his position to influence the allocation of building contracts to the building company and a subsidiary company, an offence which carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment.
AFP Superintendent Greg Davis said abuse of public office or corruption was not only criminal but also a serious breach of public trust.
“Defrauding the Commonwealth is a crime that prevents public funds from being used to support the wider Australian community, and we will not hesitate to investigate suspected criminal activity to bring offenders to justice.
“The AFP has specialised and skilled investigators across the country, and maintains strong partnerships with state, territory and Commonwealth agencies.”
About $30,000 in cash was seized during the raids. Photo: AFP.
The Department of Defence’s Deputy Secretary Governance John Reid said the Defence had been working with the AFP and the NACC following an internal report to investigate the allegations of corrupt conduct.
“Public confidence in the integrity of Defence and its personnel is essential,” he said.
“We are committed to ensuring all Defence employees and industry partners are held to the highest standards of integrity.”
A NACC spokesperson said detecting and investigating alleged corruption in procurement activities was a strategic priority for the commission.
“The Commonwealth public sector spends tens of billions of dollars on procurements each year, and corruption in these activities can lead to substantial loss and waste, decreased service quality, and reduced confidence in the public sector,” they said.
