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🇦🇺 Australia /Elections & Politics

NT deputy chief minister’s family link to $40 billion data centre developer raises transparency questions

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Northern Territory Deputy Chief Minister Gerard Maley promoted Beetaloo Digital’s plan to develop a $40 billion data centre on 185 hectares of government land.
  • Maley’s sister-in-law works for Beetaloo Digital, but the family connection does not appear on his public register of interests.
  • Maley said he made all required declarations, while the company said proper disclosures had been made and a public-integrity advocate called for greater transparency.

Northern Territory Deputy Chief Minister Gerard Maley helped promote a gas company’s plan for a $40 billion data centre while his sister-in-law worked for the firm, a connection not publicly disclosed in his register of interests.

Maley, who is also the territory’s energy minister, jointly announced the agreement on July 22. The arrangement gives Beetaloo Digital exclusive rights over 185 hectares of government land while it seeks investors and determines whether the proposed hyperscale data centre is viable.

This is a great opportunity to show the Territory is open for business on the back of the gas industry.

· Gerard MaleyThe Northern Territory minister made the remark when announcing the land agreement.

Beetaloo Digital is a subsidiary of Beetaloo Energy. Maley’s sister-in-law, Bethaney Maley, a former journalist and public relations specialist, works for the company in a strategic engagement role.

In a statement, Gerard Maley said he had made “all required declarations in accordance with the Ministerial Code of Conduct and Guidelines.” Asked to provide evidence of where and how he made the declaration, his spokesperson said it had been made “in accordance with the standard process.” Beetaloo Energy also said that Bethaney Maley was an employee of Beetaloo Digital and that “all proper disclosures have been made.”

all required declarations in accordance with the Ministerial Code of Conduct and Guidelines

· Gerard MaleyMaley used this phrase in a statement defending his handling of the family connection.

The Northern Territory’s Disclosure Act does not require Maley to list the connection on his public register of interests. However, the ministerial code says ministers must declare conflicts between their personal interests and public duties, including conflicts involving close family members, when they arise. It also directs ministers to take a broad reasonable-person view and consider community expectations.

The register separately shows that Maley disclosed receiving two tickets to another Beetaloo Energy event on July 4. His office told the ABC he did not attend. Anthony Whealy KC of the Centre for Public Integrity said the absence of a public disclosure could potentially erode public trust in the government.

all proper disclosures have been made

· Beetaloo EnergyThe company described its disclosures after questions about Bethaney Maley’s employment.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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