00:01An exclusive deal, rights to 185 hectares of government land granted to Beetaloo Digital,
00:09an offshoot of gas company Beetaloo Energy, proposing a $40 billion AI data centre on
00:15Darwin's outskirts.
00:17This is a great opportunity to show the territory is open for business on the back of the gas
00:21industry.
00:22At this press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Gerard Maley spruiking the deal, without letting
00:28the public know the company also employs his sister-in-law, PR specialist Bethany Maley,
00:35the wife of Gerard's lawyer brother Peter.
00:37If the public are not told about it, I mean the problem is that there emerges a perception
00:43of absolute distrust and disquiet in the community, I mean it's just such a bad look.
00:47The NT's Disclosure Act does not require Mr Maley to publicly disclose the link, but the
00:53code of conduct says ministers must declare any conflicts between their personal interests
00:59and public duties, including conflicts involving their close family members.
01:04It's the perception of a conflict of interest that does the damage.
01:08In a statement, Mr Maley said he's made all required declarations in accordance with the
01:14Ministerial Code of Conduct and guidelines, but did not provide proof of how or where he
01:21declared the family link.
01:23Betalu Energy said all proper disclosures have been made regarding their employee.
01:28It's just not good enough to have someone who's the Deputy Chief Minister having a close
01:33relative in a senior role in the company that's going to be benefiting from the deals that this
01:37government is signing off on.
01:38Gerard Maley also co-owns a company with Peter and Bethany Maley.
01:44Corporate records show they're the three shareholders in Amarula Pty Ltd, which owns this block in
01:50Darwin.
01:51This doesn't pass the test, I think many Territorians have genuine concerns about this and we need
01:59to understand whether these decisions were made on the Maley's property in the horse stables.
02:05I'm not accusing the Deputy Chief Minister of doing anything dodgy, but I am saying that
02:10people out there, Territorians are saying what's going on here.
02:14Even before the news of Mr Maley's family link to the data centre project was made public,
02:19there were concerns growing in the community.
02:22The NT opposition is calling for a public inquiry into the development of data centres and
02:27an independent politician wants a moratorium before any more are built in the territory.
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