Indigenous company director charged over alleged $71m fraud

A director of an Indigenous majority-owned construction company is one of three Northern Territory residents charged with fraud over an alleged $71m defence contract.

A dozen bail conditions were imposed on Michael Buckley, Natalie Wynne and Dallas Wynne on Monday when they appeared in the Darwin Local Court.

The trio have been charged with dishonestly gaining benefit from a Commonwealth entity.

Mr Wynne has also been charged with one count of abuse of public office.

An AFP investigation into Commonwealth Defence employee Mr Wynne, 48, his wife and Mr Buckley, 41, has resulted in charges they conspired to link nearly $71 million of Defence building contracts to their own companies.

Mr Buckley is a director of M+J Builders, an Indigenous construction company in Darwin.

Master Builders NT has stated Mr Buckley, who is a member of the NT’s building industry, has been stood down from his role as a board member of the organisation.

The bail conditions include mandatory police reporting, non-contact orders and a requirement to surrender their passports.

The case will return to court on February 17 next year.