Former NT police commissioner Michael Murphy promoted good mate twice before elevating mate’s wife and cousin

Former Northern Territory police chief Michael Murphy, who has been fired for helping a close friend secure a senior executive appointment, also promoted his mate’s wife and mate’s cousin during his brief tenure.

The Nightly can also reveal the embattled former police chief promoted his close mate twice, in quick succession, before the matter was referred to the NT’s corruption watchdog.

This latest revelation comes as the NT Government on Wednesday announced an independent inquiry into all senior police appointments since August 2023.

On Saturday Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro ordered Mr Murphy to take leave pending dismissal after the office of the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption found he had demonstrated “incompetence” and “negligence” in chairing the selection panel that appointed his close friend Peter Kennon to Assistant Commissioner early last year.

ICAC’s delegate Patricia Kelly SC found there had been “improper” and “unsatisfactory” conduct by a senior executive public officer in relation to a conflict of interest in a recruitment process.

However the ICAC report failed to reveal the appointment under investigation was actually Mr Kennon’s second promotion within a matter of weeks.

Mr Kennon, who joined the NT Police at the same time as Mr Murphy in 1997, was promoted to commander in December 2023 before becoming Acting Assistant Commissioner in January 2024.

His appointment to Assistant Commissioner was finalised in March 2024.

Mr Murphy also promoted Mr Kennon’s wife Sonia and cousin Ian Kennon.

Last year Ms Kennon – Commander Southern DV and Youth Command – was promoted to commander and Ian Kennon, officer-in-charge of the Firearms and Recording Unit, was in January promoted to superintendent.

There is no suggestion the Kennons were not qualified or deserving of their promotions.

During his short tenure as police chief, Mr Murphy appointed a deputy commissioner, three assistant commissioners, five commanders and 18 superintendents.

An independent inquiry, led by NT Supreme Court Acting Justice Alan Blow, will examine the recruitment processes relating to all of those appointments.

“I have spoken with Acting Police Commissioner Martin Dole APM, who supports the independent inquiry, and he has advised that relevant personnel will participate fully,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

The ICAC’s findings about “improper conduct in recruitment” was released on February 28.

“Following an investigation I have made a finding that a senior executive public officer engaged in improper conduct, namely unsatisfactory conduct, relating to the mismanagement of a conflict of interest,” ICAC delegate Patricia Kelly SC said.

“I found that the conduct involved negligence and incompetence.

“The conduct did result in a substantial detriment to the public interest and was also an inappropriate use of public resources in the recruitment process.”

Ms Kelly did not identify Mr Murphy for legal reasons but after a week of intense political pressure and media enquiries, he outed himself.

“I accept that I should have dealt better with a conflict of interest, a friendship and a referee report in relation to an appointee,” he said last week.

“On reflection, I should have managed the friendship and the conflict of interest to a higher standard and on at least one occasion should have recused myself from the appointment process in order to ensure community confidence.”

Ms Kelly’s report said the senior executive public officer (Mr Murphy) and job candidate (Mr Kennon) were “close” and “long-time friends” and that Mr Murphy had also provided their previous job application to Mr Kennon.

The Nightly understands Mr Murphy was the best man at the Kennons’ wedding.

Ms Kelly said Mr Murphy “verbally declared to the other panel members that there was a friendship”, however did not provide any particulars of the relationship.

“The public officer also acted as a referee for the candidate in the recruitment process,” she said.

“One of the other panel members acted as a second referee.

“Given the particular circumstances of this matter, the public officer failed to manage the conflict of interest and ought to have recused themself from the recruitment process.”

The ICAC investigation into Mr Kennon’s most recent promotion was not the first time the ICAC had launched an investigation into Mr Murphy’s conduct.

Last year, ICAC commissioner Michael Riches investigated whether Mr Murphy had made racist comments towards Asian restaurant staff, while intoxicated, at the Kennon’s engagement party more than two decades ago.

“I cannot determine whether Mr Murphy made the comment alleged. Nor can I determine the circumstances leading to Mr Murphy’s departure from the restaurant,” Mr Riches said.

“I am not satisfied that it is in the public interest to investigate further, given the conflicting versions of events, and the fact that this incident occurred at least 21 years ago, if at all.”

At the weekend Ms Finocchiaro conceded Mr Murphy’s position had become “untenable” following the “jobs for mates” scandal and asked him to resign but he refused.

Northern Territory Police Association president Nathan Finn said the integrity of all appointments under Mr Murphy had been questioned, including that of Deputy Commissioner Martin Dole, who is currently Acting Commissioner.

In May last year, Mr Dole was appointed deputy commissioner despite not having applied for the job when it was first advertised.

Mr Finn said the union received multiple complaints last year about the recruitment process for the deputy commissioner role.

“Enquiries were also received from interstate applicants about the process via the Police Federation of Australia,” he told the NT Independent.

“These concerns were raised (by the NTPA) with Commissioner Murphy and the Police Minister at the time.”

At a press conference this week, Acting Commissioner Dole was asked about his most recent promotion.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment on that,” he said.

Mr Dole said he did not believe any of the other appointments made under the outgoing commissioner, including his own, needed to be reviewed.

“I don’t believe there’s any evidence of wrongdoing in relation to any of those appointments,” he said.

“The statement that came out makes some particular findings in relation to the commissioner and the failure to document a conflict of interest and that’s all I’m going to say about that selection process.”

Mr Dole was one of three panel members, alongside Mr Murphy and another senior public servant, who appointed Mr Kennon.

“At the time, it was totally appropriate that I was on that panel,” he said.

“The panel interviewed a total of six applicants, and they were all known to the panel.

“The panel then made recommendations to the minister and three applicants were appointed in accordance with the Police Administration Act.”

There is no suggestion that Acting Commissioner Dole, Assistant Commissioner Kennon, Commander Kennon or Superintendent Kennon have acted improperly or were not awarded their promotions on merit.

The NT Police did not respond to questions.

Mr Murphy, who has engaged a lawyer, declined an interview request.

An NTPF spokesperson said the force would not be making any comments about recruitment processes until the completion of the review by Justice Blow and the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment.