Author: Dean Foley/Australian Correspondent

A prominent Northern Territory builder and a married couple connected to an Indigenous-owned construction company have denied allegations they were involved in a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth of up to $71 million in Department of Defence contracts. The matter returned to court this week, with reporting indicating the accused remain on bail under strict conditions as the case progresses through the Darwin Local Court. A preliminary examination mention is scheduled for 28 April, with the defendants excused from attending and current bail conditions to remain in place. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) previously alleged the case involves “a conspiracy to influence the awarding…

Story by Dean Foley/Australian Correspondent. Questions are being asked after claims an explosive device was handled following a Perth Invasion Day rally, with debate focusing on how institutions respond when the story doesn’t fit a neat script. Officials urged calm, noting there are “processes” in place. The public asked what the process is. The public was told the process is “being processed”. A spokesperson said policing priorities are set by risk assessments. “We assess risk carefully” they said. “First we assess whether the incident will become a headline. Then we assess whether that headline will inconvenience us.” Community members said…

Story by Dean Foley/Australian Correspondent A landmark High Court case is testing how Aboriginal cultural rights interact with water licences, after Traditional Owners challenged a huge groundwater allocation in the Northern Territory. Outside court, community members spoke about responsibility to protect water systems and sacred places. Inside court, the system demonstrated its own sacred practice: turning living obligations into numbered paragraphs. A spokesperson said the matter is “complex” and must be balanced carefully. “We support cultural values,” they said, “as long as those values can be expressed in a measurable format between 0 and 5, preferably with examples.” The case…