Only a fraction of the millions of taxpayer dollars defrauded from a Northern Territory government scheme has been recovered, eight years after the program was shut down.
The Indigenous Employment Provisional Sum (IEPS) was set up under the former CLP government in 2014, and was designed to encourage construction companies to hire Aboriginal employees.
After three years, it was shut down abruptly in 2017 when the NT Auditor-General found "potential widespread fraud" throughout the scheme.
Last week, it was revealed nearly $60 million in taxpayer money was defrauded. So far, only $900 thousand, or 1.5 per cent, has been recovered.
NT Independent MP Yingiya Mark Guyula told NITV he wants to see accountability over the money yet to be recovered.
"There needs to be accountability, and it needs to be made clear who has stolen this money," the member for Mulka said.
"Were the government also involved? Were they knowingly giving this money to businesses who were lying?"
Calls for a public inquiry
An internal government investigation wrapped up in 2022 and 18 companies were referred to the police.
Ultimately, two small-time contractors were convicted for defrauding $316-thousand of the total misappropriated funds.
NT Independent member for Johnston Justine Davis is calling for a full parliamentary inquiry into how much was lost, what was recovered, and who will be held responsible.
"It's really concerning to think that we have got $60 million dollars that's unaccounted for that's been stolen essentially from Territory people, money that was earmarked to benefit Aboriginal communities, that we are not going to recover," Ms Davis told NITV News.
"The impact on communities is that they have lost, again, an opportunity to be able to develop their work force, to have that money coming into their community."
Ongoing disadvantage
Yingiya Mark Guyula is a Yolŋu man of the Djambarrpuyŋu clan and long standing member of one of the most remote electorates in the NT.
"There is a long history of money for Aboriginal disadvantage never making it to Aboriginal communities and when we look at the neglect and dis-empowerment of our people, we can see the evidence," he told NITV News.
"I completely support the Member for Johnston's call for a parliamentary inquiry into the missing money."
"Right now we have a Government talking about Aboriginal people and crime.
"But what about these crimes, where businesses have been taking the money designated for helping to fix Aboriginal disadvantage?"
Justine Davis is set to take her call for an inquiry to the chamber next week as the NT Legislative Assembly resumes sitting.
The CLP Government and Labor Opposition are yet to rule out supporting a parliamentary inquiry.
