The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Housing and Community Development, Jamie Chalker, has commissioned an independent probity audit into the department’s awarding of the Alice Springs town camp tenancy management contract to Zodiac Business Services.

The probity audit will be carried out by an experienced independent auditor and is expected to take some time.

The department will not provide further comment at this time to ensure the independence of the audit.

The CEO has also decided to call for a new public tender process for the Alice Springs town camp tenancy management contract when it expires in May 2017. This is not a reflection or presumption of wrong-doing, but the fairest manner of allowing all potential suppliers to compete in an open competitive tender process and assure town camp residents and the community that the department is obtaining the best value for Territory services into the future. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Jane McCrory 0427 915 108