NT ICAC commissioner agreed to pay wife $20k at same time she withdrew DV order against him
The ABC has obtained documents revealing that the Northern Territory's Anti-Corruption Commissioner agreed to pay his estranged wife $20,000 at the same time she withdrew a domestic violence order against him. Emails show Michael Riches' lawyers suggested such an order would have jeopardised his employment and forced him to resign from his ICAC role. Sitting down with the ABC, Jennifer Riches says the alleged emotional abuse drove her to take action and leave the Territory.
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00:00 Fearful and controlled. That's how Jennifer Riches felt after only one year of marriage
00:07 to the Territory's sole corruption watchdog.
00:10 There were anger outbursts and things were becoming harder and harder to navigate
00:16 and I just started to become really afraid of him.
00:19 The NT's independent commissioner against corruption, Michael Riches,
00:23 alleged by his estranged wife to have controlled and manipulated her
00:28 to the point where she had to flee her home.
00:30 You know the intellectual kind of mind games and silent treatment
00:34 and just because it's not physical doesn't mean that there's not severe
00:38 psychological consequences to this stuff.
00:41 In May last year, Ms Riches took action, filing a domestic violence order against her partner
00:47 and seeking a financial settlement to begin a new life in Sydney.
00:51 I think it was very tricky and it didn't sit well with me
00:54 but I felt like I was kind of trapped. There's no either that or I'm stuffed.
01:02 In legal correspondence, Mr Riches' lawyers said the domestic violence order
01:06 would force him to retire from his role as the ICAC, instead agreeing to a written undertaking
01:12 which would see him restrained from approaching, contacting or remaining in the company of Ms Riches
01:18 and would keep the matter out of the courts.
01:21 In the same email, the lawyers rejected a $30,000 cash payment to Ms Riches
01:26 for urgent spousal maintenance, instead proposing a total of $20,000
01:31 and the continuation of loan repayments as a partial property settlement,
01:36 noting the offer is contingent upon Mr Riches remaining in his employment as ICAC.
01:42 Two days later, the DVO was withdrawn, Ms Riches' lawyers telling her
01:47 it is not in your best interests for your husband to no longer work in his high-paying job.
01:53 Mr Riches is now on personal leave from his position.
01:56 The government refuses to say for how long, but said the ICAC's own watchdog,
02:01 the ICAC Inspector, would investigate allegations of wrongdoing.
02:05 Mr Riches has been contacted for comment.
02:08 [BLANK_AUDIO]