The Halikos Group, a well-known Northern Territory developer founded and directed by Greek Australian John Halikos, this week won the praise of NT Chief Minister Adam Giles for his proposal to build an artificial island in Darwin Harbour.
Mr Giles on ABC local radio described the proposal to build the Halikos Island as “visionary”, but he also stated that there is a long way to go before the proposal is approved.
The developer has a five year crown lease on an area of seabed offshore from the Darwin suburb of Nightcliff, so that he can study the suitability of the seabed and the feasibility of an island development.
“What I am happy about is that people are prepared to take risks and have a vision about the way they would like to see development or change in the Northern Territory,” Mr Giles said.
The way the Northern Territory government has handled the proposal has come under scrutiny this week after revelations that Halikos Group had donated $100,000 to the governing Country Liberal Party (CLP) and $90,000 to the NT Labor Party in 2012/13.
The founder and director of the group John Halikos also made a personal $50,000 donation to the CLP.
Mr Giles defended his government’s decision to grant the company special development proposal status.
Environmentalists and local residents in Darwin recently protested against the proposal to build the island.
Source: ABC
