Gillman claims wrong, says Todd Brown
Businessman Todd Brown has hit back at suggestions that a parliamentary inquiry should explore whether he settled a legal dispute with the State Government as part of a separate contractual negotiation.
Brown, the CEO of Urban Construct, said he categorically denied a “conspiracy theory” contained in a speech by state Greens Leader Mark Parnell in parliament this week and reported in InDaily.
The parliament was told by Parnell that an inquiry into the Gillman deal should examine whether the award of a contract by the State Government for the sale of land at Gillman to Adelaide Capital Partners, of which Todd Brown’s brother, Simon, is a director, was part of an off the record settlement of a dispute between Urban Construct and the government regarding the termination of the Newport Quays project.
“There was and is no connection whatsoever between the settlement of the Newport Quays dispute and the Gillman land contract,” said Brown.
“I have no interest of any kind in ACP and I had no involvement of any kind in ACP’s negotiations with the Government regarding Gillman.
“In March 2012 the Newport Quays Consortium resolved that it would not pursue any claim against the State Government for wrongful termination of the Newport Quays Project Agreement and commenced negotiations with Renewal SA to resolve a dispute as to the payout sum which the Land Management Corporation, as Renewal SA’s predecessor, had committed to make in the event of a valid termination of the project through no fault on the part of the Consortium.
“After a failed mediation in August 2013, negotiations resumed in October 2013 and a settlement agreement was reached on 19 December 2013 subject only to the preparation of documents recording that agreement”.
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“At no time in any of the negotiations for the settlement of the Newport Quays dispute was any reference made to any land at Gillman, to my brother or to ACP.
“The final negotiations which resolved the Newport Quays dispute were conducted by our solicitors with the Crown and I had no direct involvement.
“Mr Parnell’s conspiracy theory is complete and utter fantasy.”
