❓ Following the failed prosecution of a senior police officer, the Premier outlines the government's intention to amend the Anti-Corruption Commission Act to allow for open hearings and establish a royal commission to address corruption, criticising the previous government's handling of the issue.
AnsweredQoN 73Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION, GOVERNMENT ACTION
Following the failure of the prosecution against Senior Sergeant Paul Ferguson, does the Government intend to take any action relating to the Anti-Corruption Commission? Dr GALLOP
Following the failure of the prosecution against Senior Sergeant Paul Ferguson, does the Government intend to take any action relating to the Anti-Corruption Commission? Dr GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
Yes. I refer to the legislation that governs the work of the ACC in Western Australia. I remind Parliament of when this legislation was first debated. I remember very well that the Labor Opposition said that that legislation was inadequate and would be shown to be inadequate. No doubt the judgment made by the Labor Party at the time has proved to be correct. The inability of the ACC to hold public hearings meant that it had to operate in secret - that was a key point. At that time, the then Leader of the Opposition, now the Attorney General, moved a specific amendment to the legislation that was rejected by the Government. The Labor Party predicted the outcomes. Mr Day interjected. Dr GALLOP: To protect reputations? What an interjection! I do not think the member for Darling Range really meant that. The member should examine the history of what has happened in Western Australia over the past four or five years and then ask himself whether any reputations have been damaged by the processes that were set up by the previous Government. The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
Dr GALLOP replied: Yes. I refer to the legislation that governs the work of the ACC in Western Australia. I remind Parliament of when this legislation was first debated. I remember very well that the Labor Opposition said that that legislation was inadequate and would be shown to be inadequate. No doubt the judgment made by the Labor Party at the time has proved to be correct. The inability of the ACC to hold public hearings meant that it had to operate in secret - that was a key point. At that time, the then Leader of the Opposition, now the Attorney General, moved a specific amendment to the legislation that was rejected by the Government. The Labor Party predicted the outcomes. Mr Day interjected. Dr GALLOP: To protect reputations? What an interjection! I do not think the member for Darling Range really meant that. The member should examine the history of what has happened in Western Australia over the past four or five years and then ask himself whether any reputations have been damaged by the processes that were set up by the previous Government. The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
Yes. I refer to the legislation that governs the work of the ACC in Western Australia. I remind Parliament of when this legislation was first debated. I remember very well that the Labor Opposition said that that legislation was inadequate and would be shown to be inadequate. No doubt the judgment made by the Labor Party at the time has proved to be correct. The inability of the ACC to hold public hearings meant that it had to operate in secret - that was a key point. At that time, the then Leader of the Opposition, now the Attorney General, moved a specific amendment to the legislation that was rejected by the Government. The Labor Party predicted the outcomes. Mr Day interjected. Dr GALLOP: To protect reputations? What an interjection! I do not think the member for Darling Range really meant that. The member should examine the history of what has happened in Western Australia over the past four or five years and then ask himself whether any reputations have been damaged by the processes that were set up by the previous Government. The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
Mr Day interjected. Dr GALLOP: To protect reputations? What an interjection! I do not think the member for Darling Range really meant that. The member should examine the history of what has happened in Western Australia over the past four or five years and then ask himself whether any reputations have been damaged by the processes that were set up by the previous Government. The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
Dr GALLOP: To protect reputations? What an interjection! I do not think the member for Darling Range really meant that. The member should examine the history of what has happened in Western Australia over the past four or five years and then ask himself whether any reputations have been damaged by the processes that were set up by the previous Government. The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
Dr GALLOP replied: Yes. I refer to the legislation that governs the work of the ACC in Western Australia. I remind Parliament of when this legislation was first debated. I remember very well that the Labor Opposition said that that legislation was inadequate and would be shown to be inadequate. No doubt the judgment made by the Labor Party at the time has proved to be correct. The inability of the ACC to hold public hearings meant that it had to operate in secret - that was a key point. At that time, the then Leader of the Opposition, now the Attorney General, moved a specific amendment to the legislation that was rejected by the Government. The Labor Party predicted the outcomes. Mr Day interjected. Dr GALLOP: To protect reputations? What an interjection! I do not think the member for Darling Range really meant that. The member should examine the history of what has happened in Western Australia over the past four or five years and then ask himself whether any reputations have been damaged by the processes that were set up by the previous Government. The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
Yes. I refer to the legislation that governs the work of the ACC in Western Australia. I remind Parliament of when this legislation was first debated. I remember very well that the Labor Opposition said that that legislation was inadequate and would be shown to be inadequate. No doubt the judgment made by the Labor Party at the time has proved to be correct. The inability of the ACC to hold public hearings meant that it had to operate in secret - that was a key point. At that time, the then Leader of the Opposition, now the Attorney General, moved a specific amendment to the legislation that was rejected by the Government. The Labor Party predicted the outcomes. Mr Day interjected. Dr GALLOP: To protect reputations? What an interjection! I do not think the member for Darling Range really meant that. The member should examine the history of what has happened in Western Australia over the past four or five years and then ask himself whether any reputations have been damaged by the processes that were set up by the previous Government. The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
Mr Day interjected. Dr GALLOP: To protect reputations? What an interjection! I do not think the member for Darling Range really meant that. The member should examine the history of what has happened in Western Australia over the past four or five years and then ask himself whether any reputations have been damaged by the processes that were set up by the previous Government. The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
Dr GALLOP: To protect reputations? What an interjection! I do not think the member for Darling Range really meant that. The member should examine the history of what has happened in Western Australia over the past four or five years and then ask himself whether any reputations have been damaged by the processes that were set up by the previous Government. The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
The Labor Party moved that amendment, and it was defeated. In New South Wales, the Police Integrity Commission, which was set up after the Wood royal commission, has the power of open investigation. This Government thinks that is very important. The Government is committed to establishing a royal commission to deal with the unfinished business that it inherited from the previous Government. Much of that business should have been dealt with in 1996 when the Legislative Council committee reported on those matters. One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
One of the terms of reference will be to examine the way in which we deal with corruption in Western Australia. For two reasons we intend to fast-track amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act as an interim measure to allow open hearings. First, we will provide another tier of accountability to guarantee more frankness in the process sooner. The chair of the ACC has agreed with that position. When he was first appointed, he did not agree with that position but, as a result of his experiences, he has reached the conclusion that another layer of accountability is required. Secondly, and most importantly, open hearings will ensure that any shortcomings are revealed before the matters go to trial. That measure relates to the point made by the member for Darling Range about reputations. Any shortcomings will be revealed much earlier in the process before it goes to trial. The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
The Government will introduce an interim measure to make sure that any claims made against police officers can be fully tested at an earlier and more appropriate stage of the process. Once again, I inform the House that the previous Government was told what would happen. It stubbornly refused to listen to what the then Opposition and other jurisdictions had found out as a result of their experiences. The former Government battled on and problems have emerged. We have inherited the mess and will try to fix it.
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