❓ Opposition questions the Police Minister about a forgery investigation in the Southern River electorate office, highlighting the absence of the member. The Minister deflects, citing police independence and promising updates.
AnsweredQoN 249Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the minister’s vague answers to my questions yesterday regarding the investigation into forgery in the office of the member for Southern River, who once again is absent from this House. (1) Is the Minister now better informed about the progress of this inquiry and will he now give this House the benefit of that information? (2) Can the minister say whether all people connected with this electorate office, including the member for Southern River, have fully cooperated with the police inquiries? Mr Carpenter: The hand that signed the paper. Mr PRINCE
AnswerView source ↗
Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
(1) Is the Minister now better informed about the progress of this inquiry and will he now give this House the benefit of that information? (2) Can the minister say whether all people connected with this electorate office, including the member for Southern River, have fully cooperated with the police inquiries? Mr Carpenter: The hand that signed the paper. Mr PRINCE replied: Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
(2) Can the minister say whether all people connected with this electorate office, including the member for Southern River, have fully cooperated with the police inquiries? Mr Carpenter: The hand that signed the paper. Mr PRINCE replied: Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr Carpenter: The hand that signed the paper. Mr PRINCE replied: Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr PRINCE replied: Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
(1) Is the Minister now better informed about the progress of this inquiry and will he now give this House the benefit of that information? (2) Can the minister say whether all people connected with this electorate office, including the member for Southern River, have fully cooperated with the police inquiries? Mr Carpenter: The hand that signed the paper. Mr PRINCE replied: Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
(2) Can the minister say whether all people connected with this electorate office, including the member for Southern River, have fully cooperated with the police inquiries? Mr Carpenter: The hand that signed the paper. Mr PRINCE replied: Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr Carpenter: The hand that signed the paper. Mr PRINCE replied: Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr PRINCE replied: Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Actually, the nickname that the police had was footprints. That goes back a long way. The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
The Premier of the day on 14 November 1989, Hon Peter Dowding said during question time - and this is entirely relevant to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition - that he never understood the importance of having a Police Force where operational matters were not the subject of political direction. In this State, police matters are not subject to political direction and nor should they be. Hon Peter Dowding went on to say, in the same question time - Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Several members interjected. Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr PRINCE: If the House and the public think that Cabinet ministers should be involved in operational matters of the police, they are sadly mistaken. Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr Kobelke interjected. Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
Mr PRINCE: That is not the member for Nollamara’s position today, nor is it the position of the Labor Party. The member must re-evaluate where he is going. The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
The Commissioner of Police has assured me that the investigation is continuing. I will not seek any further information from him. To do so, before the police have completed their inquiries, would be wrong. The commissioner has assured me that he will report back to me. He updates me whenever we meet. We will meet again next Wednesday morning. If I am given more information I will pass it on to the member.
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