❓ A WA parliamentary question scrutinises the Police Minister and Commissioner regarding a letter sent by the Police Media Unit to the ABC, questioning its accuracy and appropriateness given an ongoing appeal. The Minister defends the letter as an attempt to ensure a balanced public record.
AnsweredQoN 1493Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Police Minister and the Police Commissioner aware that Jon Tuttle, Inspector Police Media Unit of the WA Police, despatched a letter dated 10 August 2006 to the ABC’s managing director, Mark Scott (which appears on the
Media Watch
web site) complaining about the three-part series of
Australian Story
titled "Beyond Reasonable Doubt"?
(2) Was this letter sent with the approval and support of the Police Commissioner? If yes, what public purpose was served by this approval?
(3) Is it consistent with good public policy for a letter from the Media and Public Affairs Directorate to be sent out to a media outlet that contains material that makes claims that are clearly inconsistent with the facts?
(4) Is it consistent with good public policy for the WA Police to engage in or promote a public debate over an issue that is the subject of an appeal to the Court of Appeal?
(5) What public purpose is served by having on record a letter from the Police Media and Public Affairs Directorate that -
(a) is inconsistent with sworn evidence given in court by police officers in reference to these matters (for example: the claim that "no time trials took place in 1998"); and
(b)
falsely asserts that Bret Christian - Editor of
The Subiaco Post
- is a member of the WA Innocence Project?
(6) What role did Mr Seamus Rafferty or the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions have in preparing this letter to the ABC by the Media and Public Affairs Directorate?
(7) Is it within the guidelines for the police and the state prosecutor who has carriage of a matter which is subject to appeal in the Court of Appeal to act and/or collaborate in the drafting of letters for
Media Watch
, as would appear to be the case from the remarkable similarity of the language and the structure of the material that appears on the
Media Watch
website?
Media Watch
web site) complaining about the three-part series of
Australian Story
titled "Beyond Reasonable Doubt"?
(2) Was this letter sent with the approval and support of the Police Commissioner? If yes, what public purpose was served by this approval?
(3) Is it consistent with good public policy for a letter from the Media and Public Affairs Directorate to be sent out to a media outlet that contains material that makes claims that are clearly inconsistent with the facts?
(4) Is it consistent with good public policy for the WA Police to engage in or promote a public debate over an issue that is the subject of an appeal to the Court of Appeal?
(5) What public purpose is served by having on record a letter from the Police Media and Public Affairs Directorate that -
(a) is inconsistent with sworn evidence given in court by police officers in reference to these matters (for example: the claim that "no time trials took place in 1998"); and
(b)
falsely asserts that Bret Christian - Editor of
The Subiaco Post
- is a member of the WA Innocence Project?
(6) What role did Mr Seamus Rafferty or the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions have in preparing this letter to the ABC by the Media and Public Affairs Directorate?
(7) Is it within the guidelines for the police and the state prosecutor who has carriage of a matter which is subject to appeal in the Court of Appeal to act and/or collaborate in the drafting of letters for
Media Watch
, as would appear to be the case from the remarkable similarity of the language and the structure of the material that appears on the
Media Watch
website?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 October 2006
Responded by
Minister for Police and Emergency Services
Response time
33 days
(b) falsely asserts that Bret Christian - Editor of The Subiaco Post - is a member of the WA Innocence Project?
(2) Yes. To ensure the public record reflects a true and balanced account of the facts. (3) The Minister has not been provided with information that would suggest that the letter was inaccurate. (4) WA Police did not initiate this debate and only took measures at correcting inaccuracies or omissions in the program presented by Australian Story. (5)(a) Refer to response to question (2). (b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(3) The Minister has not been provided with information that would suggest that the letter was inaccurate. (4) WA Police did not initiate this debate and only took measures at correcting inaccuracies or omissions in the program presented by Australian Story. (5)(a) Refer to response to question (2). (b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(4) WA Police did not initiate this debate and only took measures at correcting inaccuracies or omissions in the program presented by Australian Story. (5)(a) Refer to response to question (2). (b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(5)(a) Refer to response to question (2). (b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(2) Yes. To ensure the public record reflects a true and balanced account of the facts. (3) The Minister has not been provided with information that would suggest that the letter was inaccurate. (4) WA Police did not initiate this debate and only took measures at correcting inaccuracies or omissions in the program presented by Australian Story. (5)(a) Refer to response to question (2). (b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(3) The Minister has not been provided with information that would suggest that the letter was inaccurate. (4) WA Police did not initiate this debate and only took measures at correcting inaccuracies or omissions in the program presented by Australian Story. (5)(a) Refer to response to question (2). (b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(4) WA Police did not initiate this debate and only took measures at correcting inaccuracies or omissions in the program presented by Australian Story. (5)(a) Refer to response to question (2). (b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(5)(a) Refer to response to question (2). (b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(b) Bret Christian is listed under the hyperlink titled 'Team' of the Innocence Project on the official website http://ww w.innocenceprojectwa.com/team.html (6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(6) As Junior Counsel in the case Mr Seamus Rafferty was a bone fide contributor with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions. (7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
(7) WA Police is not constrained in responding to the media to ensure the public are provided with a balanced account of the facts.
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