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- 6 June 2007
Operation Retz
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Page: 814
Ministerial Statement
The Hon. JOHN HATZISTERGOS (Attorney General, and Minister for Justice) [1.01 p.m.]: Operation Retz was set up by the New South Wales Police Force in 2000 to investigate a series of complaints made against former Assistant Commissioner Lola Scott, who had been the commander of the then Endeavour region of the New South Wales Police Force. The complaints principally concerned management issues and treatment of staff. On 9 December 2002 Ms Scott was dismissed. This matter was the subject of a debate and resolution of the House in November 2006. At that time the New South Wales Police Force was concerned that the tabling of an unedited report would jeopardise police informants and would discourage whistleblowers in similar cases from coming forward. Hence the Government backed the police by supporting a motion from Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile that the report be made available only to members of this House. The Government subsequently complied with the resolution.
The Director of Police Legal Services also provided the Legislative Council with additional guidance material and an index of the documentation. I am advised that the Hon. Charlie Lynn was on radio this morning telling all and sundry that at 11.00 a.m. he would move an urgent motion to seek to have the Operation Retz report tabled and generally published. But, alas, 11.00 a.m. came and went and there was no sign of the motion. In the spirit of bringing this matter to a conclusion the Government is more than happy to do what the Hon. Charlie Lynn failed to do.
The Government proposes to table an edited version of the report. I am advised that the unedited version of the report on Operation Retz contains details of internal complainants—whistleblowers—who would be identified by either their name or position. In order to protect the identities of these internal informants, they have been deleted from the Government's version of the report. In order to assure honourable members and members of the public that these are the only deletions from the report, the Government proposes to append a certificate from the Director of Police Legal Services to confirm that that is the case. In addition to these documents, the Government believes the complete story of Operation Retz should be told.
Subsequent to the Operation Retz report being concluded, the Ombudsman investigated this matter and on 30 March 2004 issued a statement of provisional findings and recommendations. This provisional report contains seven recommendations, which, I am advised, the New South Wales Police Force addressed. The Ombudsman went on to release his final report on 19 November 2004. I am advised that an additional four recommendations contained in the final report have also been addressed by the New South Wales Police Force.
The Government therefore proposes to table the Ombudsman's report for the sake of completeness, along with the edited Retz report and the certificate from the Director of Police Legal Services to ensure this House is fully informed. I understand from the comments of the Hon. Charlie Lynn on radio this morning that this is consistent with his public statements.
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER (Leader of the Opposition) [1.03 p.m.]: On behalf of the Opposition I welcome the tabling of the documents. I support the deletion of the identities of the people in the report, which was consistent with the Opposition's position on the matter last year. I make a couple of observations about the Attorney General's comments. It is important to acknowledge that all honourable members supported the amendment of Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile to make those deletions, which was considered to be reasonable to ensure a level of protection with respect to the progress of the debate. It is incorrect for the Government to suggest that only the Government backed Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile and the police.
With respect to the quiet attack the Attorney General made on the Hon. Charlie Lynn, this morning at 9.30 a.m., at the request of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and me, the Hon. Charlie Lynn attended the Wednesday crossbench meeting, where he put his case in relation to this matter being brought on forthwith. A number of crossbench members were concerned about the availability of only one report in the Clerks' office and the fact that the report is quite lengthy. They requested the Hon. Charlie Lynn to give them some time before he moved the motion. He was reluctant to do so because of the urgency of the matter, but he agreed to the suggestion of the crossbench members that the matter be held over until tomorrow. However, it was his intention to bring the matter on forthwith.
It is important to put on the record that for more than six months the Hon. Charlie Lynn has continued to ensure that there is some degree of scrutiny and understanding of this matter. There can be no suggestion that he dropped the ball this morning at the last moment, as the Attorney General implied. That is incorrect. The Hon. Charlie Lynn has endeavoured to work with crossbench members to ensure there is protection of internal whistleblowers within the New South Wales Police Force, as requested. [ Time expired.]
[ The President left the chair at 1.06 p.m. The House resumed at 2.45 p.m.]
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