Police Integrity Bill to be held up to public scrutiny

Proposed legislation that will grant greater powers to the Office of Police Integrity will now be subject to proper public consultation and debate.

In Parliament last week, opposition parties moved a motion that will allow for a public inquiry into the Police Integrity Bill. Under the Bill, the Office of Police Integrity is granted exclusive powers, including the right to withhold documents in court and to allow OPI officers access to arms.

The Bill is of great concern to The Police Association because while it boosts the powers of the OPI, it also threatens to diminish the rights of ordinary police.

The Police Integrity Bill was always meant to undergo a period of public scrutiny. The committee responsible for reviewing bills introduced to Parliament, the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee, had voted unanimously to hold a public inquiry into the Bill before it was to be passed in Parliament.

This unanimous decision was then suddenly reversed by government representatives acting under pressure form the Premier and the Police Minister.

The Government’s scandalous and undemocratic attempts to rush the Police Integrity Bill through Parliament without public scrutiny begs the question – what does the Brumby Government have to hide?

It also once again highlights the need for a broad-based corruption commission in this state so that highly questionable and suspicious conduct like this from our politicians can be properly investigated.

The Police Association is pleased that the government’s attempts to conceal the Police Integrity Bill from the public have been thwarted. Now the Bill will be held up to the rigors of proper parliamentary process and to the scrutiny of the people it will affect.

Bruce McKenzie

Assistant Secretary