Justice finally prevails for Paul Mullett

The collapse of the case against former secretary Paul Mullett today raises important issues for members and their rights.

The Director of Public Prosecutions’ decision is a powerful vindication of the position taken by Paul Mullett and the Police Association since the day the allegations were first raised. It should also serve as a salutary lesson to those who opposed our support for Paul.

The outcome underlines the importance of members supporting the defence of their colleagues through the Association in appropriate cases. Justice has been done in this case, but justice costs money. It is vital that members have the support of members to ensure that justice is delivered.

Finally, this case has again embarrassed and exposed the shortcomings of the Government. Today’s decision follows last month’s ruling by magistrate Peter Couzens that Paul Mullett should not stand trial on a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Don’t take our word for it. The Age today said the decision was “a massive blow to the Office of Police Integrity” John Silvester wrote in the same paper that “now it will be the OPI that will be under public scrutiny, with questions raised about its judgment and competency”.

This is not the first time the OPI has pilloried a member in a cascade of florid allegations, only to have them dissolve under real scrutiny.

Paul Mullett is innocent but his reputation was trashed. He was a highly decorated and courageous officer who was one of the most effective leaders in the history of the Victoria Police Association.  Yet his career has been destroyed in its prime. The damage extends to his family and associates, to whom we extend our sympathy and congratulations.

This case underscores the need to replace the OPI with a corruption and misconduct commission capable of investigating matters against police, politicians and the public sector.

The OPI process is a star chamber where members are forced to answer questions without the right to call witnesses in defence. It is anachronistic.

The present system seems to assume that corruption occurs only amongst police and stops at the door of politicians and public officials.

A broad-ranging commission in this case would have been able to expose what political forces led to the persecution of a good man whose only crime was to do his job too well.

Paul Mullett was a superb policeman, a great secretary and a good bloke. But perhaps his greatest legacy will be to galvanise members to make us even more determined to make sure that this cannot happen again.

Greg Davies

Secretary