Friday, October 20, 2006

Carl Scully and the Report on Cronulla Riots

Carl Scully had been Minister in a number of portfolios: Transport; Roads; Utilities; Police. He has a reputation in NSW politics as a "head-kicker", whose performance as a MInister has not always been a good as voters hoped.

This week, though, he has been evasive and deceptive about the Report on Police Action during the riots at Cronulla. Statements were made, including in Parliament, that no report had been received.

It seems that the facts are:
  • The report was received by the Police Commissioner in September.
  • The Police Commissioner (Mr Moroney), Assistant Commissioner Scipione and Mr Scully apparently had a half-hour meeting in late September.
  • Mr Scully has since said it wasn't released to give Police Officers named (whose performance during the riots had shortcomings) a chance to respond; and that it related to some operational matters and continuiing investigations.
The question is this:
Why didn't Police Minister Scully admit there is a report, that parts of it will be released now? Why did we have to suffer through all the evasiveness and deception?

He could have stated that but he has not yet been properly briefed, that there are matters involving privacy and current investigations that need to be addressed before its release.

His performance this week can only be described as disgraceful.

The Analyst