Question Time

POLICE COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:08): My question is to the Premier. Does he accept the Coroner's concerns expressed yesterday in respect of the Wilson case about the need to review the effectiveness of the Police Complaints Authority, and how does the Coroner's finding impact on his personal opposition to an independent commission against corruption?

The opposition has proposed a model for an independent commission against corruption which would subsume the Police Complaints Authority and change the relevant law. The government told the house on 12 February 2008 that we do not need such an independent authority because, as the Attorney-General said:

South Australia has several very good anti-corruption bodies, including the Ombudsman, the Anti-Corruption Branch of the police, the Auditor-General and the Police Complaints Authority.

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:10): Can I say that the Coroner does not and did not recommend an independent commission against corruption. There is no mention of that, as far as I am aware. What he did say was that there was a failure in police procedures in relation to the Wilson case—a serious failure. I can announce to the parliament today that I have spoken to both the Attorney-General and the Minister for Police, and there will be an immediate review of the Police Complaints Authority and an immediate review of the Police Complaints Authority legislation. If the Leader of the Opposition is doing what I think he is doing, that is, making allegations of corruption against the police, then let him have the guts to say so, because I do not believe that is the case. We have an outstanding police force in this state. The Coroner did not accuse the police of corruption and he knows it.