Police Ombudsman

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN (15:03): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Police a question.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: On 12 April 2016, the report on the annual compliance audit of the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Act 2007 was tabled in the parliament. In the report, the acting police ombudsman outlined that on 22 January 2016 Mr Lines wrote to seven of the senior police officers who had authorised forensic procedures other than simple identity procedures. Each of the officers was asked to provide a copy of the notes they made relative to making the order as well as other details. The acting ombudsman received responses from four out of seven senior police officers. My questions are:

1. Can the minister assure the chamber that the police are taking seriously the request for this information from the Police Ombudsman?

2. Can the minister advise the chamber whether the responses that remain outstanding from the three remaining senior police officers will be forthcoming?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:04): I thank the honourable member for his important questions. Firstly, of course, SAPOL are utterly committed to taking very seriously any recommendations and requests or otherwise that come from the Police Ombudsman. The Police Ombudsman in this state serves an incredibly important function to ensure that SAPOL are upholding the standards that they would expect—and I know the community would certainly expect—more broadly. The Police Ombudsman is doing an outstanding job in fulfilling that responsibility and duty and, indeed, that is evidenced by the question that the honourable member asked.

In regard to the three responses that are outstanding, I am more than happy to make the appropriate inquiries, but I have little doubt that the police commissioner, and SAPOL more broadly, wholeheartedly supports the function of the Police Ombudsman and endeavours to answer all questions appropriately. I will have to make some inquiries around those three specific instances. There may be some good reasons for why those three responses have not occurred, but, nevertheless, I will ask the appropriate questions and, if I am in a position to do so, provide the appropriate information accordingly.