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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-11-16 Daily Xml
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Commissioner of Police

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:57): I seek leave to make an explanation prior to directing a question to the Minister for Police on the subject of gifts to the Commissioner of Police.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: In July of this year I asked a series of questions to the minister in relation to a story which had been first revealed in The Advertiser in a story dated 21 May by Isabella Fowler, headed 'She was only having a lend'. That particular story said:

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens' wife approached a celebrated local designer to borrow a gown for the Queen's 90th birthday in return for a positive mention on Facebook. Emma Stevens was glowing in her praise for fashion designer Jaimie Sortino on her profile, posting: 'WOW…What an amazing experience this has been, a very very very big thank you to Jaimie Sortino for this amazing gown I got to have the privilege of wearing and was so proud when asked if I had bought it in London and got to say NO it's from an amazing designer from Adelaide.'

Further on in the story, Mr Sortino confirmed that when he said:

'It was paid in publicity sort of thing, I just asked her to put something on Facebook,' he said. 'I joked that she could pass my card on to Kate Middleton.'

As a result of that story, I asked the minister some questions in relation to whether it was now acceptable for any police officer, other than the commissioner or their partner, to borrow and use expensive items of clothing. I also asked the minister a question as to whether or not there had been a previous occurrence in relation to the police commissioner himself.

The minister, yesterday, came back with a response and said that, no, there had been no other examples, according to the police commissioner. But, in relation to the question that I asked as to why it had not been revealed on the gift register for the police commissioner that there had been a gift to his wife, the minister's response was as follows:

The register to which Mr Lucas refers is understood to be the SAPOL gift register pursuant to the Department of the Premier and Cabinet PC035—Proactive Disclosure of Regularly Requested Information, and the item referred to was not included as Ms Stevens is not an employee.

Clearly, it is self-evident that Ms Stevens is not an employee, but the minister's response is, in essence, that a gift can be given to the wife or partner of the police commissioner or a police officer and that does not have to be revealed in any way because the partner or wife of the police commissioner or a police officer is not an employee of the department.

My question to the minister, as Minister for Police, is: does the minister believe that in this situation there is a significant perception of possible conflict of interest if partners of police officers generally are able to receive significant gifts from businesses without even revealing those gifts from businesses on the SAPOL gift register?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:00): I recall, going back some months now, the Hon. Mr Lucas' question regarding the police commissioner's wife, and the story he referred to I think was in The Advertiser earlier this year. It is my firm expectation that all members of SAPOL, including the police commissioner, comply with the various policies and procedures that exist within SAPOL, but also, in the police commissioner's case, any policies that should apply to him in such a high office.

I have no reason to believe that he hasn't complied with those requirements. I have certainly passed on and taken those questions on notice in good faith. I think it is important to contemplate what the Hon. Mr Lucas' line of inquiry is relating to. I am not too sure if the Hon. Mr Lucas, who continues to pursue this line of questioning, is trying to call in the integrity of the police commissioner. I certainly hope he's not; I don't think there is any reason to believe that should take place.

Again, I am happy to restate the fact that it is my expectation, as I am sure it is the police commissioner's expectation, that all relevant policies and procedures regarding disclosure—of course, the government has already moved to increase levels of disclosure on a whole range of issues, including the proactive disclosure regime—it is my expectation that the police commissioner and other SAPOL officials comply accordingly.

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