Annastacia Palaszczuk distances government from stand-alone integrity unit to investigate police

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has dialled back her government’s support for the DV inquiry’s recommendation for a stand-alone police integrity unit, run by a civilian.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has distanced the government from creating a stand-alone integrity unit to investigate police - as recommended by a domestic violence inquiry - and has instead mentioned a “clearing house” recommended from a separate inquiry.

The creation of a Police Integrity Unit, run by a civilian, was one of the major recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service Responses to Domestic and Family Violence.

The scathing report made repeated references to a failure of leadership and a culture of sexism, misogyny and racism within the service.

It also recommended an end to police investigating police and a lack of confidence with the current internal investigations process.

But Ms Palaszczuk today dialled back talk of a police integrity unit, saying they would instead look at how the Coaldrake Review - a look at culture and accountability across government as a whole - intersected with the DV recommendations.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Parliament House, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

The Coaldrake review recommended a government “clearing house”, where complaints could be assessed and referred elsewhere for further investigation.

“Coaldrake recommended that there be a clearing house, so of course we will be looking at all of those reviews that Peter Coaldrake did and those recommendations and then government of course will be putting in the resources that are needed,” she said.

“We have put in $100m straight away. Of course when it comes to looking at the Coaldrake review with the Commission of Inquiry review, of course there will be more funding that will come through the budget system that government will give to the implementation of those recommendations.”

While the government says it has accepted the recommendations “in principle” and announced $100m for reforms which include new DV police, no money has been allocated for the integrity unit which was recommended to be set up in the Crime and Corruption Commission.

When asked if a unit would have civilian investigators, as recommended in the DFV review, Ms Palaszczuk said: “This is what Steve Gollschewski, who is appointed special commissioner and Linda Apelt will be working through very thoroughly in terms of how those processes will work.”

Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski. Picture: Jerad Williams

The Commission of Inquiry report said a system where police investigate police, particularly in cases where they are friends or workmates, “simply does not result in a fair system”.

“The conduct and complaints system is not sufficiently accessible, responsive or transparent to ensure community confidence in the QPS or, for that matter, to ensure that police officers maintain confidence in their own organisation,” the report said.

“The failings of the current conduct and complaints system are so great, and the risk that the system will fail to protect against serious misconduct is so significant, that a different approach is needed.”

The inquiry report said all complaints against police should be investigated and the unit would take responsibility for all significant decisions, including referring matters to the Director of Public Prosecutions for potential prosecution, and make recommendations about disciplinary matters.

The police service would retain control of disciplinary outcomes, with the unit’s input.

The inquiry report said it was important the unit was made up of mostly civilian staff but would benefit from expertise from QPS investigators.