$100m for DV response but integrity unit not funded: Police Minister
Police Minister Mark Ryan has confirmed a new civilian-run integrity unit tasked with investigating all complaints against police has no funding allocated to it yet.
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A new civilian-run integrity unit set up to investigate all complaints against police has no funding allocated to it yet and it’s unclear how it will work, Police Minister Mark Ryan has confirmed.
The State Government yesterday announced $100m for the police service to fund more domestic violence officers after a scathing report from the Commission of Inquiry into police responses to domestic and family violence.
One of the major recommendations of the inquiry was for police to stop investigating police with a civilian-run integrity unit set up within the Crime and Corruption Commission.
The government said it accepted all 78 recommendations “in principle”.
Mr Ryan said the integrity unit details were still being worked out.
“The premier also mentioned yesterday that there needs to be level of harmonisation across all the other reports and recommendations as well,” he said.
“Peter Coaldrake has made recommendations and Fitzgerald made recent recommendations around how to improve the capacity of the CCC.
“This is a body of work that needs to be done. It needs to be done right but certainly the principle around civilian oversight of the Queensland Police Service is an important principle and one that the government supports.”
Mr Ryan confirmed the unit was not yet funded as part of the $100m announcement.
“That’s not a milestone yet, that was identified in the report,” he said.
“But obviously there will need to be some funding to enhance that capability.
“And there are some milestones which are identified in the report, I think recommendation three says to come back around the demand resourcing model for the government to allocate funding.
“So there is obviously the initial allocation yesterday, we made the remark yesterday as well that there would need to be significant more resourcing and the government is on the record around that commitment.”
When asked if the unit could begin in 18 months as recommended Mr Ryan said: “We expect the Queensland Police Service to do its best when it comes to implementing these recommendations and we want the recommendations implemented expeditiously,” he said.
Mr Ryan was not clear about the future of the Ethical Standards Command in wake of the announcement and said there was a “level of detail we need to work through”.
“There will be much commentary and there is commentary in Coaldrake and regular commentary from the CCC both in the past and in the future around how it is important for organisations to have a robust internal discipline process, a robust internal ethical standards process.
“When it comes to the Queensland Police Service you also need external oversight. Let’s work through all of those things but certainly the government has made a commitment about that oversight and it’s important.”
Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll also did not speculate about the future of ESC.
“There is a lot of research that shows that organisations should have mechanisms in place that actually take care of their ethical health, their integrity ... we do need to have a look at what the best model is.
“There are a lot of recommendations out there, there’s other reviews, the Peter Coaldrake review ... I think they really have to see what each of those are saying and come up with the best model for the organisation.”
Ms Carroll wouldn’t commit to saying if she wanted law changes to give her “no confidence” powers to sack officers.
Mr Ryan began the conference talking about domestic violence co-ordinators who work in communications centres.
New staff will join centres as part of the $100m funding package.
Earlier, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli backed Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll, saying she should keep her job following the scathing Commission of Inquiry report.
Mr Crisafulli said Ms Carroll needed “clear air and the focus” to deliver on the Commission’s 78 recommendations, as he offered his support for her to remain as Queensland’s top cop.
“The Police Commissioner wasn’t in her role nearly six years ago – but the Police Minister was,” the LNP leader said.
“The Commissioner wasn’t in her role nearly eight years ago, but the Premier was.
“So if we’re talking about responsibility, I would like to ask what level of responsibility rests with the Ministers, with the Premier, with the government?”
When asked if any police officers should be held responsible for the findings of the Commission, Mr Crisafulli said they would be held accountable for the delivery of the reforms.
“There’s some clear timelines on this, which is why I found the recommendations so powerful,” he said.
“The Commissioner needs the clear air to be able to do that – but she must be held accountable. And so too must the senior figures in the Palaszczuk government.”
Also offering their support for the Commissioner were the parents of murdered Brisbane woman Hannah Clarke, domestic violence campaigners Sue and Lloyd Clarke.
Mr Crisafulli indicated his shadow Cabinet would consider the report in more detail before deciding their response to the Commission’s 78 recommendations.
“The first time I saw the report was driving back from Toowoomba yesterday so you can forgive me for not giving a categoric answer,” he said.
“I’ve probably picked up half a dozen things that I’d like more information on.”
The government was handed the report a week ago, but only publicly released it on Monday afternoon after it was considered by Cabinet.
The Opposition Leader said the LNP welcomed the Commission’s proposal for a civilian run integrity unit to be set up within the Crime and Corruption Commission to deal with complaints about police.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers rejected the recommendation on Monday, saying there was already a “robust discipline system in place”.
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