Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker ‘set up to fail’, former MLA claims

A former MLA believes the embattled Territory Police Commissioner was ‘set up to fail’. Here’s what he thinks will happen next.

Embattled Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker’s early departure would mark the second time in a decade the role has controversially been cut short.

Former commissioner John McRoberts, facing political pressure, resigned from the position in 2015 after he was charged of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He was later convicted and sentenced to three years’ jail, suspended after 12 months.

Unlike Mr McRoberts, Mr Chalker is not accused of any criminal wrongdoing.

A senior government member at the time of Mr McRoberts’ departure, speaking generally to this publication, said it was a difficult process to end a police commissioner’s contract early.

“I believe these are completely different circumstances and in this particular case only the government and Mr Chalker know those circumstances,” he said.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has not commented on whether she has confidence in Mr Chalker but acknowledged conversations have been held around his contract expiring later this year. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“But it’s certainly not a process that anyone enjoys and there is a point where decisions have to be made and they’ve got to be made quickly.

“The ramifications, the height of scrutiny is what elevates it.

“This has been highly damaging to the government and they will want to resolve this quickly.”

Mr Chalker’s position has been up in the air since it was revealed the government had asked him to resign as his four-year contract comes up for renewal.

Mr Chalker then hired high-profile Sydney silk Arthur Moses SC and defamation specialist Rebekah Giles to represent him in ‘urgent’ talks with the Territory government.

A statement released by his legal representatives said it had always been Mr Chalker’s intention to see out his term as well as seek a renewal of his contract.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said on Tuesday she expected the matter to be resolved “in the next week or so”.

The source said he did not imagine Mr Chalker’s legal fees would be covered by taxpayers.

While Mr Chalker’s salary is not publicly known, the source said the Commissioner would certainly be getting paid more than $300,000, higher than government ministers.

He also estimated a payout could be in the “hundreds of thousands of dollars”, the sum of which would not be publicly revealed.

The source said he believed Mr Chalker had been “set up to fail from the start”.

“Within a few days on taking on the job, the Zachary Rolfe case started,” he said.

“Jamie has followed the government’s path, taken the political line rather than support his own police officers.

“He’s now been used as a scapegoat – the government needs to show its taking a decisive position here on crime.

“Now he’s taking the hard line and the government would be scared shitless … because he has so much on them.

“The mediation is his olive branch.

“The government will capitulate, there will be a sum of money paid and Jamie will go away quietly.”

The source said the way Mr Chalker’s tenure had been publicly left in doubt for nearly two weeks was “totally wrong”.

“It’s dreadful, particularly for the police,” he said.

“To see this play out must take away whatever confidence, whatever faith they have in the organisation.

“For everyone’s sake, for the police force, for the government and certainly for Jamie, it should be dealt with as quickly as possible.”

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