Police ire at Jamie Chalker ‘double standards’
The NT Police Association says it is ‘concerned and frustrated’ with ‘double standards’ shown by police commissioner Jamie Chalker and the NT government.
The NT Police Association has attacked the NT government over “double standards” applied to outgoing police commissioner Jamie Chalker, in contrast to the treatment of rank-and-file officers, after Mr Chalker was asked to resign at the end of March.
On Tuesday, NT Police Association acting president Lisa Bayliss said the process sought by Mr Chalker was in “stark contrast” to options available to its members. “He is seeking fast-tracked mediation using top lawyers, overseen by an interstate judge, while the members of the force are subjected to a protracted dismissal appeals process that can take up to two years just to get a determination,” she said.
“Meanwhile, members can wait months, or even years, for the outcome of an internal disciplinary investigation.”
On March 31 the government told Mr Chalker it had lost confidence in him amid an ongoing escalation of youth crime and alcohol-related violence in the NT.
He is now seeking to retain his job, and has engaged top Sydney silk Arthur Moses SC and defamation lawyer Rebekah Giles. He has also requested mediation with the NT government – in front of a retired interstate judge – “as a matter of urgency”.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said she was anticipating the issue with Mr Chalker would be resolved “in the next week or so”. Since the decision to ask him to resign was leaked to the media, Ms Fyles has refused to go into detail.
Ms Bayliss said the “double standards” were unacceptable and “causing ongoing harm to the morale and confidence” of members of the NT police.
She said more than a dozen officers had resigned in the past two years to avoid lengthy, “often traumatic” appeals, despite believing they had been unfairly dismissed. “Our members have made it very clear how they feel. Last August, 80 per cent of surveyed officers said they didn’t have confidence in Commissioner Chalker. The NT government must … guarantee all members of the NT Police Force are treated with fairness, transparency and respect.”
Light plane crashes in Melbourne airfield
There are grave fears for those on board a small plane after it crashed about 50km northwest of Melbourne.
Costello blasts Andrews’ ‘moronic’ government for its Covid restrictions
In his most high-profile public appearance since resigning as Nine chairman, Peter Costello also blasted Daniel Andrews for wrongly believing his role was to embark on Indigenous treaty negotiations and join China’s One Belt One Road initiative.