There's an interesting motion on the Order paper today:
Hon SIMON POWER to move, That, pursuant to section 5 of the Independent Police Conduct Authority Act 1988 and section 32 of the Crown Entities Act 2004, this House recommends His Excellency the Governor-General appoint Ms Angela Irmgard Hauk-Willis, and Ms Dianne Mary Macaskill as members of the Independent Police Conduct Authority, each for a term of three years, and appoint Mr Edward Richard Woods as a member of the Independent Police Conduct Authority for a term of two years.Would that be the same Richard Woods who presided over the SIS during its unlawful and unconscionable persecution of Ahmed Zaoui? Why yes, it is. And somehow, having run rampant as a spy, he's now seen as the right person to keep our police on the straight and narrow.
Richard Woods is the wrong man for this job. He will further degrade the already tarnished reputation of the IPCA, and add to its image as a rubber stamp for police misconduct. If you want the police to be trusted and respected, then putting such a man in charge is absolutely the wrong thing to do. Who next? Laurie Greig? Clint Rickards?
