Networked Knowledge - Media Report

Thursday 14 June 2007 - Channel 7 Today Tonight (Adelaide)

This version of the transcript has been edited by Dr Robert N Moles

The Director of Public Prosecutions

In order of appearance

Stephen Pallaras: DPP for South  Australia
Martin Hamilton-Smith: leader of the Opposition in South Australia
Leon Byner 5AA talkback radio

Program

Mr Pallaras DPP

It seems that at the one time are quite happy to shout from the roof tops that they are strong on crime and yet with the other hand, slap in the face those people who it says and relies upon to go and fight the battle in the criminal court.

Martin Hamilton-Smith

We cannot have an effective police system, a judicial system if there is not an independent office of the DPP. Now we have and today, yet another major confrontation between the government and the office of the DPP

Graham Archer

He's made a name for himself for his battles outside court ... not in it ..

Mr Pallaras DPP

I am saying to our parliament you need to decide what kind of DPP do you want… do you want it to be independent or not ..

Graham Archer

Since his appointment our DPP Stephen Pallaras - the man theatrically dubbed Elliot Ness by Premier Rann - has preferred to point his tommy gun at the Mr Bigs who employed him -

Stephen Pallaras DPP

I have constantly been in communication with the Premier, the Treasurer, I stress, with the Treasurer, with the Attorney-General and I have had discussions with the Chief Justice, the Chief Judge and the Commissioner of Police and have explained to each of them the parlous situation that my office is in.

Graham  Archer

And this time, following his budget knock back for increased funding for his office, Mr Pallaras has gone completely ballistic.

Stephen Pallaras DPP

When you talk about personal insults and this is not a comment in relation to the treasurer but I've always been taught, that if an idiot calls you an idiot, you're doing alright.

Graham  Archer

It's a line probably best left alone, but Mr Pallaras still had plenty of ammo left, and yesterday on Leon Byner's program he opened fire again on the Rann Government and his bullet riddled Attorney General Michael Atkinson.

Stephen Pallaras DPP

… and the pressures on my people were causing this office to come on the brink of collapse.

Graham  Archer

Unseemly as it appears, this shoot-out over money and resources is extremely illuminating as it helps flush out the confidence trick over law and order the Rann Government has perpetrated on the State since taking office - and which we've often pointed out. Sadly we've witnessed Government grand-standing on high profile cases and criminal activity without any genuine approach to proper justice.  

Stephen Pallaras DPP

We've had the treasurer who perhaps has revealed the true attitude of the government to law and order issues. He describes us as a minor irritant. As a sideshow

Graham  Archer

And there was more.

Stephen Pallaras DPP

We have the premier, often says to people in public how tough he is on crime yet when it's come to the crunch, he has turned his back on the people who are asked to go and fight the cases in court.

Graham  Archer

Now remember, this is their DPP saying that he'll have drop numerous criminal cases because he hasn't got the resources to prosecute them.

Stephen Pallaras DPP

We are also going to now have to make decisions as to which cases we will allocate our resources to and which cases we cannot. That's what it means.

Graham  Archer

At the heart of this is a very clear message that despite any past increases compared to other states our  DPP is sinking.  

Stephen Pallaras DPP

We need today, today, I repeat, 30 more lawyers to cope with the file loads in our office. What do we get? We get nothing but a decrease by half a million dollars and it's disgraceful.

Graham  Archer

Wherever the truth in this extraordinary stoush, both sides are poles apart. Mr Pallaras says the failure to employ more staff was the AG's fault as he has control of the staffing process.

Stephen Pallaras DPP

Now what this process has delivered to us since September last year is a grand total of one appointment.

Michael Atkinson Attorney-General

I think Mr Pallaras' approach to his office is to create an atmosphere of crisis, an atmosphere of drama, and he believes that its the best way to get the resources necessary for his office.

Leon Byner talkback radio

At the essence of this is that this Government wants to use the DPP's powers as a political tool.  You have to believe that even though the government has made certain popular decisions to take certain cases with a public profile the cherry picking case would indicate it’s a marriage of convenience not practicality/   

Graham Archer

Leon Byner has spoken to both sides, and he says the DPP needs to be heard

Leon Byner talkback radio

From what he said on my program he sounded sincere passionate and a desperate bid by a bloke to do his job to try and get public support for the job for which he was employed

Graham Archer

This is a law and order government with a brawl going on in its own justice department?

Leon Byner

Yes, yes. And as a political commentator put it to me its a civil war going on between two departments and unfortunately the casualties are the victims.

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