Networked Knowledge - Media Report

[This edited version of the report has been prepared by Dr Robert N Moles]

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10 November 2007 NineMSN reported “Vic govt stands behind police chief”.

It said that the Victorian government has thrown its support behind police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon, after two senior officers were implicated in a corruption inquiry. Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby was forced to resign while media director Stephen Linnell was suspended indefinitely, after damning evidence emerged during a hearing held by Victoria's Office of Police Integrity. Police Minister Bob Cameron told the Nine Network Ms Nixon retained his full support. "I have full faith in Christine Nixon who has been a modernising chief commissioner, who is building a corruption resistant culture, who has supported the OPI," he said.

Mr Cameron welcomed Mr Ashby's resignation and said it showed the Office of Police Integrity was working, the network reported. " ... there are a small number, they're generally in small cells, who are corrupt, and it is his (OPI director George Brouwer's) business to go about detecting them." The OPI inquiry is investigating leaks linked to police over Operation Briars, a confidential 2003 murder inquiry. Mr Ashby has admitted accessing unauthorised information on Operation Briars from Mr Linnell. He is accused of passing it on to Police Association secretary Paul Mullett who told a colleague, who then allegedly tipped off suspect Detective Sergeant Peter Lalor. Lalor is accused of giving the address of slain prostitute Shane Chartres-Abbott to a hitman. The hearing continues on Monday.

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