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Borbidge in strife over police union deal13 March 1996
By Bill Mason BRISBANE It only took a week for the revelation that Queensland is returning to the bad old days of Bjelke-Petersen, former Democratic Socialist candidate for the federal seat of Brisbane Zanny Begg told Green Left Weekly. The secret deal made by the Coalition before the Mundingburra by-election with the police union smacks of the pre-Fitzgerald Inquiry era of police corruption and political influence. The Criminal Justice Commission should now immediately investigate whether improper conduct has been carried out by new Police Minister Russell Cooper, or other Coalition leaders. On February 26 it was revealed, via a police union newsletter, that the Coalition signed a secret memorandum of understanding with the police union giving it power of veto over the appointment of the next police commissioner, stripping the CJC of the authority to investigate misconduct by police and watering down the disciplinary code. Queensland Council for Civil Liberties vice-president Terry O'Gorman said the newsletter shows contempt for the Fitzgerald reforms and is clearly aimed at getting Commissioner O'Sullivan and turning back the clock. Premier Rob Borbidge was later forced to confirm the commissioner would retain his job. Borbidge has so far refused to accede to Labor opposition calls for parliament to be urgently reconvened to debate the issue. Opposition leader Peter Beattie said on March 1 that, the public has a right to know who was involved in the discussions between the union and the Coalition, when the deal was signed, why is was secret, what was known about the union's involvement in the Mundingburra by-election and whether any money was made available in any way to the union. This reference comes from the union's admission that it spent $20,000 on its campaign for more officers and better resources during the by-election. n
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