Sally Neighbour’s 4 Corners report on the AFP was a bit patchy, relying a little too much on two disgruntled former officers and, in one case, his wife, for interview fodder. However, it does provide a good, succinct summary of events leading up to the charging of Mohammed Haneef, strongly suggesting that the charges were the result of pressure from high up in the AFP. And there’s plenty on Keelty’s propensity for keeping the government of the day happy, and the Howard government’s desire for bureaucrats to stick to the party line.
But one of the most interesting bits of the whole program was on another issue entirely; there are indications that the refocusing of the AFP on national security issues has led to its ignoring other less glamorous but equally important issues. From the transcript:
JOHN BROOME, FORMER CHAIR NATIONAL CRIME AUTHORITY: The question I ask is whether we’ve done this at the expense of the AFP’s core budget, whether they’ve taken their eyes off major issues such as drug trafficking, financial crime, issues such as child sex tourism, these kinds of issues which the AFP saw as its main work four or five years ago and which apparently now is not its core business.
SALLY NEIGHBOUR: Former chairman of the National Crime Authority, John Broome, says the shift is reflected in a dramatic drop in the number of criminals charged by the AFP. Cases sent to the DPP for prosecution have fallen by half, from more than a thousand to around 500 a year.
Now there are any number of factors that might potentially explain such a change – perhaps marginal cases were previously reaching the DPP which were not being successfully prosecuted (though the AFP didn’t seem too worried about sending marginal cases to trial with Haneef), a decision to concentrate on fewer, but more serious charges, or a reallocation of responsibilities that saw other law enforcement agencies doing the charging where previously the AFP would have acted. But, concerning as the Haneef case was, such a statistic might well indicate much more systemic problems with the day-to-day responsibilities of the force. Part of the reason might be a problem with the AFP’s structure. The program, and the 4 Corners message board (which also includes a number of amusing comments from AFP officers expecting investigative reporting to be a cheer squad), and some information I’ve heard on my own, suggest that a significant fraction of AFP officers don’t have enough experience in the basics of running a criminal investigation.
According to 4 Corners, the federal government has been quietly looking for a replacement for Keelty for some months now. It sounds like his successor might have some work to do focusing the organization back on its core jobs.
Most telling for me was Sinodinos saying that he thought it was perfectly reasonable that the AFP should be implementing government policy (rather than, say, upholding the law). He’s not as evil as Dick Cheney, but he does a mighty fine impression.
Frankly, those dudes need a serious talking to about the principle of separation of powers (and who wouldn’t like to punch Sinodinos squarely on the nose?). I think the money being showered down for counter terrorism seriously clouded the vision on both sides of the government/police divide – clearly Howard wanted some demonstrable results for all that dosh and Keelty was only too happy to oblige.
But overall I think I agree it was a pretty weak attack on the AFP when they could have done some investigation into things like Schapelle Corby being allowed to leave the country and be prosecuted in Bali, when they could have prosecuted her here, or the underwhelming investigations into Siev-X, children overboard and AWB.
David: or the Bali nine, who were left to face the death penalty in Indonesia when they could have either charged them here in Australia, or negotiated with the Indonesian authorities not to impose the death penalty.
“like Schapelle Corby being allowed to leave the country and be prosecuted in Bali”
I have never heard any suggestion that Ms Corny was suspected of anything prior to her departure.
Are you confusing her with Scott Rush et al?
Yes robert, the Bali nine.
Basically, my impression of the last 10 years is that the AFP have introduced an Australian death penalty by outsourcing.
There was a great deal of speculation that the feds knew Corby left the country with the drugs pollytickedoff (not necessarily that she personally was under investigation).
Keelty’s links with Indonesian police need a rethink – his organisation has been just a little to eager to throw them bones unnecessarily.
A Freudian typo?
The thing that got me was the total lack of an appreciation of the doctrine of separation of powers. Those of you who are Queenslanders, with memories of Bjelke-Petersen, will appreciate where this can lead.
Lots of $$ and kudos in the fight on terrorism. Not surprised that the AFP put their hand up for some.
Good point from David Rubie, re Sinodinos.
As for Pollytickedoff, even in the extremely unlikely case that Keelty wasn’t “feeding” Corby to the Indonesians, his grandstanding of the issue for self and Howard valorising purposes at the expense of any likelihood of a fair trial for Corby (who was facing a bullet!) was egregious; viciously pathological in the extreme.
Good to see Holmes refusing the Murdoch presses nonsenses and ABC managment’s Radio National debacle in Media Watch, directly after 4 Corners.
BTW, Re the (still not repealed ) ASIO/Seditions laws, Howard/Downer and finally Haneef- the main issue.
Was it as bad as we thought?
It was WORSE!!