Victorian government announces Royal Commission into informants
Premier Daniel Andrews and Attorney General Jill Hennessy have announced a Royal Commission into the management of a police informer who was a barrister for several high profile criminal clients over the past two decades.
A commissioner has not yet been announced, but Mr Andrews said the government hoped to have the “formalities” completed “in the next couple of weeks”.
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said police have sought to suppress the matter for the “protection of the lawyer and their family who Victoria Police believed would be murdered if this information was released”.
Mr Ashton said their “concern for the safety of the lawyer remains”.
Daniel Andrews also pointed out that the informer has children, and that there may therefore be “risk to children” if the lawyers identity is revealed.
3AW Mornings Senior Producer Heidi Murphy told Denis Walter seriousness of this matter is such, the government was left with no choice.
“I don’t think there was many other options available to government,” she said.
“It’s been bubbling away in the background for years and years.
“The questions of who knew what and when, how this lawyer was managed, and how many convictions may be quashed because of how this was handled.”
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Premier @DanielAndrewsMP announces Royal Commission into the management of police informants. @3AW693 pic.twitter.com/r7Bnt1rVXA
— Alicia Byrne (@AliciaB22) December 3, 2018
The interim report is due in July, the final report due at the end of next year.
Image: Alicia Byrne