Debate on Crown Entities, Public Organisations,and State Enterprises — Police Complaints Authority

I will take just a short call to put on record the appointment of Justice Lowell Goddard as the new Police Complaints Authority at a time when, as members know, the authority is facing considerable change. We have the bill before Parliament, which is now being progressed. It was delayed, of course, because we needed to see the result of Dame Margaret Bazley’s report on police conduct. That report has been issued. As expected it raised a number of issues and recommendations directly for the Police Complaints Authority—12 in total. Some of those fall to the new authority to implement in terms of administrative organisational procedures. Others will require statute and therefore will be incorporated in a Supplementary Order Paper to the bill that is currently in front of the House.

I simply want to put on record my high level of confidence in the new authority. I think we are fortunate to have someone of her reputation, competence, and focus at a time when the authority is going through a period of new development and change. I certainly look forward to the work that will be undertaken in the year ahead to get the Police Complaints Authority in place, in terms of the new requirements and provisions of the legislation we are working through now, and getting the authority fully functional in that new regime.

Report noted.

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