CCC - a media Harlot?

CCC - working the media to discredit Burke and Grill

The blatant political activities of the Crime and Corruption Commission were on display when they announced the further charges against Brian Burke, Julian Grill and Norm Marlborough.

The announcement was designed to get prime time evening television coverage and upstage the opening of the new State Parliament.

The alleged charges arose from evidence given at public hearings 2 years ago! The public hearing were a device to use the media to discredit and prejudice the reputations of Burke and Grill. They amounted to a show trial - trial by media if you like. The most salacious and gratuitous material was aired to achieve the desired effect. Neither Burke or Grill could cross-examine their accusers!

Why did it take two years for Dad's Army to lodge these new charges? Have theybeen lodged because every other charge has been thrown out of court?

Watchdogs and prosecutors are there to put all the facts dispassionately, not to run blatantly political campaigns to push their own careers or justify their public funding and existence.

Western Australia has seen many serious miscarriages of justice where overzealous and ambitious prosecutors and police have been blinded to alternative explanations; have ignored or not disclosed exculpatory evidence in order to get convictions - and a feather in their collective hats. The CCC has been a prime offender.

It is appropriate that this incompetent and political outfit was not called the Anti Crime and Corruption Commission.

In recent years we have seen three murder convictions overturned - Andrew Mallard, John Button and Darryl Beamish, after collectively serving 32 years in gaol; men who were convicted when there was palpable evidence as to who was the real killer. Evidence that was incompetently ignored or selectively ignored.

In the last case, the Court of Appeal hearing, the former Judge and current Commissioner of the Crime and Corruption Commission Major General Len Roberts-Smith was not convinced that John Button was innocent. Button's lawyer Malcolm McCusker QC had to take the case to the High Court to finally get justice.

Investigations of matters where there is evidence of corruption is essential; political motivated witch hunts have no place in our democracy.

Some of the current CCC media activities have all the ingredients of 1950's McCarthyism - which prejudice the possibility of a fair hearing or trial.