Chalker’s ‘shock’ at Rolfe charges highlights need for public inquiry, as national police union joins push: Opposition | NT Independent

Chalker’s ‘shock’ at Rolfe charges highlights need for public inquiry, as national police union joins push: Opposition

by | Mar 24, 2022 | News, Special Investigation | 0 comments

The Opposition continued to probe the Gunner Government over the Constable Zach Rolfe murder charge in Parliament on Thursday, reiterating their calls for an independent public inquiry in the wake of the Police Commissioner’s claims that he was “as shocked as anyone” about the charges being laid – which seemingly contradicts his previous public statement.

The CLP also said the Police Federation of Australia has thrown its support behind calls for an independent inquiry.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro questioned why Jamie Chalker would say he was surprised by the charges yesterday when he gave an interview with The Australian three months after the charges were laid in which he said he had full confidence in how the investigation was handled and that it would withstand “every oversight”, including criminal court proceedings.

The headline was ‘Top NT cop has no regrets over policeman’s murder charge’.

Ms Finocchiaro suggested Mr Chalker’s remarks at a press conference yesterday were contradictory, in which he said he was at “arm’s length” and “shocked” when the charges were laid.

“If the Police Commissioner was as shocked as many other Territorians were, doesn’t this support the need for an independent inquiry?” Ms Finocchiaro asked Police Minister Nicole Manison in Parliament.

Ms Manison did not answer the question and instead repeated the government’s assertion that “there was absolutely no political interference on these investigations”, before attempting to attack Ms Finocchiaro, suggesting she was “dividing the community” by asking questions.

Those questions on the Rolfe matter continued throughout Question Time.

The Opposition also questioned why Chief Minister Michael Gunner met with Mr Chalker the day before Mr Chalker was sworn in as police commissioner, the day after the shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker in Yuendumu in 2019.

Mr Gunner dismissed the question and said he “meets with police all the time”.

Member for Brennan Marie-Clare Boothby said the Police Federation of Australia – the national peak body for police unions with 63,000 members – had backed the CLP’s calls for an independent inquiry.

“If you have nothing to hide, why are you refusing an independent inquiry?” she asked Mr Gunner.

Mr Gunner refused again to order an independent inquiry and said Territorians should just have “trust and confidence in our justice system”.

“There are checks and balances all the way through this – that’s why we can have confidence in our criminal justice system,” he said.

“We have solid, strong, solid systems and processes and that’s why this is an appalling line of questioning that calls into doubt the integrity of our police, prosecutions and courts, and that’s what the CLP are doing.”

Member for Barkly Steve Edgington asked Ms Manison about investigators raising concerns over a directive to turn over Constable Rolfe’s body-worn camera footage to the Director of Public Prosecutions two days after the shooting, before all the evidence had been collected.

“One detective wrote in his notes that he voiced concerns that this was an abnormal situation and that members were not happy with the premature involvement of the DPP,” he said.

“Minister, do you agree that the concerns of investigators is enough reason to support an independent inquiry?”

Ms Manison stuck to her stock reply that there “was no political interference” in the decision to lay the murder charge.

The Gunner Government have been unable to get clean air on the matter since a Supreme Court jury unanimously acquitted Constable Rolfe of murder and two alternative charges on March 12, and have continued to be dogged along with Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker over how the process to determine charges be laid four days after the incident transpired.

The government has repeatedly ruled out ordering an independent inquiry to restore the public’s trust in the process, as unresolved accusations continue to hang over the government and the Police Commissioner.

 

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