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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1976
TALK ABOUT +RIVAL+ POLICE FORCE REFUTED
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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON, JOHN HOBLEY TODAY REFUTED RECENT SUGGESTIONS THAT PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION ORDINANCE WOULD CREATE A SECOND+ OR +RIVAL+ POLICE FORCE.
IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1976, HE SAID THE ICAC HAD BEEN
IN OPERATION FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS AND SOME EXPERIENCE OF ITS PRACTICAL REQUIREMENTS WAS GAINED.
MR. HOBLEY SAID THAT THE AMENDMENTS EMBODIED IN THE BILL WERE SIMPLY THE RESULTS OF THAT EXPERIENCE.
+THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY OF A ROUTINE AND PRACTICAL NATURE. IS NOTHING EXCEPTIONAL OR UNPRECEDENTED ABOUT THEM, HE ADDED.
THERE
MR. HOBLEY SAID THAT THE COMMISSION'S CHARTER REQUIRED IT TO INVESTIGATE CASES OF CORRUPTION. THIS WAS ITS ONLY TARGET.
HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF SOME LOOSE TALK ABOUT A SECOND+ OR +RIVAL+ POLICE FORCE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BILL, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL EMPHASISED WHAT HE CALLED A SOMEWHAT OBVIOUS POINT THAT THE COMMISSION HAD NOT INITIATED, AND IT WOULD NOT IN FUTURE INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION UNLESS AT THE OUTSET THERE WAS REASONABLE GROUND TO SUSPECT CORRUPTION.
TURNING TO THE PROPOSALS IN THE BILL, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION AT THIS POINT IN TIME WAS TO DO NO MORE THAN MAKE SUCH LIMITED PROVISION AS SEEMED NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED EFFECTIVE, INDEPENDENT OPERATION OF THE COMMISSION.
+A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE PROPOSAL THAT OFFICERS OF THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE ABLE THEMSELVES TO RELEASE AN ARRESTED PERSON ON BAIL WHERE FURTHER INQUIRIES ARE NECESSARY, INSTEAD OF TAKING HIM, AS THEY NOW MUST, TO A POLICE STATION SO THAT HE MAY BE PLACED ON POLICE BAIL,+ HE SAID.
+ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE PROPOSED POWER TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS AND FINGERPRINTS OF PEOPLE ARRESTED BY OFFICERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THE BILL ALSO INTRODUCED THREE NEW OFFENCES RESISTING OR OBSTRUCTING AN ICAC OFFICER IN THE EXECUTION OF HIS DUTY- KNOWINGLY MAKING A FALSE REPORT TO AN ICAC OFFICER OR MISLEADING HIM BY FALSE INFORMATION OR STATEMENTS, AND FALSELY PRETENDING TO BE, OR TO HAVE THE POWERS OF AN ICAC OFFICER.
/MR. HORLEY ·