Dan Andrews creates new Police Command for "Gender & Inclusion" headed by his former Chief of Staff
Tuesday, 03 December 2019
When I was a copper there were 8 Assistant Commissioners who headed up commands like Crime, Operations, Traffic, Internal Affairs and the like.
Now there's to be a police command called "Gender Equality and Inclusion".
Daniel Andrews former Chief of Staff Brett Curran will head it up.
Bureaucracies find work for themselves.
Only this one is particularly scary.
It will have all the powers of police - the ability to get search warrants, telephone intercepts, powers of arrest - the whole police box and dice.
To enforce "Gender Equality and Inclusion".
Daniel Andrews’ chief of staff during his time as opposition leader has been promoted to a top Victoria Police role.
Commander Brett Curran will take over as Assistant Commissioner for Gender Equality and Inclusion Command from Monday.
Mr Curran left the force in 2007 to work as the top adviser to then-police minister Bob Cameron.
He was in Mr Cameron’s office when the minister approved a $2.8 million taxpayer-funded payment to gangland lawyer-turned-police informer Nicola Gobbo, just before the 2010 state election.
Mr Curran then worked for Mr Andrews while Labor was in opposition, before he was controversially appointed chief of staff to Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton in 2015.
His promotion to the role was criticised at the time as a potential conflict within both Labor and Liberal ranks.
Mr Ashton on Monday said Mr Curran was an “outstanding police officer and leader” and would strive to create safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces in his new role.
“With 31 years at Victoria Police, he is one of our longest serving commanders, with a proven ability to work through complex matters with skill and sound judgment,” Mr Ashton said. “Over the past five years we have made great progress in driving cultural reforms across Victoria Police.
“But we know that an ongoing commitment is vital if we are to sustain the momentum, and I am confident that Brett will bring that focus and energy the organisation needs to deliver lasting change.”
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien blasted Mr Curran’s promotion as a “major error of judgement”.
He said no appointment should not proceed until the end of the Lawyer X royal commission “given Brett Curran’s connection to many of the issues being considered by Her Honour, Commissioner McMurdo”.
“Brett Curran — Daniel Andrews’ former chief of staff — is a Labor political warrior. That goes with the job of chief of staff to an opposition leader,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Victorians deserve an apolitical police force. Making the Premier’s former chief of staff an Assistant Commissioner undermines Victoria Police’s reputation for political impartiality.”
Commander Libby Murphy from Southern Metro Region will also be taking on a new job.
She will replace Stephen Leane as Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing Command from next week. Her biggest challenge will be to reduce road deaths.
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said Cdr Murphy moves into the role at a “critical time”.
“Many people have experienced the devastation of losing a loved one on our roads in 2019,” he said.
ENDS
Bring back Vernon Demarest.