Stronger protections for the identity of children and young people during criminal proceedings have been recommended by a parliamentary committee today after a young person's name was given to radio 2GB by a media officer within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
This recommendation came despite coordinated attempts by Labor, Liberal and Shooters Party MPs making politically motivated attacks against the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Ms Sally Dowling SC, culminating in an adverse finding against the DPP. The Greens have urged the Minns Labor Government to reject the adverse finding.
The inquiry was cut-short after multiple witnesses refused to give evidence, an issue that continues because the Minns Labor Government has refused to pass draft laws to reinstate the Parliament's powers to compel attendance at Committee hearings.
Greens MP, Solicitor and spokesperson for Justice Sue Higginson said,
"I am dismayed that this Inquiry has strayed from the important matter of identity protections for children during criminal proceedings, focusing primarily on putting a woman on trial for alleged wrongdoing,"
"A First Nations young person's identity was disclosed to radio 2GB by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions but, the Director of Public Prosecutions has given sworn testimony she didn't authorise any disclosure,"
"Despite this sworn testimony, the majority of Committee members have made extraordinary and unsubstantiated allegations against the Director which have no basis in fact whatsoever,
"The Minns Labor Government's determination to avoid accountability by leaving parliamentary inquiries without teeth is having profound consequences, in this case it has jeopardised public confidence in the justice system,"
"I was able to move amendments to the recommendations to call on the Minns Labor Government to progress legislative reform to better protect the identities of children during criminal proceedings,"
