In article <95c13ca0-0f87-434f-819a-
be58f5c6128e@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>, sirjhoward@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes...
> Ruthless and grubby: DPP lashes Morris Iemma's team
>
>
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/ruthless-and-grubby-dpp-lashes-morris-iemmas-team/2008/03/26/1206207207272.html
>
> THE Director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Cowdery, has dumped a
> bucket on the Iemma Government, describing it as "ruthless", guilty of
> "grubby" tactics and saying it has "crucified" his office.
Here's a possible reason for the dummy spit:
Office overhaul: DPP told to clean up act
Posted Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:29pm AEDT
Updated Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:07pm AEDT
The New South Wales Auditor-General has handed down a critical re****t
into the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), saying
there needs to be an overhaul of how it is run to make it more
accountable.
In a re****t tabled in Parliament, Peter Achterstraat has recommended the
appointment of a senior, professional manager who would re****t directly
to the DPP, Nicholas Cowdery QC, and introduce better management and
accountability systems.
Treasurer Michael Costa commissioned the re****t after the DPP complained
planned budget cuts would have an impact on prosecutions.
But Mr Achterstraat says the DPP's office needs to be more accountable
about the way it spends its budget.
"The office of the DPP advise us that there's much more work to be done
in relation to each case and that's why it's more expensive," he said.
"We had no evidence to either sup****t or rebut that claim."
Mr Achterstraat says in the past five years, the DPP office's case and
trial load has fallen by 30 per cent while at the same time its budget
has increased by 40 per cent.
"The office of the DPP has the independence to make prosecutorial
decisions without fear or favour," he said.
"This is a cornerstone of our justice system, however this independence
does not remove the obligation for the office to manage its public
resources appropriately."
Attorney-General John Hatzistergos sup****ts the idea of an executive
director and says the position will be created right away.
"Additional resources will be committed by the Government to fund that
position," he said.
"It will be recruited in the normal way through the office of Premier
and Cabinet."
He says it will not impact on the office's independence.
"The independence of the DPP is statutorily protected," he said.
But Greens MP Lee Rhiannon does not agree.
"Clearly if such a position controls the purse strings that will impact
on how justice is delivered in NSW," she said.
In the re****t, Mr Cowdery agreed with most of the recommendations and
said many of them are already being implemented.
--
DM
Eristic extraordinaire
personal opinion only
The Australian Politics Resource
http://politics.sunnybar.dynip.com
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