Whelan censured over Cabramatta policing
AAP, 8 March 2001

New South Wales Police Minister Paul Whelan has been censured over the recent inquiry into policing in Cabramatta following a successful Upper House motion today.

The motion was moved by Greens MP Lee Rhiannon and carried 19 votes to 15.

Ms Rhiannon moved the censure motion against Mr Whelan for "his interference in committee proceedings and his statements that the inquiry should be terminated".

Mr Whelan has publicly criticised the Upper House Committee's handling of the inquiry which heard allegations from a former Cabramatta detective that a report on a brewing gang war was ignored by senior police.

Detective Sergeant Tim Priest alleged one of the state's most senior officers, Assistant Commissioner Clive Small, ignored the report which he claimed could have prevented about 40 shootings and a several murders.

Ms Rhiannon said it was the first successful Legislative Council censure of a Lower House minister since 1987.

But she conceded it would not necessarily change Mr Whelan's behaviour.

"Yes it's true as you say that nothing actually will happen to him because of what we passed, but still the government are in damage control mode right now," Ms Rhiannon told reporters.

"I acknowledge that he is not going to resign and there is no obligation on him to change his behaviour, but it hasn't happened before.

"A censure motion is something clearly the government would have preferred not have happened ... considering the degree to which the Labor government are into spin, controlling their image, what we have seen is that they lost out badly today."

The Cabramatta community welcomed the censure motion.

"The call by the police minister to shut down this inquiry is an attempt to shut up long suffering Cabramatta residents and businesses," Fairfield Councillor Thang Ngo said.

"I consulted the community yesterday and they are rightfully angry."