9 November 2019

Anthony Kelly of the Flemington-Kensington Community Legal Centre reports on the violence unleashed on protestors by Victoria Police in recent months, and reminds us that this is the tip of the iceberg — most police violence occurs away from the scrutiny of media and legal observers. And under the current accountability system, complaints are almost entirely investigated by fellow police: “Last year, a wide-ranging inquiry into police oversight in Victoria recommended the establishment of a police misconduct and corruption division within IBAC. It also called for an increase to IBAC’s powers. The parliamentary committee acknowledged the clear public interest in a complaint system where allegations of serious misconduct are independently investigated by trained and unbiased IBAC investigators, not by other police. Fourteen months on, there has been no response from the Andrews Labor government. Meanwhile, the Andrews government has provided extraordinary increases to the police budget since it was elected, overseeing a massive expansion in police numbers, capacity, weaponry and powers. And yet Premier Daniel Andrews seems resistant to the idea of strengthening the state’s police accountability system.” Please support Melbourne Activist Legal Support and the Flem-Ken CLC’s Police Accountability Project with your money and your time.