30 April 2001 Media Statement

Police Minister Welcomes Changes to Police Executive

The Minister of Police, George Hawkins, has welcomed the announcement today of proposed changes to the structure of the Police Executive.

The Commissioner of Police, Rob Robinson, announced the proposals today, which include reintroduction of the rank of Assistant Commissioner. Four new Assistant Commissioners will be appointed, including an Assistant Commissioner Northern and an Assistant Commissioner Southern who will each be responsible for co ordinating and managing a set of Police Districts.

The proposed changes would see the Police Executive reduced from its current 24 members to 12 members, by September this year.

Mr Hawkins has been pushing for change to the Police Executive since Rob Robinson was appointed as Police Commissioner last year.

"I am pleased that the Commissioner has been responsive on that issue" said Mr Hawkins. "He has done the work necessary to make police management more efficient".

Mr Hawkins said he is looking forward to seeing how the new streamlined operation will perform once details have been finalised."

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>