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Wednesday May 23, 2012

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Any credibility Nixon had is gone

Posted by: Derryn Hinch | 14 April, 2010 - 4:50 PM
No Nixon-bashing here, she did that to herself today

Today we saw what is left of a former Police Commissioner's reputation and standing in this community being mercilessly, clinically, shredded in the witness box at the Bushfire Royal Commission.

And largely from the words that came out of her own mouth as she tried to reconcile the statement she had made to the Commission. The oral evidence she gave at the Commission last week. And trying to explain why she took time out to go to a pub for dinner at the peak of the worst disaster in this state’s history when nearly 200 people died.

Christine Nixon tried to explain why, after a barrage of emails and phone messages during the day and later that night, there was a three-hour period of total silence while she was incommunicado the night of Black Saturday.

Tried to justify how her statement said she had gone home at 6pm and spent the night monitoring Radio alerts on 774, the Internet, emails, and TV.

After the Herald Sun revealed the story last week that Nixon had in fact gone to dinner with friends she denied she was incommunicado and told Neil Mitchell 'people knew where I was'.

Asked by a dispassionate but relentless Counsel, Rachel Doyle SC who those people were she couldn't answer. Until a lame 'well, I knew where I was'. It was pathetic.

She was asked several times if she had her phone turned off. She denied it. Thought the suggestion was 'abhorrent' but said something like 'to the best of my knowledge'. Not an emphatic 'NO' which could lead to possible perjury charges if something else turns up. After all, this was her second 'please explain' under oath in a week.

Ms Doyle suggested that Nixon deliberately omitted mention of her dinner engagement which put her out of the loop. 'You omitted it to conceal it'.

In evidence last week Ms Nixon said she had a number of conversations with  Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walsh during that horrific day. Today she admitted she did not speak to him once.

In her statement she said she knew at 6am it was going to be 'an active working day'. Not for Christine it wasn't. It turns out she spent a couple of hours in Ascot Vale Saturday morning on 'personal business'. Spent two hours in her office from 1-3 on Saturday afternoon on 'personal and professional businesses'. Not bushfire work. And then at six went home and out to dinner.

For other Police and firefighters and volunteers it was a day of hell. Hour after hour of danger and death. But for Christine Nixon, Chief Commissioner of Police and the supposed Disaster Co-ordinator it was just another Saturday.

I said last week I had changed my nickname for her from 'Mrs Doubtfire' to Mrs I doubt there was a fire'.

Anybody who saw today's shocking, even scandalous, appearance in the witness chair would have to agree.

Blog comments Your Say

  • here here Joe!! I cannot believe that these people can get away with this! If it was a senior constable who acted the way she did on that day what do you think her wouldve done to her/him?? Sacked them!! Now she just will stay there until she is pushed, but Brumby hasnt got the courage to do that!

    alexas Tuesday 20 April, 2010 - 3:47 PM

  • Premier on his farm,Nixon at the pub.

    Do not blame me, YOU ALL voted them in!

    Joe Logan Saturday 17 April, 2010 - 1:04 PM

  • Some of you people are really being a tad critical of Christine... The poor women has obviously had a bad hair day a needed a few hours to fix it. Plus, WHO doesn't need to catch up on the goss with the girls~! Come on~! She slaved for 3 hours, and then limped off home & to the restaurant, with her phone. Who can tell when these damn things are on anyway? She did what every other public servant does - delegated~! Surely she is entitled to look her best, eat and sleep? After 3 hours hard toil, the woman was obviously famished. Sure there was a little fire happening, but these things eventually go out. People will rebuild, property prices will rise, and taxes accordingly. Everyone is a winner~! Just remember our slogan - if we can't kill you with kindness, we'll find some other way to do it~! :)

    Lenny Friday 16 April, 2010 - 9:04 AM

  • What a waste of space this woman is. What does Bracks/Brumby do with an incompetent Police Minister.....why put her in charge of reconstruction of course!! How many houses have actually been constructed?? Over a year has passed, and from my observations, bugger all rebuilt dwellings. Get rid of this incompetent waste of space and more importantly, get rid of the crap State Govt. that put her there in the first place.

    David Thursday 15 April, 2010 - 4:40 PM

  • Obviously Nixon has some good dirt on Brumby as anyone in their rightful mind they would remove her from her current role.

    simon Thursday 15 April, 2010 - 1:07 PM

  • Pride and Trust in our Police Force ??. Take another look. If this is how she behaved in a major crisis how did she behave on a daily basis? Mullet, Ashby,our brave Police men and women and the puublic are paying dearly for her incompetence.
    As for her current job. Talk to a few Kinglake victims and then tell me she is doing a good job.

    Victim Thursday 15 April, 2010 - 12:16 PM

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