What we're talking about

Christine on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' isn't it funny how DHS don't recognise the psychological effects of domestic violence on children and continue to allow ... more
Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' There is a family In the Cairns Area who are Foster Carers.Atherton Child Safety have threatened the carers and own ... more
duncan on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i have spent time with this family. it is a house full of love. "mum", grandfather and older sblings.this cannot be an issue ... more
Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Family Law is different from the rest of the law in this country.. Ie. Family Law is based on probability: ie if it might ... more
carol annetta on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' having known this family for some time i am disgusted with the treatment she has received. it seems more of a witch hunt ... more
Maureen Hillary on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Derryn,I have counselled traumatized parents as a result of DHS staff.There are great staff workers who care but they ... more
Janet Tavener on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I am a visitor to this country.My attention was drawn to the case of these children and their foster mother by a relative of ... more
sam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Happening in Tasmania also.Wewon a court case over 8 months ago and due process still hasn't been done.We spent 17,000 ... more
Anne Glover on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I just cannot believe what the DHS has put the Foster Mother, and the children through - I thought the DHS was supposed to ... more
Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' DHS are the most disgraceful organization I have ever had the displeasure of becoming involved with. They are so ... more
Vicki on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hi Derryn,I have known this carer since primary school, she has always put others above herself. Being a carer myself I know ... more
Gran'ma Pam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' As any of us with any sense know, these children should NEVER have been taken from this lady (mum) in the first place, they ... more
Dominic Lombardo on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I see my daughter every six months DHS are conducting a vendetta against me I have not been told why I can only see her ... more
cassy houghton on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hello Derryn,Firstly i would like to thankyou for your support and the willingness to help this beautiful family.I ... more
Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Im a carer also in Qld. I see this happen way too much from our Government. They are starting to use Carers own children as ... more
paul on "I'll pay the fee," says Hinch I believe what Liberal Party has done is stupid. But I feel for candidates like Joh Bauch and James Buonopane who want to ... more
Andrea on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Why are these public servants allowed to blatantly flout the law without the same consequences the rest of society faces? I ... more
birth mother on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i am the birth morther of these 4 children and i just want to say dhs dont care they just want the kids in care so they can ... more
Frances Goff on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Derryn, Firstly, Happy BirthdayHaving worked in a primary school for 15 year I have seen some terrible things regarding DHS ... more
Karen on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hi Derryn, I have known these children through "the system".for all of their lives. I have had regular contact with them ... more

Simon Overland gets a #FAIL

Posted by: Derryn Hinch | 10 June, 2010 - 5:46 PM

Police Chief Simon Overland should look at his behaviour over the past 24 hours and, if he were being totally honest, he would give himself an F for failure.

But this man apparently can’t take personal criticism so he probably can’t see what damage he has done to his reputation.

I’ll give you an example: A friend, who has been a staunch supporter of the Chief Commissioner, watched his performance on the TV news last night as he churlishly, and childishly, refused to answer questions from The Australian, and said: ‘what’s he hiding?’

It’s a complex story: In précis, Overland is accused of taking confidential information from a secret, but legal, phone tapping operation to investigate a murder that may have involved police officers, and using it for personal reasons.

To try to head off a planted and damaging story about him on 3AW’s Rumour File. A story that he was planning to take a $100,000 junket at taxpayer’s expense to attend a policing conference in France.

He passed the info, he could only have got from a tapped phone, to Stephen Linnell, head of Police Media, so he could smother the story. Linnell then alerted others that their phones were tapped. Operation Briar was compromised.

Overland eventually did not take that trip. But remember this was at the time a lot of senior police were jockeying for the top job to replace Christine Nixon. Among them Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby, supported by Police union boss Paul Mullett.

They later faced public humiliation at OPI hearings, were later charged with criminal offences but the charges were dropped. Linnell pleaded guilty.

The question: Was the Police Commissioner, then a Deputy, guilty of illegal activity by leaking confidential wiretap information for his own personal gain?

He says it was ‘operational’. How a smear rumour about a French junket was even remotely connected to a murder investigation escapes me.

But getting back to yesterday’s performance. On the Mitchell program Overland first dismissed The Australian story as rubbish. A distraction. He said ‘I’m here answering your questions. And I’m sure I’ll answer the questions of many other interested folk in the media during the course of the day. It’s one thing I’ve always done. I’ve fronted up. I’ve answered the questions.’

It turned out a few minutes later that meant only questions he liked and not from The Australian newspaper’s reporter. Six times he said ‘next question’. It was childish. It made him look like the newspaper report was right. It made him look like he was avoiding calls for an independent inquiry. It did not sit well with the public.

We’ve already had one Police Commissioner ducking and weaving and playing smarty pants with the truth. We can’t afford her replacement being painted with the same odorous brush.

Australian 'disgraceful': Top Cop

VIDEO: Chief Commissioner Simon Overland has accused The Australian newspaper of running a campaign against him after he was critical of the paper leaking details about anti-terrorism raids. Watch his denial in relation to the serious allegations.

Blog comments

Simon Overland has never had respect from those under him and he never will. How can you lead an organisation without respect. He has always been seen as being in the same mould as Christine and is refered to as Christine's son. They are identical and we all know what has become of Miss Nixon and Simon will go the same way and drag the reputation of the force down with him. He is not fit for the position and never should have been appointed.

Martin - Chiangmai Friday 11 June, 2010 - 1:27 PM
He always has been a complete and utter replica of Christine Nixon in mentality, honesty and experience in REAL POLICING - don't expect the truth from Overland either!

Judith Vincent Thursday 10 June, 2010 - 6:53 PM