Former Police Commissioner Mike Bush's new Victorian Police chief role at risk after citizenship questions
Former New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush's new role as Victorian Police chief is in question after laws were discovered during his induction that may not allow a non-Australian citizen to step into the job.
9News reported that the Victorian Government was hastily trying to
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NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Former Police Commissioner Mike Bush's new Victorian Police chief role at risk after citizenship questions
Former New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush's new role as Victorian Police chief is in question after laws were discovered during his induction that may not allow a non-Australian citizen to step into the job. 9News reported that the Victorian Government was hastily trying to
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
CCO preferred option for Three Waters
A recommendation for a council-controlled organisation (CCO) to deliver Three Waters services in the Queenstown Lakes district will go out for public consultation on Monday. Councillors voted 8-2 in favour of the recommendation at a full council meeting in Arrowtown yesterday, taking another step in revamping Three Waters delivery in line with the government's 'Local Water Done Well' reforms. In her report for councillors, council strategy and reform manager Pennie Pearce said compared to an "in-house" model, a CCO would provide the "greatest opportunity to deliver high-quality, resilient, sustainable and reliable water services". The council would transfer the district's drinking water, wastewater and stormwater assets — and associated liabilities — to the CCO, but would be its sole shareholder. The CCO would operate independently from the council, with its own specialist board and management. It would not need to consult with the community, but the council would set its expectations and priorities through a statement of expectations. The report said average annual water charges for households would increase significantly under either model, but were estimated to be 10% lower under a CCO in the long-term. The council's debt would significantly decrease, giving it more "headroom" for non-Three Waters capital spending. Mayor Glyn Lewers said he strongly backed a CCO, saying the litany of Three Waters failures the current council had been forced to deal with were the outcome of poor decisions by previous councils. The 2023 Cryptosporidium outbreak, the Shotover wastewater disposal field failure, and the need to truck waste out of Hawea were all the result of "political interference", and had led to households having to pay more for water services. The council was investing nearly $1.5 billion on Three Waters infrastructure over the next 10 years, and he wanted a professional board overseeing that, Mr Lewers said. Cr Gavin Bartlett said the projected reduction in council debt under a CCO would allow the council to "focus on the other services we provide". The two councillors to vote against the recommendation expressed scepticism that a CCO would result in better decision-making. Cr Quentin Smith said it did not guarantee a higher level of expertise, and he favoured an in-house model. Cr Niki Gladding said keeping Three Waters delivery inside the council ensured transparency and accountability. "I think we're going to lose something with a technical board that meets quarterly." The four-week consultation period will end on June 29, with the council expected to make a final decision on July 31.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Eligibility query over new role for Bush
Mike Bush. PHOTO: ODT FILES The appointment of a New Zealander to take charge of a troubled state police force has hit an unexpected speed bump — laws needed to clarify his eligibility. Former New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush was named Victoria's next chief commissioner earlier this month. He was due to take over on June 27, but the Victorian government is scrambling to ensure he is eligible for the job. It moved to an urgent amendment yesterday to ward off any potential legal challenges stemming from his appointment as a non-Australian citizen. The state government's upper house leader Jaclyn Symes said she did not learn of the change until Wednesday night. "There is some common law principles that suggest that there might be an issue for appointing a chief commissioner that is not an Australian citizen," she told Parliament. "That is not definitive, but to ensure that there are no issues, no challenges, it's something that we should fix." It is the latest chapter in a fiasco linked to the role after the sudden exits of Shane Patton and Rick Nugent. Victoria Police was first thrust into turmoil in February, when a no-confidence vote from officers cost Mr Patton his job. Mr Nugent became acting chief and expressed interest in making the move permanent before throwing in the towel in April. Premier Jacinta Allan would not reveal the date the government discovered the eligibility issue, saying it was while sorting paperwork for the appointment. She said the government was changing the law out of an abundance of caution. "It's an archaic law [and] it's also out of step with modern Victoria and the state we are today, where we want to attract the best and brightest from around the world," she said. The Bill will not be able to pass the lower house until June 17 at the earliest, 10 days before Mr Bush is due to start. He retired from policing in New Zealand in 2020, after joining in 1978 and spending his final six years in the top job. — AAP
