Notes on bent cop confirmed as missing
01.01.2007
By: Tony Koch
IN his 1989 report on police corruption in Queensland, Tony Fitzgerald wrote one poignant sentence on page 46: ``The only missing cabinet notes over a period of many years relate to the cabinet meeting dealing with (Terence) Lewis's appointment as commissioner of police.''
That appointment occurred on November 22, 1976 -- and under the 30-year rule the cabinet documents are available today for public inspection, confirming that there is indeed no record of the event that was to have such a profound effect on Queensland.
Fitzgerald set out the history -- the animosity between then premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen and the honest police commissioner Ray Whitrod. He wrote that Bjelke-Petersen was being influenced by the Police Union to override decisions and promotions made by Mr Whitrod.
But it was the promotion to deputy commissioner of then inspector Lewis -- jumping him over 100 more senior officers -- that so incensed Mr Whitrod he resigned, leaving the way open for Lewis to be shoe-horned into the top job where he could be depended on to do the bidding of the Bjelke-Petersen government.
History shows it also gave the green-light to some police and politicians to get involved in corrupt criminal activity.
As Fitzgerald noted: ``Whitrod became increasingly concerned at Bjelke-Petersen's interference in police operational matters, which were contrary to Whitrod's understanding of the proper relationship between the government and the police commissioner.
``On October 15, 1976, Whitrod submitted a list of proposed promotions for cabinet approval.
``The name of Lewis was not on the list. For the most senior post of assistant commissioner, Whitrod recommended Superintendent Vernon MacDonald, with the Queensland Police Officers Union choice being Superintendent John McSporran. Lists put forward by Whitrod had previously been routinely endorsed.
``However, on November 15, Whitrod received a telephone call from (police minister) Tom Newberry to say cabinet had decided to appoint Lewis to be assistant commissioner. Whitrod was flabbergasted.''
Fitzgerald noted that Whitrod conceived that he was to be kept there, probably as a ``figurehead, with his reputation as a shield for any malpractice which developed'', so he resigned on November 15, 1976, the day Lewis was appointed assistant commissioner.
At the next cabinet meeting, on November 22, Lewis was appointed commissioner.
Following the Fitzgerald inquiry, Lewis was jailed for 14 years when found guilty of accepting bribes.
The cabinet papers released today also reveal that the Queensland government was paranoid about a federal takeover and legislated to entrench the position of the state's governor to ``provide certain safeguards against federal intrusion''.
A submission, written by Bjelke-Petersen, made it clear the legislation resulted in part from a dispute with the Whitlam Labor government the previous year.
