Secret deals in spotlight

Archer challenged on Tassie’s lawyer-police informer links

STATE Attorney- General Elise Archer and Tasmania Police have failed to unequivocally rule out using lawyers as informants in criminal cases in Tasmania.

A Royal Commission has been established in Victoria after it was revealed that state’s police force recruited a criminal lawyer as an informant during the Melbourne gangland wars. The case has put hundreds of criminal convictions in doubt.

In response to an inquiry from the Law Society of Tasmania, Ms Archer said she didn’t know anything to suggest Tasmania Police had recruited lawyers as informants.

“I am not aware of any particular circumstance that would give rise to a suspicion that police have adopted, or are adopting practices, similar to those referred to the High Court,” she said.

A Tasmania Police spokes- woman said “we won’t be commenting on these operational matters”.

The High Court last week described the practice as “fundamental and appalling breaches” of the lawyer’s obligations to her clients and to the court.

“Victoria Police were guilty of reprehensible conduct in knowingly encouraging [the lawyer] to do as she did and were involved in sanctioning atrocious breaches of the sworn duty of every police offi- cer,” the Court said in part. Among those whose conduct is expected to come under scrutiny at the Royal Commission is former Tasmanian Justice Department secretary Simon Overland.

Mr Overland was head of the anti-gangland Purana Taskforce before being appointed chief commissioner of Victoria Police.

He worked in Tasmania from 2012 to 2017, before taking the role of chief executive of the City of Whittlesea, in Melbourne’s outer north. National criminal justice spokesman for the Australian Lawyers Alliance Greg Barns said Tasmanians deserved a more emphatic response.

“The Attorney-General’s letter is not sufficient in our view. It is vague and equivocal,” he said.

“An independent assessment of Tasmania Police should be undertaken that hopefully confirms there is no lawyer-police informer problem in this jurisdiction.”

South Australia Police yesterday said it had not used lawyers as informants since 2000.

The West Australian Attorney-General has also sought assurances from police there that they have not engaged in the practice.

Law Society President Evan Hughes said he was reassured by Ms Archer’s comments.

“The importance of legal professional privilege to the proper functioning of the justice system cannot be overstated,” he said.