FED: Cutbacks hinder commission's ability to fight crime

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2008
FED: Cutbacks hinder commission's ability to fight crime

CANBERRA, Dec 10 AAP - There are too many bureaucrats and not enough investigators
working for the Australian Crime Commission (ACCC), according to a federal Labor senator.

Senator Steve Hutchins, who chairs the parliamentary committee that oversees the commission,
says budget cuts and a misallocation of resources are hindering its ability to fight organised
crime.

"It's been a misallocation of resources over the past few years that has led to operational
requirements being negated for desk jobs," Senator Hutchins told ABC Radio.

"That's my concern."

Senator Hutchins said a well-known Sydney crime boss receiving an emergency passport
from the Australian consulate in Hong Kong earlier this year was a case in point.

It has been revealed that earlier this year a senior official at the Australian consulate
in Hong Kong approved a fresh 10-year passport for Lam Dao Kiet, also known as Jack Lam.

The passport was issued despite there being outstanding warrants for Lam over drugs
and weapons offences. The 43-year-old fled Australia in 1997 when the warrants were issued.

"There's a failure that seems to have occurred between the issuing of that passport
and the authorities that may be in charge of our criminal intelligence network," he said.

"It may well be that there wasn't the resources there to provide the intelligence."

Senator Hutchins said he expected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to "demand answers" over
the incident.

And once Mr Rudd was made fully aware of the funding issues at the commission "bums
will be kicked", he said.

"I'm convinced that Kevin Rudd is as concerned as all of us are about the inroads that
organised crime is making into the Australian community."

"Not only its effect on families but on the economy."

AAP jcd/maur

KEYWORD: ACC

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