Western Australian Attorney General Jim McGinty has appointed Neil McKerracher QC as an Acting Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission, to fill in when the yet-to-be-appointed commissioner is absent.
Western Australian Attorney General Jim McGinty has appointed Neil McKerracher QC as an Acting Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission, to fill in when the yet-to-be-appointed commissioner is absent.
Western Australian Attorney General Jim McGinty has appointed Neil McKerracher QC as an Acting Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission, to fill in when the yet-to-be-appointed commissioner is absent.
The full text of an announcement from Mr McGinty's office
A senior Western Australian barrister has been sworn in as an Acting Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission.
Attorney General Jim McGinty said Neil McKerracher QC would join Acting Commissioner Chris Shanahan SC to handle CCC investigations if the commissioner was absent or unable to hear a particular case.
"A number of powers granted to the commission can only be exercised by the commissioner, so it is critical to always have someone who can fulfil those duties," Mr McGinty said.
Mr McKerracher has been a member of the WA bar since 1990 and graduated in law from The University of Western Australia in 1974.
His legal practice has mainly been in the commercial area and his experience includes:
The Minister said the State Government had advertised nationally for a replacement for Commissioner Kevin Hammond, who announced his retirement last month.
Mr Hammond will retire at the end of March 2007, to coincide with his 71st birthday.
"Kevin Hammond was the first commissioner appointed to the CCC when it was set up in 2004 to replace the discredited Anti-Corruption Commission," Mr McGinty said.
"The CCC is now the most powerful and toughest anti-corruption agency in the nation. It has substantial powers and resources to investigate alleged corruption by police and public officers, as well as overseeing the police service's use of coercive powers to investigate organised crime.
"Commissioner Hammond deserves to be congratulated for overseeing the CCC's accomplishments to date. His long and distinguished legal background has contributed to the commission's success."