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McGinty questions Rochford inquest recommendations

Posted October 14, 2008 09:14:00

Jim McGinty

Jim McGinty says he's not in favour of giving police more powers to supress information. (ABC)

The Shadow Attorney General Jim McGinty says he is concerned by suggestions police should be given more powers to suppress information.

In a report into the death of Albany prisoner Simon Rochford, Deputy State Coroner Evelyn Vicker recommend the Government legislate to allow police to suppress information which could compromise an investigation into a serious offence.

Rochford took his own life in 2006, after being named in an ABC news report as a new suspect in the murder of Pamela Lawrence.

The Attorney General, Christian Porter, says the recommendation is sensible and deserves consideration.

But Mr McGinty says such legislation could stifle information which should be made public.

"I have reservations about the wisdom of yet further suppression orders of information [that] should be in the public arena," he said.

"I think on balance that the public interest is best served by not having so many prohibitions on the public being given the information upon which they can make their judgements."

Tags: death, suicide, labor-party, liberal-party, nationals, law-crime-and-justice, courts-and-trials, judges-and-legal-professionals, police, prisons-and-punishment, murder-and-manslaughter, wa, albany-6330, perth-6000

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