VICPOL Chief Commissioner of inaugural A380 flight

[Hvr]

Well Melbourne's so called moral guardian Neil Mitchell right wing shock jock and so called journalist is outraged that Christine Nixon, accompanied her husband, himself a former senior executive of Qantas on the inaugural A380 trip to Los Angeles.

Well I cannot see a conflict on interest, VicPol doesn't fly planes and any contractual arrangements would be dealt with at much lower levels.

To be criticised by a radio announcer who has his grubby hands out for any and everything he can grab is ridiculous.

Surely she is entitled to take some leave and accompany her husband on this trip?

What are your views?

 

[oz_mark]

As per this Flying a risky route | Herald Sun (by Neil Mitchell)

But perceptions are crucial here.

Remember when street police were carpeted for accepting free hamburgers at McDonald's? How does that compare to accepting free international travel? How will on-the-road police view that?

 

[nlagalle]

Well Melbourne's so called moral guardian Neil Mitchell right wing shock jock and so called journalist is outraged that Christine Nixon, accompanied her husband, himself a former senior executive of Qantas on the inaugural A380 trip to Los Angeles.

Well I cannot see a conflict on interest, VicPol doesn't fly planes and any contractual arrangements would be dealt with at much lower levels.

To be criticised by a radio announcer who has his grubby hands out for any and everything he can grab is ridiculous.

Surely she is entitled to take some leave and accompany her husband on this trip?

What are your views?

Firstly Neil Mitchell is no shock jock, and never has his "grubby hands out for any and anything". Neil is a very well respected Journalist who has campaigned over a huge number of issues over the years. Certainly no "shock jock".

Personally I cannot stand the police commissioner. I think she has made Vic Police a far worse organisation than when she got here.

As for her taking a "freebie", well I don't think she should have taken it. As police commissioner you need to be seen as impartial and accepting a free trip could be seen as improper.

 

[Hvr]

Firstly Neil Mitchell is no shock jock, and never has his "grubby hands out for any and anything". Neil is a very well respected Journalist who has campaigned over a huge number of issues over the years. Certainly no "shock jock".

We'll agree to disagree about Neil. he is actually taking a free Qantas trip next week so maybe he is jealous he didn't get one last week?

Personally I cannot stand the police commissioner. I think she has made Vic Police a far worse organisation than when she got here.

Can't comment on this.

As for her taking a "freebie", well I don't think she should have taken it. As police commissioner you need to be seen as impartial and accepting a free trip could be seen as improper.

How does this affect her role? I cannot see any conflict of interest at all and it was offered to her husband based on his former role as a Qantas executive.

 

[nlagalle]

We'll agree to disagree about Neil. he is actually taking a free Qantas trip next week so maybe he is jealous he didn't get one last week?

probably best. But as I listen to him most days I highly doubt he would be "jealous".And if Neil is taking a "free Qantas trip" he won't be hiding the fact either. The only reason our beloved commissioner's trip made news was it was discovered by someone else she took a free trip. She didn't say she was going on it.

Can't comment on this.

I know quite a few police and they can't wait for the day she leaves.

How does this affect her role? I cannot see any conflict of interest at all and it was offered to her husband based on his former role as a Qantas executive.

Impartiality. as pointed out in the article above it's the same as accepting police accepting free McDonalds etc.

 

[Mal]

I've done some ethics training previously. Utterly uninspiring stuff!

IMHO, and based on my ethics training, she is in the clear as long as she has declared it as a possible conflict of interest, managed any threat to her impartiality and correctly taken time off work.

The media is a powerful attack weapon which is currently finely homed on several targets - including Qantas. Police forces are also often a good 'target'. (suffering front line police attacked while head honchos party on etc). "Tall Poppy syndrome" is alive and well in Australia as well.

I've met Christine Dixon previously, but that doesn't cloud my judgment of her and her actions.

Would people also be concerned if she was a CL member (which I presume she is!)

 

[serfty]

...
Personally I cannot stand the police commissioner. I think she has made Vic Police a far worse organisation than when she got here.
...

I find very hard to watch her on the news reports either ...

However, it was only with this episode as published in the media today that I realised she is actually married.
This is to one Mr John Becquet, a former Qantas executive - as who's companion she traveled - while on annual leave!

To Quote another commentator from the same radio station:

Her husband, John Becquet used to work for Qantas. He was in charge of crew operations when the airline launched the 747 in Australia in the 1970s. He was understandably invited as a VIP guest and his wife went with him. To use the vernacular that even Mitchell would understand - she was his handbag. A role reversal.

For goodness sake, while I often consider Neil Mitchell quite reasonable; this is one he should have let go through to the keeper!

 

[serfty]

... Would people also be concerned if she was a CL member (which I presume she is!)

I'm sure her husband is CL!

 

[Mwenenzi]

Many others on that first flight would be on free tickets provided by Qantas.

 

[Mal]

Many others on that first flight would be on free tickets provided by Qantas.

Including many media tarts who will then write favourable reviews about Qantas.

Pot. Kettle. Black?

 

[simongr]

Also thinking practically what would they do - offer him a free flight and "oh you can't take your wife"

However there is a question of perception perhaps. One of the government agencies I dealt with whilst in consulting would not come to our offices for lunch presentations and would not let the partner pay for their coffee...

One of the considerations of appropriateness is the materiality of the transaction to the individual - this would you have to say be material to her.

 

[ejb]

I saw this on the TV last night as we are lucky enough not to get Neil here in Sydney.

My first thought was "why is this news?"

My second thought was "because it is anti Qantas and anti Christine Nixon".

She was on holidays with her husband...end of story.

ejb

 

[Kendall Roy]

Police Commissioner Christine Nixon to repay cost of junket | Herald Sun

News Limited - you are a disgrace!

 

[nlagalle]

I saw this on the TV last night as we are lucky enough not to get Neil here in Sydney.

My first thought was "why is this news?"

My second thought was "because it is anti Qantas and anti Christine Nixon".

She was on holidays with her husband...end of story.

ejb

The problem is, she has made a hype over the last few years about accepting gifts and being seen to be impartial. Yet she has gone and done exactly the thying she has been preaching against. In fact the OPI found it cause enough to question her over it.

Her taking holidays does nothing to change the fact that she was given a freebie.

 

[docjames]

[/ places in who cares file]

and it can stay there.

 

[ejb]

The problem is, she has made a hype over the last few years about accepting gifts and being seen to be impartial. Yet she has gone and done exactly the thying she has been preaching against. In fact the OPI found it cause enough to question her over it.

Her taking holidays does nothing to change the fact that she was given a freebie.

She wasn't given a freebie, her husband was, my wife doesn't let me go on holidays without her does that make her corrupt?:shock:

Now she is paying for it anyway so the shock jock idiot and The Age win.:evil:

ejb

 

[Mal]

Now she is paying for it anyway so the shock jock idiot and The Age win.:evil:

If you note the careful wording, she is probably only paying about $1000-$5000 (depending on what her husband's retirement benefits from Qantas are). ID10s? ID50s? etc???

I still think it is stupid, but it was her decision...

 

[nlagalle]

She wasn't given a freebie, her husband was, my wife doesn't let me go on holidays without her does that make her corrupt?:shock:

Now she is paying for it anyway so the shock jock idiot and The Age win.:evil:

ejb

Doesn't matter. What concerned people was she wasn't practising what she preached.

Are you upset she is paying for it?

 

[coolumbla]

i'm a public servant and an academic
I have this thing called a code of conduct for both jobs

I am not allowed to accept gifts from anyone that i may have influence over their commercial relationship with my employer

When i publish articles i have to declare competing interests

I had to give the bottle of duty free scotch back that a personal friend gave me because i occasionally send business to her agency *about 5k a year)
I have to declare a junket from a company that i can't even remember when i give talks on a subject near where they try to sell me stuff

Was Nixon in breach of this code ? Possibly if it was truly free even if her husband got it for her
Does it matter? probably not but she is in a position to determine a commercial relationship so therefore it does
Should she be sacked? probably not but what would she do if a mid level clerk did teh same?

Is it newsworthy and worth discussion?
well , we've all offered opinions!

SHane

 

[ejb]

Doesn't matter. What concerned people was she wasn't practising what she preached.

Are you upset she is paying for it?

Not really but I am disappointed that a person can not do what they want in their free time.

Does anyone actually think Qantas was trying to influence the Vic police to use Qf more? Would she even be involved in such low level procurements?

It is just The Age and 3AW running a political campaign against her.

ejb