New legislation is to be introduced to see the unprecedented reappointment of Corruption and Crime Commissioner John McKechnie (pictured) to Western Australia’s premier integrity Agency.
Mr McKechnie’s term as the head of the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) is due to expire on 28 April.
Premier, Mark McGowan said Mr McKechnie was the outstanding candidate of the three eligible nominees identified by the nominating committee, which was chaired by the Chief Justice of Western Australia, Peter Quinlan.
“However, the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the Corruption and Crime Commission (JSCCCC) was unable to provide majority and bipartisan support for his reappointment,” Mr McGowan said.
“The Government will be seeking the support of the Parliament to deal with the Bill expeditiously.”
Mr McGowan said if the Bill was passed, it would ensure bipartisan and majority support of the whole of Parliament, not just the JSCCCC, for Mr McKechnie’s reappointment.
He said Mr McKechnie was the only CCC Commissioner to serve a full term and the first to seek reappointment.
“The reappointment of Mr McKechnie is in the best interests of Western Australia,” the Premier said.
“An independent expert panel identified him as the outstanding candidate to continue in the role,” he said.
He said with Western Australia in a State of Emergency, now was not the time to be changing leaders of the State’s top integrity Agency.
Mr McGowan was supported by Attorney General, John Quigley, who said Mr McKechnie’s record as Commissioner was second to none.
“Mr McKechnie is presently leading a number of important investigations and the continuity of these would be interrupted if a new Commissioner was appointed or if we found ourselves without a Commissioner to lead the Agency,” Mr Quigley said.
