http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/10/03/time-to-bring-the-crime-commission-down-a-peg/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:58:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/10/03/time-to-bring-the-crime-commission-down-a-peg/#comment-1442 Dave Liberts Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-1442 During my now-ceased career as an ALP hack, I once met Bob Debus about 10 years ago and he remains one of the most impressive characters I've ever come across in politics. Great sense of humour, superb streetfighting political instincts and a million stories to tell. The ACC operatives involved in this saga will presumably never be at dinner with him again, which is their loss. I heard (not from Debus) a story where he was once invited to SA by then independent MLC (now Senator) Nick Xenephon to discuss a possible electricity interconnector which was being proposed between the eastern states and Adelaide. Asked at a press conference "have you got a route yet?", Debus apparently replied "Fair go, I've only been here half an hour" to much mirth from the gallery. The red-faced journo behind the question clarified "I mean, will this be going through Victoria?" Debus grinned cheekily and replied "Who's she?". The assembled journos took several minutes to regain their composure. During my now-ceased career as an ALP hack, I once met Bob Debus about 10 years ago and he remains one of the most impressive characters I’ve ever come across in politics. Great sense of humour, superb streetfighting political instincts and a million stories to tell. The ACC operatives involved in this saga will presumably never be at dinner with him again, which is their loss. I heard (not from Debus) a story where he was once invited to SA by then independent MLC (now Senator) Nick Xenephon to discuss a possible electricity interconnector which was being proposed between the eastern states and Adelaide. Asked at a press conference “have you got a route yet?”, Debus apparently replied “Fair go, I’ve only been here half an hour” to much mirth from the gallery. The red-faced journo behind the question clarified “I mean, will this be going through Victoria?” Debus grinned cheekily and replied “Who’s she?”. The assembled journos took several minutes to regain their composure.

]]> http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/10/03/time-to-bring-the-crime-commission-down-a-peg/#comment-1443 John Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-1443 The ACC is actually subject to inquiry by the National Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, if anyone wants to make a complaint. The ACC is actually subject to inquiry by the National Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, if anyone wants to make a complaint.

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