Latest news with #inquiry
CBC
7 hours ago
- CBC
Author wins defamation lawsuit against U of R professor who called book 'racist garbage'
In 2016, Candis McLean self-published a book titled When Police Become Prey: The Cold Hard Facts, questioning the conclusions of the Neil Stonechild inquiry, which found the Indigenous teenager had been in the custody of police the night he died in November 1990.
The Independent
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry to publish first tranche of final report in July
The inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal that led to the wrongful convictions of hundreds of Post Office workers will publish the first tranche of its final report next month. The first volume is to focus on compensation as well as the devastating impact on the lives of victims, and will be released on July 8. Sir Wyn Williams, the retired judge who is chairing the probe, is expected to make a public statement following its publication. The inquiry was established in 2020 to ensure there was a 'public summary of the failings which occurred with the Horizon IT system at the Post Office'. It was converted into a statutory inquiry, giving its chair greater powers to compel witnesses and documents, in 2021. Widely considered one of Britain's biggest miscarriages of justice, the scandal saw subpostmasters prosecuted for stealing after faulty computer software made it seem like money was missing from their branches. Many were sent to prison, shunned by their communities, and faced financial ruin. The report will be available to read on the inquiry's website at noon, and after this it will be laid before Parliament in line with Section 26 of the Inquiries Act 2005. Core participants to the probe, which include affected subpostmasters, will receive a copy of the report in advance.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry to publish first tranche of final report in July
The inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal that led to the wrongful convictions of hundreds of Post Office workers will publish the first tranche of its final report next month. The first volume is to focus on compensation as well as the devastating impact on the lives of victims, and will be released on July 8. Sir Wyn Williams, the retired judge who is chairing the probe, is expected to make a public statement following its publication. The inquiry was established in 2020 to ensure there was a 'public summary of the failings which occurred with the Horizon IT system at the Post Office'. It was converted into a statutory inquiry, giving its chair greater powers to compel witnesses and documents, in 2021. Widely considered one of Britain's biggest miscarriages of justice, the scandal saw subpostmasters prosecuted for stealing after faulty computer software made it seem like money was missing from their branches. Many were sent to prison, shunned by their communities, and faced financial ruin. The report will be available to read on the inquiry's website at noon, and after this it will be laid before Parliament in line with Section 26 of the Inquiries Act 2005. Core participants to the probe, which include affected subpostmasters, will receive a copy of the report in advance.
SBS Australia
12 hours ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Why these empty seats could lead to arrest warrants for a state premier's staff members
Five senior government staffers could face arrest after failing to appear at an inquiry into an explosive-laden caravan found on Sydney's outskirts earlier this year. In a dramatic escalation of an otherwise routine inquiry, the process to arrest the high-ranking staff in the offices of NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley was set in motion on Friday after the quintet declined to appear. Committee chair and independent MP Rod Roberts conducted a roll call for the premier's chief of staff James Cullen and four other staffers before approaching upper house president Ben Franklin to seek arrest warrants. Roberts said the president was non-committal when asked to go to the Supreme Court for the warrants, but Franklin had a "very important and very crucial decision". "All along, Labor has tried to stonewall, delay and ridicule this important inquiry," fellow committee member John Ruddick said on social media. Arrest warrants can be issued to force a witness to attend an inquiry while witnesses who refuse to answer questions can face jail time. NSW Opposition leader Mark Speakman said if Minns had directed staff not to appear at the inquiry into controversial protest and hate speech legislation, "that would appear to be a breach of the ministerial code". The protest and speech laws were rushed through the NSW parliament in February after explosives, antisemitic messaging and a list of addresses of Jewish people and institutions were found inside the caravan at Dural in Sydney's north-west on 19 January. The discovery prompted fears of a terrorist attack or mass-casualty event, as the premier and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dubbed it. In a letter to the committee announcing their intention not to attend, the staffers said appearing before the inquiry "would be at odds with the principles of ministerial accountability". Roberts pressed against that motion on Friday as he addressed empty chairs. "The committee is not seeking to sanction ministerial staff for their actions, only to shed light on the events in the lead up to the passage of the hate speech and protest laws through parliament," Roberts said. Minns attacked the upper house on Thursday for trying to get government staff to appear at inquiries "on a routine basis" as if they were "criminals and under investigation". "And if not, they're under threat of arrest," he said. As members of the lower house, Minns and Catley cannot be compelled to appear at the upper house inquiry to give evidence. But staffers can be forced to appear. Another staffer named in the motion, Minns' deputy chief of staff Edward Ovadia, said in the letter he should be excused from attending the committee because he was on leave at the time and did not attend meetings. The premier and police minister say they have commented extensively on the matter, including at parliamentary hearings and press conferences and during question time.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Liz Truss Hits Back After Jess Phillips Says She Started 'Far-Right Bandwagon' Over Grooming Gangs
Liz Truss has rejected claims from minister Jess Phillips that she started the 'far-right bandwagon' over a grooming gangs probe. The government suddenly decided to hold a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal over the weekend. The announcement was a shock, considering prime minister Keir Starmer accused any politicians calling for such a probe of 'jumping onto a far-right bandwagon' back in January. The grooming gangs scandal went viral at the start of the year when tech magnate and then-Donald Trump ally Elon Musk called safeguarding minister Phillips a 'rape genocide apologist' for not ordering a national inquiry into the historic abuse. While defending her boss's past remarks last night, Phillips claimed former Tory prime minister Truss actually 'started' that far-right bandwagon. The minister told BBC Newsnight: 'I think that what the prime minister was saying – this was in the wake of Elon Musk furore – was that the Conservative politicians, Kemi Badenoch, the shadow home secretary Chris Philp, he was saying they were 'jumping on the bandwagon of Elon Musk.' Phillips then interrupted herself, noting: 'I think it was actually Liz Truss, she gets forgotten in all this story, Liz Truss who started it and then Elon Musk carried it on.' On Tuesday morning, Truss replied on X: 'I accused Jess Phillips of excusing masked Islamist thugs – which she did. 'And of rejecting Oldham's calls for a government inquiry into grooming gangs – which she did. 'It was not a 'far-right bandwagon'. 'It was about holding her to account for her complete dereliction of duty.' I accused @jessphillips of excusing masked Islamist thugs - which she of rejecting Oldham's calls for a Government inquiry into grooming gangs - which she was not a "far-right bandwagon".It was about holding her to account for her complete dereliction of… — Liz Truss (@trussliz) June 17, 2025 Labour insisted in January that a fresh inquiry was not needed as they were still implementing the recommendations from a 2022 report into the scandal, despite substantial backlash. The prime minister has now U-turned, and claims to be following the recommendations of the new independent review from Baroness Casey into child sexual exploitation. The Conservatives have subsequently called on Starmer to apologise for his 'far-right' accusations. But Phillips told the BBC that Starmer was essentially just asking the Tories: 'Where have you been?' She pointed out that Badenoch was the children's minister and Chris Philp was the policing minister under the last Tory government. Phillips also rejected claims that the 'far-right bandwagon' accusation was a 'knee-jerk reaction' to their opponents on the right. She said: 'I think it was because they're politicians who have never cared and thought it was political expedient.' 'We Have Lost More Than A Decade': Labour Unveils 'Damning' Results Of Grooming Gang Review Top Tory's 'Excuse' As To Why Party Didn't Call Grooming Gangs Inquiry In Office Torn Apart Keir Starmer Performs Major U-Turn As He Backs National Inquiry Into Groomings Gangs
