Mick Fuller to sit on the ARL Commission? It’s madness

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Indeed, it was only nine days ago that Fuller quit the board of Police Bank, a financial institution for the law enforcement community, “due to the increased commitment and workload of his role” as Commissioner. Surely that speaks for itself? This is a man whose dance card is already full.

Fuller’s job is so important that I’d be gobsmacked if any police commissioner in Australian history, across all states and territories, has ever taken on a secondary role of the ARL’s nature, so clearly unrelated to his day job. But the most screamingly obvious reason not to do it is because of the perceptions of conflict of interest.

As someone who has held those heavy reins of NSW police commissioner told me: “It is crazy to even take a step down this path. There is a clear conflict of interest in controlling the police and their prosecution effort and at the same time aiding abetting and sometimes trying to limit the damage to those NRL players who might be being prosecuted.”

Get it? If Commissioner Fuller takes the secondary gig, when he speaks in public and votes in private on such matters, is he speaking and voting on what’s good for league or what’s good for police? Are those interests exactly the same? Of course not. Huge men running hard at each other and public safety are entirely different beasts to begin with – and, when it comes to what those men all too frequently do on the sauce and after dark, they are polar opposites. And being absolutely honest, if you were a probationary constable and saw a league player behaving badly outside a nightclub, would you be more or less inclined to arrest him when you know your ultimate boss was a powerful league identity? Honestly, I said!

Ok, ok, ok, because it is you, we know it would make no difference. But again, the public perception is what counts, and if Fuller is on the ARLC it will forever place every police-player interaction under added scrutiny. How was the police treatment of the league player, and the league’s treatment of the police matter, affected by Fuller’s dual roles? Justice is meant to be blind, always acting without fear or favour, and so are justice’s foot soldiers, the police. If Fuller has the dual role, perceptions of fear or favour will always be part of the conversation. It will only be a matter of time before – and I mean this, because I trust Commissioner Fuller’s integrity – absolutely false stories will circulate of some late night league atrocity that was hushed up because Commissioner Fuller fixed it to protect the league. Such false stories damage public trust in an enormously important institution.

Even as we speak two NRL players have made serious claims of police harassment over recent issues. How complicated would it get when the Commissioner of Police, who is also a Commissioner of the ARLC, has to address and speak on that? Which hat is he wearing?

It is madness, Premier, and obvious madness.

Nelly and I say NO, did I mention?

Take two

You two? Let’s just call you for argument’s sake Mr and Mrs Sydney. You don’t have to be married, and, in fact, you can just be friends, but the point is to be comparable in age and ideally, physical ability, while being of opposite genders.

Here’s what I want you to do. Both of you get on all fours, side by side, about a metre apart. Now rest your chin on your upturned palms, while having something soft in front of you. And now the key – stand back everyone – I want you to put your arms behind you, like you were about to dive into a pool with your knees on the block,

And now watch what happens. She barely blinks. No problem. And he . . . teeters over and . . . face-plants! Why is it so, Julius?

My daughter pointed out to me a post on TikTok by @mgfletch with a video explaining that the reason is “men have a different centre of gravity”.

As a journalistic exercise, my daughter researched it. A possible reason that women’s centre of gravity is 8 to 15 per cent lower than men’s is evolution. Because the prime need for females “during pregnancy and infant carriage” is stability, it favoured those with a lower centre of gravity. Isn’t nature grand?

Joke of the Week

Q: How many magicians does it take to change a light bulb?

A: Into what?

Tweet of the Week

“Say what you like about Morrison he leapt immediately into action the moment the public found out.” – @PatrickFConlon2, on the Prime Minister’s reaction to the Brittany Higgins rape allegations.

Quotes of the Week

“Jenny and I spoke last night, and she said to me, ‘You have to think about this as a father first. What would you want to happen if it were our girls?’ – Jenny has a way of clarifying things, always has.” – Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a press-conference on Tuesday morning.

‘If Jen ever gives birth to an unemployed person it could be a gamechanger.’ – Neil McMahon, @NeilMcMahon.

“Today marks another important milestone; next week with the first vaccines marks an even more important milestone. With those milestones we give Australians hope and protection.” – Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announcing the first 142,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had landed in Australia.

“There’s no question – none – that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day. No question about it.” – Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader right after voting to acquit Trump on impeachment charges.

“We’re always talking with producers about how they might diversify their cast and crew. Rather than give them a flat-out no [if their project falls short of our guidelines], we’ll work with them on how they can improve [the diversity of their team]. There are really talented people from very diverse backgrounds out there – actors, crew, everyone – and we just need to make space for them in this industry and give them an opportunity.” – Sally Riley, head of ABC’s drama, comedy and Indigenous programming, saying that the new ABC guidelines would benefit all its viewers.

“Decisions relating to funding of local projects to improve community safety under the Safer Communities Fund were made consistent with the relevant rules and guidelines.” – Scott Morrison saying there’s nothing wrong with Peter Dutton defying the guidelines for the $180 million Safer Communities program by granting cash to projects that had failed the criteria for funding. Nothing to see here, folks.

“The fact this family has had to spend two years in detention, at a cost of $50 million to the Australian taxpayer, not to mention the expense to the family members’ health and mental wellbeing is a disgrace.” – Kristina Keneally, the Opposition spokeswoman for home affairs, regarding the Biloela family still stuck on Christmas Island.

“New Zealand, frankly, is tired of having Australia export its problems.” – New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as a New Zealand/Australian dual citizen was stripped of her Australian citizenship despite having spent most of her life in Australia.

“We feel extremely lucky to be doing our jobs at the moment because I know that some people can’t, so we’re not taking that for granted.” – Dylan Alcott after he and partner Heath Davidson won their fourth straight Australian Open quad wheelchair doubles championship.

“This was not a small operation. They were well organised and well financed. They were well set up and they were intent on delivering death and misery throughout the state and in this particular case, Albury was their town of choice.” – Drug and Firearms Squad Commander John Watson about Scott Miller, a silver medal at the 1996 Olympics, who was arrested on Tuesday following a police intercept several weeks ago of $2 million worth of ice.

“If you don’t wanna have the vaccine, you haven’t lived through what we’ve lived through, and you must be completely crackers.” – NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard encouraging people to have the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they can. (Call for you, Pete Evans, on Line 1.)

“We don’t allow anyone to share misinformation about COVID-19 that could lead to imminent physical harm or about COVID-19 vaccines that have been debunked by public health experts.” – A Facebook company spokesman about why the company shut down former celebrity TV chef Pete Evans’ Instagram account.

Twitter: @Peter_Fitz