Government defends Chief Minister's judicial review application as 'standard, lawful process'

The Government has hit back at the GSD’s criticism of the Chief Ministers judicial review application, describing it as a standard, lawful process and not an 'attack' on the Chair of the inquiry.

The Government says it’s entirely standard and proper for the legal costs of a public official, acting in their official role, to be met by the public purse when those actions are the subject of an inquiry. It says this is in keeping with the long established Crown Indemnity, which has been the law for decades.

It argues it’s a fundamental right within our legal system to challenge proceedings one believes are procedurally or legally flawed. Number Six says there’s no contradiction in welcoming the vindication of the Government’s core actions, and the failure of, what it calls, conspiracy theories advanced by Ian McGrail’s counsel, while simultaneously challenging specific findings it believes do not meet the threshold of legal fairness.

The Chief Minister says the GSD's suggestion the two are mutually exclusive is a shallow misunderstanding.

Fabian Picardo says the leader of the Opposition's comments are for his own political ends. Mr Picardo stresses he is not commenting on the judicial review application, but only on the GSD’s statement.