source : the age
The former head of New Zealand’s police force will become Victoria Police’s next chief commissioner.
Mike Bush’s appointment was approved by cabinet on Monday ahead of an expected announcement on Tuesday, according to a state government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they did not have permission to speak publicly.
Mike Bush (centre) with Prince William in 2019. Credit: AFP
It is the first time someone who has not worked at Victoria Police has been appointed to the role since 2001, when former NSW Police assistant commissioner Christine Nixon was given the job.
Bush is expected to start his new role in the coming weeks.
He joined the New Zealand police in 1978 and was chief commissioner from 2014 until April 2020. He led the police response to the Christchurch massacre in 2019 as well as the White Island eruption disaster.
He also had a leading role in New Zealand’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2017, it emerged that Bush had been convicted in the past of an off-duty drink-driving offence that happened when he was a 23-year-old police officer in 1983.
If existing recruitment policies had applied in the 1980s, his conviction could have impeded him from joining the NZ police force. He maintains he went through proper processes at the time.
In a citation for his Queen’s Birthday Honour in 2020, Bush was credited with a crime prevention model that helped reduce offending by 20 per cent between 2010 and 2014.
Bush replaces Shane Patton, who was told earlier this year his contract would not be renewed after a bruising no-confidence vote by 87 per cent of rank-and-file officers.
The state government was then blindsided in April when acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent said he would not be applying for the post permanently.
Nugent was widely considered a frontrunner to secure the job permanently after being handpicked by the government and moving across from his role as emergency management commissioner.
“I cannot say, hand on heart, that I have it in me to fulfil the duties of this office for the full five years,” Nugent said at the time.
Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson was also told he would be out of a job when his contract expires in July.
Shane Patton was told in February his contract would not be renewed.Credit: Chris Hopkins
Shadow police minister David Southwick said Victoria urgently needs strong leadership.
“Victoria is facing a crime crisis and urgently needs strong leadership. However, the new commissioner must be allowed to carry out his duties without political interference,” he said.
“Under Labor, those who provide fearless and frank advice often find themselves shown the door.”
The Age reported last week that three interstate senior officers, two serving Victorian officers, the head of an emergency services department and an international commissioner were all candidates for the top job.
Career police officer Tracy Linford was among those tipped as a strong possibility for the role.
Linford served 31 years with Victoria Police before being head-hunted by the Queensland force in 2015 to serve as assistant commissioner in charge of intelligence, counterterrorism and major events command.
She was promoted, in 2017, to deputy commissioner of crime, counterterrorism and specialist operations and has expertise in organised crime, child exploitation and terrorism.
Bush joins Victoria Police at a tough time, when the government is committed to reducing police spending and command looks to increase recruiting and slow a brain drain as hundreds of experienced officers consider quitting. The force will also have to deal with an archaic IT system that still has police faxing documents to court.
