Confronting footage of a frail great-grandmother being tasered by police could soon be made public after the state opposition passed a motion in the NSW parliament.
Clare Nowland, 95, was using a walking frame when she was tasered by police at Yallambee Lodge aged care facility in Coomam, in southern NSW, a week ago.
Police say she was approaching them, carrying a steak knife.
Mrs Nowland, a mother of eight who suffers dementia, sustained critical injuries. She is receiving end-of-life care in a local hospital, with family members at her bedside.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb has been under pressure over her handling of the incident after she said she would not watch the video until all the evidence for the critical incident investigation had been gathered.
Senior Liberal MP Damien Tudehope is pressuring the government to release vision captured on the two attending officers’ body cameras, saying Mrs Nowland’s treatment was of grave concern.
He also wants regular updates on the investigation’s progress.
“It’s not good enough for the police to come and say, ‘I can take and release body-cam footage in circumstances where I go and make arrests all over the place’,” he told parliament on Wednesday.
“But when it doesn’t suit them – it doesn’t suit them.
“That’s when the cover-up starts.
“This is especially pertinent when a member of the public is not a criminal or suspected criminal, but a frail elderly, vulnerable person with dementia.”
The motion passed with an amendment that vision of the incident would not be released without the consent of Mrs Nowland’s family.
The motion was opposed by the state government, which argued the investigation needed to proceed without interference from politicians or the media.
Western NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said the probe – which is led by the homicide squad and the Professional Standards Committee of NSW Police, and overseen by the independent Law Enforcement Conduct Commission – should be allowed run its course.
“The video will be released at some appropriate point,” she said.
“There is no cover-up.
“The language used this morning by the opposition about a cover-up is also pretty despicable in this circumstance.”
|
Tasered woman on life support
10 News First – Disclaimer |
|
The motion was opposed by the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers and One Nation, with One Nation MP Rod Roberts calling it “voyeuristic”.
The Greens supported the motion, saying police body-worn video was routinely released during the arrests of accused drug dealers or organised crime figures.
“We need to end police investigating police, right now,” Greens MP Sue Higginson said.
“Calling for greater accountability is the only thing we have available to us.”
Jeremy Buckingham from the Legalise Cannabis Party also supported the motion, adding he believed the family’s consent was important.
“Again and again we’ve seen police release footage that has been in their interest,” he said.
“I can understand why [police] are reluctant to release this.
“It is obviously going to show police in a bad light.”
NSW Police issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the senior constable involved in tasering Mrs Nowland had been suspended on full pay.
He has 12 years experience in the force.
– with AAP
