00:02Western Power admitting it's got a toxic problem.
00:06It's been a challenging few weeks for the organisation.
00:09One of its own, Geoffrey Spinner, was convicted of raping a junior colleague on a work trip
00:15and now the possibility it's not an isolated case.
00:19We've now had another serious allegation presented to us from a former Western Power employee.
00:27A very credible complaint. We're taking this very, very seriously.
00:30The minister ordering an independent investigation into the organisation,
00:36plus swift action to ban character references in all criminal cases.
00:41The law changed after Spinner's colleagues assisted the defence,
00:45providing glowing references that rape was out of character.
00:49The good bloke defence simply doesn't stack up.
00:51The legislation to be introduced next year met with mixed reviews.
00:55If these laws come into effect, it'll mean judges effectively sentence people in the dark.
01:01I may be old fashioned, but I think judges need as much information about a person as they can have.
01:06We should just strictly concentrate on the conduct of the offender
01:10and on the objective evidence that comes before the court,
01:14as well as the profound harm that is caused to victims and survivors.
01:19New South Wales banned good character references at sentencing earlier this year.
01:24Three of the Western Power employees who provided character references for their former colleague
01:29remain stood down as this investigation continues.
01:33N-
01:34N-
Comments