Nixon steps down from bushfire authority

Former Victorian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon has quit as chairwoman of
Victoria's Bushfire Recovery and Reconstruction Authority, revealing her sudden
departure under the cover of a federal election announcement.
The state opposition, which has long criticised her handling of Victoria's Black
Saturday bushfires, seized on her timing but praised her for finally seeing that her
position was untenable.
"There's no doubt the timing is extraordinary, both just before the royal commission
report and on the day the federal election is called," Opposition Leader Ted
Baillieu told reporters on Saturday.
"I'm sure Victorians will reach their own conclusions."
The bushfire royal commission's final report, due on July 31, is widely expected to
be critical of Ms Nixon following admissions that she left the state control centre
at 6pm on February 7, 2009, the night of the fires.
She left for dinner minutes after being told people could die in what was likely to
become a major disaster.
While rural Victorian towns burned, Ms Nixon ate at a Melbourne pub with friends and
didn't receive a single call or message from emergency services.
She also admitted that she had not sought any fire updates.
Under the Emergency Management Act, Ms Nixon as police chief was both the deputy
co-ordinator-in-chief of the state's emergency response and a co-ordinator in charge
of the state's disaster plan.
Earlier in the day, she had a haircut and met with a biographer - incidents that saw
her accused of not treating her responsibilities and state-wide role seriously
during a catastrophic bushfire threat.
The truth about her whereabouts on the night of the fires was initially hidden
because she failed to mention it during her testimony at the commission.
After it was revealed in the media and she was called back to the commission,
counsel assisting the royal commission, Jack Rush, said Ms Nixon "attempted to
deceive" in her first appearance and was guilty of a "deliberate omission".
She avoided a looming second round of criticism on Saturday by telling a gathering
of community recovery committees on Saturday that she would step down as chair of
Victoria's Bushfire Recovery and Reconstruction Authority (VBRRA).
She will now take on a voluntary advisory role. An interim chair has not yet been
chosen.
A spokeswoman for Ms Nixon said the timing of the announcement was entirely a
coincidence because the meeting had been set weeks ago and she had decided they
deserved to be told the news firsthand before anyone else.
Ms Nixon said she will still stay involved in bushfire recovery.
"I think it's the best way to set myself a pace that I can continue on with into the
longer term," she said in a statement.
"It's a tough decision to make but I know it is the right one."
Victorian Premier John Brumby was told earlier this week of her decision through a
letter.
The two then spoke on Friday.
He praised her work in rebuilding communities and her "tremendous compassion" in
dealing with bushfire victims.
"It is often forgotten that when Ms Nixon was first approached to be head of VBRRA
she had already announced her retirement as Chief Commissioner of Police," he said
in a statement.
The state opposition said her resignation paves the way for Mr Brumby to face
greater scrutiny over the fires.
"She has gone. That's the right thing to do," Mr Baillieu said.
"This does, however, go to John Brumby's judgment directly.
"He cannot escape the fact that on Black Saturday there was a failure of leadership."



Delete & Prev | Delete & Next