VPL.0014.0057.0001_R2 VPL.0014.0057.0001 This document has been redacted for Public Interest Immunity claims made by Victoria Police. These claims are not yet resolved. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO THE MANAGEMENT OF POLICE INFORMANTS STATEMENT OF THOMAS DONALD LUKE CORNELIUS APM 1. My full name is Thomas Donald Luke Cornelius. I am currently an Assistant Commissioner of Victoria Police. I have held this rank since December 2005. 2. I am the Assistant Commissioner, North West Metropolitan Region. 3. I am also: (a) a member of Victoria Police Command; (b) a member of Victoria Police’s Operations Committee; (c) a member of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Council; and (d) the Chief Commissioner's representative on the Blue Ribbon Foundation Board. 4. I make this statement in response to a request from the Royal Commission dated 8 March 2019. Education background and employment history (Q1) i Employment history 5. I have been a police officer for over 30 years. 6. I joined the Australian Federal Police in 1989. I spent fourteen years with the AFP, reaching the rank of Commander, as the Director of People Strategies. 7. During my appointment as a police officer with the Australian Federal Police, I performed duties in Intelligence and Drug Operations, General Crime, human resources, financial management and Legal Policy. 8. I also served as a United Nations Police Officer with the United Nations Transitional Authority East Timor from May to September, 2001. 9. I joined Victoria Police in August 2003, as Commander, Legal Services Department, a position I held until December 2005. In this position I was responsible for the management of Victoria Police's: (a) Police Prosecutions area; (b) Civil Litigation Unit; and (c) Freedom of Information/Privacy Unit. page 1 VPL.0014.0057.0002 This document has been redacted for Public Interest Immunity claims made by Victoria Police. These claims are not yet resolved. 10. From December 2005 until May 2010, I was Assistant Commissioner of the Ethical Standards Department (the ESD). In this role I was responsible formanagement of the ESD within Victoria Police. 11. From May 2010 to October 2015, I was the Assistant Commissioner for the Southern Metropolitan Region, responsible for the delivery of policing services across the region. 12. From October 2015 until 15 April 2019, I was responsible for leading the Victoria Police response to the Victorian Equal Opportunities and Human Rights Commission independent review into sex discrimination, sexual harassment and predatory behaviour among Victoria Police employees. 13. I have the following tertiary qualifications: (a) Master of Public Administration (Executive), Monash University, 2008; (b) Bachelor of Laws (with honours), Flinders University, 1999; and (c) Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, Australian National University, 2000. I 4. I was admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor of the A�T Supreme Court in 1999. However, I have never practised law in any jurisdiction. 15. In 2010, I was awarded the Australian Police Medal in the 2010 Australia Day Honours List. I have also been awarded: (a) a Police Overseas Service Medal; (b) the National Police Service Medal ; (c) the National Medal; (d) the United Nations Medal; ( e) the Australian Federal Police National Operations Medal; (f) the Victoria Police Service Medal; and (g) a Commissioner's Commendation. My involvement or association with any investigation which had dealings with Ms Gobbo (Q2) 16. In my capacity as the Assistant Commissioner ESD: (a) between April 2007 and approximately May 2010, I chaired the Investigations Management Committee (IMC) forTaskforce Briars (b) between April 2007 and May 2010, I was a member of the IMC for Taskforce Petra. I chaired the Taskforce Petra IMC from6 April 2009 until May 2010. page 2 VPL.0014.0057.0003 This document has been redacted for Public Interest Immunity claims made by Victoria Police. These claims are not yet resolved. 17. As both Taskforces involved various dealings with Ms Gobbo, Iprovide further details regarding my involvement with each Operation below. 18. I have very limited independent recollection of the events detailed below and have relied heavily on my review of available records in making this statement. I stopped regularly keeping a diary in June 2006, and I ceased using a diary entirely in July 2006. My records in relation to the Petra and Briars Taskforces are limited to the Taskforce update papers which were prepared by the Detective Superintendent or Detective Inspector responsible for leading the investigative team. This decision was based on the highly sensitive nature of these investigations. These update papers were presented orally to the IMC at weekly or fortnightly meetings and circulated more broadly to the investigation team. During the IMC briefings, I would make notes on the update paper. 19. I have also reviewed my emails in relation to the Petra and Briars Taskforces. I have relied heavily on the update papers, my notes and relevant emails to refresh my memory. In preparing this statement, I have had the opportunity to review a transcript of the recorded interview I gave to the Office of Police Integrity (OPI) dated 18 May 2012.1 As I noted during that interview, I made it without access to a number of relevant documents and records which are now available to me and which I have reviewed for the purposes of preparing this statement. 20. I have also been shown a number of records which indicate that Ms Gobbo was involved in an ESD investigation called Operation Khadi. I do not have a clear independent recollection of this investigation, although the records 1 have been shown in the course of preparing this statement show that the investigation related to allegations of serious misconduct of Victoria Police members at Brighton Police Station. 21. I have reviewed my diary and emails for references to Operation Khadi. Between 25 February and 22 March 2006 I received some emails associated with my involvement in the finalisation of the notice of proposed dismissal (known as a “s 68 Notice”) of Senior Sergeant Richard Shields of Brighton Police Station: Ms Gobbo featured in the s 68 Notice because Senior Sergeant Shields’s ongoing personal relationship with Ms Gobbo was one of the grounds for the proposed dismissal. 22. There are references to meetings related to the s 68 Notice in my diary entries dated 23 March, 24 March and 3 April 2006 but there is no mention ofMs Gobbo in any capacity in any of these entries. 23. On 6 June 2006, my diary records that Detective Superintendent Rod Wilson and then Assistant Commissioner Simon Overland attended my regular meeting with Superintendent Phil Masters (in charge of surveillance at the ESD) “re Op Khadi”. I 1 VPL.0005.0164.0001 2 VPL.6009.0003.0152; VPL.6009.0003.6709 page 3 VPL.0014.0057.0004 This document has been redacted for Public Interest Immunity claims made by Victoria Police. These claims are not yet resolved. have no independent recollection of that meeting at all. I will return to this meeting in answering question 3. Taskforce Briars 24. Taskforce Briars was established in March 2007 to investigate the murder of Shane Chartres-Abbott, who was fatally shot on 4 June 2003. Taskforce Briars was a joint agency investigation conducted by Victoria Police’s BSD and the Office of Police Integrity (OPI).3 A specialist taskforce was setup to conduct the investigation due to the suspected involvement of current and former Victoria Police members, in particular David Waters and Peter Lalor. 25. When it was established, Taskforce Briars included the following officers:4 (3) Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Abrehart; (b) Detective Sergeant Peter Trichias (c) Detective Senior Constable Stephen Sheahan (d) Detective Senior Constable Stephen Cuxon (e) Mr Daniel Mills; (t) Mr Scott Elliot. 26. I was involved in Taskforce Briars from its establishment. In late January 2007 then Deputy Commissioner, Simon Overland gave me a preliminary verbal briefing about the possibility that Victoria Police might establish a taskforce to investigate the murder of Mr Chartres—Abbott. 27. On 5 March 2007, DC Overland gave me a written direction to establish Taskforce Briars.5 The Taskforce was to be led by Detective Superintendent Wilson with assistance from Detective Inspector Stephen Waddell (BSD) and Detective Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles (Crime Department). 28. From 22 March 2007 until May 2010, I chaired the IMC for Taskforce Briars. Then DC Overland and Graham Ashton, then Assistant Director at the CPI were also members. 29. The IMC was established to provide strategic oversight and direction to the Investigation Team and to facilitate the investigation across the Victoria Police Force and with external agencies. 3 VPL.0005.0012.0610 ‘ VPL.0005.0012.0622 5 VPL.0005.0012.0644 page 4 VPL.0014.0057.0005 This document has been redacted for Public Interest Immunity claims made by Victoria Police. These claims are not yet resolved. 30. As part of its function, the IMC regularly reviewed the operational progress and strategy of the investigation 31. Throughout the operation of the Taskforce, the IMC met regularly, on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Detective Superintendent Wilson would provide updates on the investigation and the IMC would provide direction. 32. From the commencement of the investigation, Taskforce Briars suspected that one current and one former member of Victoria Police assisted with the murder of Mr Chartres-Abbott. 33. The Taskforce was active until October 2008, when the IMC decided to wind it down, due to limited progress in the investigation. We held a final meeting on 27 October 2008. 34. In March 2009, Taskforce Briars was re-established, becaus_- had agreed to provide a statement which opened new avenues of enquiry.