Daley Backs Dowling Amid ODPP Media Scandal

0:00Stay informed in two minutes or less with Sydney News today from the Daily News now. New South Wales Attorney General Michael Daley expressed full confidence in director of public prosecution's Sally Dowling during a heated budget. Estimates hearing and state parliament this week. The session spotlighted an ongoing class between Dowling and District Court judge, Penelope Was, over alleged media mishandling in a criminal case. The trouble started last year when an ODPP media manager shared details with two GB radio about a sentencing hearing, Was oversaw for an indigenous teenager. Was had invited the offender to give a short welcome to country before sentencing and the story painted it in a critical light. Lawmakers like Upper House MP, Mark Latham, grilled both Daley and Dowling with Latham claiming many MPs had lost faith in her leadership. He pushed for her removal, but Daley refused to preempt the parliamentary inquiry's findings. Dowling admitted the media contact was deeply regrettable and done without her approval

1:02by new staffers. Police probe possible breaches of child identity rules but filed no charges and the ODPP ran its own internal review. Meanwhile, broader tensions simmer between Was, Dowling and other judges from disputes over sexual assault prosecutions. The inquiry wraps up with a report due by May 8, leaving the future of top ODPP roles in question. Special thanks to our sponsor for supporting this episode, Your Pillow, Your Podcast, Your Moment, Made for Listening in Bed, S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com