Vic: Senior police officer says he can't recall Nixon drop-off spot

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2010
Vic: Senior police officer says he can't recall Nixon drop-off spot

MELBOURNE, April 14, AAP - A senior police officer who drove then chief commissioner
Christine Nixon from the state coordination centre on the day of the Black Saturday bushfires
says he cannot remember where he dropped her off.

Appearing for the first time, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana
has told the bushfires royal commission he drove Ms Nixon to North Melbourne around at
6pm on February 7, 2009.

"I drove her and dropped her off in North Melbourne somewhere," Mr Fontana said.

"I think it was at her home, I'm not sure.

"I had the impression it was close to her home."

Under questioning by counsel assisting the commission, Rachel Doyle, SC, Mr Fontana
said he told Ms Nixon he would keep her informed of developments.

Last week, it emerged Ms Nixon had not only gone home but had dined with friends at
a North Melbourne hotel close to her home after being briefed on the likely asset losses
and rising death toll of the devastating fires.

The commission heard Mr Fontana rostered himself on for the day even though he wasn't
scheduled to work.

"We knew we were coming into a critical period," he told the hearing on Wednesday.

"In my role I took charge."

Mr Fontana said police had been "going non-stop" since about the 2009 Australia Day.

"We were on high alert the whole period," he said.

The commission heard that Mr Fontana worked from 6am on Black Saturday until 1.10am the next day.

He kept a detailed diary of events on the day - as he did throughout his career.

Ms Nixon, now the head of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority,
which coordinates the activities of government agencies and community organisations involved
in the post-bushfires rehabilitation process - is expected to appear before the packed
hearing room later on Wednesday.

AAP ees/jxt/cdh

KEYWORD: TEAGUE FONTANA

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