Conflict of interest

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11171482%5E1702,00.html

He sold them "when he became aware of the conflict of interest." Did he
eventually figure it out himself or somebody point it out to him?

Nice to know such an intelligent person holds this position.

 

How in hell is it a conflict of interest?

Does he, personally, have control over which company the NSW police
service or RTA buys speed cameras from?

Is he, personally, behind the drive to install speed & red light cameras
everywhere, including up Aunt Fanny's arse?

Does he, personally, sit out & take photos with said speed cameras, and
use them excessively to make them seem like a good idea so the NSW
police service & RTA will buy more of them?

I don't know the answer to the first question, but I'd suspect it's
"no". I'm 100% sure the answer to the second question is a resounding
"No" - the driver for this one is coming from the politicians, not the
coppers.

Since he's a chief superintendent, I seriously doubt the answer to the
third question is yes either.

So where is the conflict of interest? How is the fact he owns shares in
a company which makes & sells speed & red light cameras directly
benefitted by his position?

DaZZa

 

Chicken and egg... it can always work the other way around... wait for
contract to be signed, then buy shares accordingly.

As a chief superindendent, he'd be someone with at least a modicum of access
to the higher ups who make the decisions, wouldn't he?

No, but he has underlings whose operating procedures he can influence to
that effect.

There's a mob in the UK, called Transport2000, who lobby for evermore speed
cameras, lower speed limits and the introduction of active speed limiters in
all vehicles. They portray themselves as being made up of ordinary concerned
citizens fed up with the fact that noone seems to think of the children.

Their chief corporate backer is a company making its money from GPS tracking
systems for buses.

I suppose you think everything's halal there, too...

 

The article reports that he is the state's top traffic cop, and as such he is
almost certainly on the board or committee which makes decisions related to
speed camera purchases and probably a signatory on contracts with speed camera
manufacturers/operators.

Dividends and capital gains for starters...

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

I own shares in Redflex. If I ever get done by a camera can I claim
"conflict of interest" too!

 

Because he is, or could perceived to be, in possession of non-public
information that could have a bearing on the market price of his shares. It
is ethically and morally and legally wrong of him to take advantage of his
public position (or of inside information derived from his position) to
derive personal gain or profit. Whether or not he does benefit from his
position is irrelevant. He must be, and be seen to be, squeaky clean. This
applies to many professions. Off the track slighly, if he was a smart copper
he'd have set up a blind trust like those upright members of our parliament.
One rule for them, another for the rest of us poor bastards.

abacus.

 

only if you knew in advance you were going to get done and used that
information to punt on the affect of your piccie on the fortunes of the
company's shares.....

abacus.