NSW: Lauer critical of government and successor Ryan=2
Mr Lauer said he had no doubt the allegations had destroyed his career by leading thethen police minister, Paul Whelan, and Premier Bob Carr to believe he had held secretmeetings with the opposition.
Mr Hughes told the court today The Sydney Morning Herald now accepted the meetingsnever took place.
"It was the non-acceptance of my denials by the minister and the government of theday that was hurtful," the one-time top cop said.
"One would expect politicians to realise that everything printed in the newspaper isnot truth, politicians of all people and yet they accepted this and acted on it."
Asked if Mr Ryan made a good commissioner, he quipped: "Time will judge."
He added: "I think one has to accept that the commissioner of police answers to thegovernment of the day and truly the legislation provides for the government to directhim.
While Mr Lauer's case had revisited police corruption during his time, the currentPolice Integrity Commission hearings were revealing a new wave of corruption.
"I'm afraid we will always have corruption, not just in the police service," Mr Lauer said today.
"We've seen it in the rail system, in local governments and right across the community.
"It's a fact of life. The difficulty is having the appropriate strategies to deal withit and powers," he said.
New powers such as the commissioner's ability to remove police he had lost confidencein and changes to the way complaints were investigated would help in the battle againstcorruption.
The public could still trust the "men and women of the police force", he added.
As for the higher ranks, "that's nothing I want to comment on".
Mr Lauer labelled it a disgrace that the paper had taken so long to apologise.
He was also disappointed that Gary Sturgess and Ted Pickering never took the opportunityto correct the allegations.
"Note the still stony silence of the other actors," he said.
AAP dmc/jjs/wo/br
KEYWORD: LAUER SETTLE LEAD 2
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