Illicit trade in native wildlife - witnesses Ando, Plant, Dawson, Green

t12/sa
CCC
WITNESS: - - - if they could attend the area. I believe it
was some days later, from the - - is that the case?
MR HALL: Yes?---Yeah. Okay. So, we - - you know, we would
have definitely conducted a formal investigation into that and
if we'd found out that had been Phil Green I know that he's a
point of interest - - sorry, a person of interest for Customs
and I would have passed that information on as well.
Now, you've mentioned getting information from BCI. There is
a procedure whereby that's done. A formatted document that
you'd utilise?---Yeah. In fairness, I've probably only ever
done it five or six times. It's normally been the
responsibility of the person that works with me to do that.
So - - but my understanding of - - of how I've done it in the
past is either a fax, or now you can go by email - - it's sent
off to BCI. Then it's normally returned reasonably promptly
and then you deal with whatever comes.
All right. Well, on the morning of the 8th of September 2004
- - it may not have been the morning. At some time on that
day did Mr Ando speak to you about an anonymous report that
he'd received?---I don't recall the day but I - - I clearly
recall the incident because it was as a result of two separate
bits of information, two different information that we had
about someone who potentially may have been nest robbing.
Another one was done by an officer by the name of Matt Dowling
- and it was during the 2 weeks that I'd been away on a
kangaroo job just previously - and he'd actually, you know,
filled out IRs, done the checks and whatever, and I followed
up. And then that morning Andrew came to me with words to the
effect of, "I've received anonymous information", which is not
unusual, "About someone looking at - - someone with a ladder
on their car and galahs looking very stressed." Now, at the
time I was very busy. I can't recall whether I said, "Can you
please do the rego?", or he offered, but either way Andrew
went off and conducted the rego check. Well, he said to me
that he was going to.
Right. Now, did you ever hear back from him?---Yes. I can't
recall whether it was the next day or the day after. He
definitely came back into my office. He said to me words to
the effect of, "It's anonymous information. The rego doesn't
match the vehicle", or words to that effect. And I had a
laugh with him at the time saying that anyone driving around
with a ladder on their roof chasing galahs is an amateur and
is asking to be caught. And at no time did he say to me that
he had not received the fax. If he had not received the fax
then I would have suggested to him that he should probably resend
it.
23.11.04 R.D. DAWSON XN 149
10.57