A parliamentary committee in New South Wales has released a report claiming that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Sally Dowling, gave false evidence regarding a media leak about a District Court judge.

新南威爾斯州的一個議會委員會發布了一份報告，聲稱公訴長 Sally Dowling 針對一起關於地方法官的媒體洩密事件提供了虛假證詞。

The issue began in 2024 when negative information about Judge Penelope Wass was shared on 2GB radio. A majority of the committee concluded that the DPP's media manager leaked this information with the DPP's permission. They suggested this was a reaction to Judge Wass's previous criticisms of how sexual assault cases were handled. Although the DPP admitted her office was the source, she denied that she personally authorized the leak, stating she was distracted during the meeting. However, some critics argue that the inquiry moved too far away from its original purpose of protecting children's identities.

此事始於 2024 年，當時 2GB 電台分享了關於 Penelope Wass 法官的負面資訊。委員會多數成員得出結論，公訴長的媒體經理在獲得公訴長許可後洩露了這些資訊。他們認為這是對 Wass 法官先前批評處理性侵案件方式的回應。儘管公訴長承認其辦公室是來源，但她否認親自授權洩密，稱自己在會議期間分心了。然而，部分批評者認為，此次調查已過於偏離其保護兒童身分之最初目的。

Opinions on the matter are deeply divided. Attorney-General Michael Daley and former DPP Nicholas Cowdery described the process as unfair and outrageous. On the other hand, legal expert Arthur Moses emphasized that the seriousness of the findings requires a formal response to keep public trust in the legal system. Consequently, the committee recommended creating a parliamentary oversight body and a formal inquiry to decide if the DPP is still fit for her role. Nevertheless, some members argue that this would allow politicians to interfere with an independent legal agency.

對此事的看法分歧嚴重。總檢察長 Michael Daley 與前公訴長 Nicholas Cowdery 稱該過程不公平且令人憤慨。另一方面，法律專家 Arthur Moses 強調，調查結果之嚴重性要求必須有正式回應，以維持公眾對法律體系的信任。因此，委員會建議成立一個議會監督機構並進行正式調查，以決定公訴長是否仍適合擔任該職務。儘管如此，部分成員認為這將允許政治人物干涉獨立的法律機構。

To solve this, Arthur Moses proposed a system similar to the UK House of Commons Justice Committee. In this model, the committee would only manage administrative tasks, such as funding and general governance. Furthermore, it would be strictly forbidden from interfering with specific legal decisions. This approach aims to ensure the office is accountable without letting political influence affect the judicial process.

為了解決這個問題，Arthur Moses 提出了與英國下議院司法委員會類似的制度。在這種模式下，委員會僅管理行政事務，例如資金與一般治理。此外，委員會將被嚴格禁止干涉具體的法律決定。這種做法旨在確保辦公室承擔問責，同時不讓政治影響干擾司法程序。

The New South Wales government must now decide between the committee's call for more oversight and the argument that such a move would threaten the independence of the ODPP.

新南威爾斯州政府現在必須在委員會要求加強監督，與「此舉將威脅公訴長辦公室獨立性」的論點之間做出決定。