Are the boys in blue dragging their feet in sympathy with the former NSW Parliamentary Secretary to the Police Minister?

Soon after Steve Cansdell was forced by circumstances to admit to the NSW Nats leader and Grafton police that in 2005 he had signed a false statutory declaration to avoid losing his driving license, speculation began to surface that police in the Coffs-Clarence Area Command would be reluctant to pursue the matter because of their prior contact with him as the MP for Clarence and parliamentary secretary to the NSW Police Minister.

Three weeks after his resignation became public knowledge police have still not interviewed his alleged co-conspirator according to The Daily Examiner on 8^th October 2011:

“POLICE are still to decide if charges will be laid against former Clarence MP Steve Cansdell, three weeks after he handed documents to Grafton police showing he falsified a statutory declaration to avoid losing his licence over a speeding fine in 2005.

On Wednesday evening the prime police witness in the case, former Cansdell staffer Kath Palmer, was yet to be interviewed to progress the investigations.

The Daily Examiner yesterday tried to contact Mrs Palmer to see if she had spoken to police, without success.

Police have not confirmed what action, if any, they will take in the matter.

When Mr Cansdell announced his resignation outside his Prince St office on September 16, he said a third party signed a declaration they were driving his car when he was detected at Woodburn by a speed camera travelling 74kmh in a 60kmh zone.

"I had received a speeding ticket which would have cost me my licence," Mr Cansdell said.

"A third party agreed to claim to be driving my vehicle at the time and took the demerit points.

"I regret my actions six years ago, which I took without thought of the consequences."

Mr Cansdell told the media he wanted a "clean slate" in the lead up to the 2006 election….”

Pic from The Daily Examiner