The Background to the Application
9The applicant was, on 12 March 1998, found guilty by a jury of two counts of stealing a motor vehicle, one count of robbery, and one count of maliciously wounding with intent to prevent his lawful apprehension. In short, the facts alleged were that the applicant and an accomplice had stolen two cars, and, using them, robbed the Commonwealth Bank at Casula Mall of about $510,000. An off-duty police constable who happened to be shopping in a nearby newsagency with his wife, attempted to tackle the applicant to prevent his escape. But in the course of performing that manoeuvre the constable was shot. The evidence against the applicant at trial consisted of admissions to police, evidence from the accomplice, and a body of circumstantial evidence. The circumstantial evidence included his having spent $125,000 in cash on consumer items shortly after the robbery, the finding of $100,000 in his home at a place where he told police it was hidden, the presence in his home of some firearms and ammunition, the calibre of the ammunition being consistent with that of the bullet which shot the constable, and telephone contact between the applicant and the accomplice on the morning of the robbery and afterwards.
10The convictions were upheld on appeal. A significant issue at trial concerned admissions the applicant was said to have made to police. After objection was taken to that evidence, the trial judge, Judge O'Reilly QC, admitted it. In doing so, His Honour rejected evidence given to him by the applicant that police had obtained the admissions by improper means, and he accepted the evidence of a police officer that they had not. The admissions were the subject of argument and some additional evidence on appeal. But once more, the issue was decided adversely to the applicant, and his appeal was dismissed.
11Judge O'Reilly imposed a number of concurrent sentences, the longest of which had a head sentence of 16 years, with a minimum term to expire on 2 April 2010. His head sentence expires on 2 April 2014.
12Throughout the course of his incarceration, and consistently with his assertion at trial that police had acted improperly in obtaining confessional evidence from him, the applicant has denied his guilt for the offences for which he was convicted. Consistently with that denial, he has declined to participate when offered relevant opportunities to undergo rehabilitative programs or be assessed for fitness to undertake them. However when it has come to undertaking trade courses and accepting work opportunities in the prison system, he has taken advantage of all of them. And in general terms, his conduct in the prison system has been very good.
13The relevance of an offender's denial of guilt and refusal to participate in custodial treatment programs to the Authority's decision concerning parole has often been considered. In DCU v State Parole Authority of New South Wales [2006] NSWSC 526 Johnson J summarised the relevant principles, noting (at [48]) that it would be erroneous to refuse parole solely because of a denial of guilt and a refusal or inability to undertake a custodial treatment program, though (at [50]) a denial of guilt and refusal or inability to enter a rehabilitation program would remain relevant to the decision whether or not to grant parole.
14At paragraph 30 of a report by SORC of 1 December 2009 this was said:
"Over the years of imprisonment, while Clark has demonstrated poor attitude towards program participation, yet his behaviour and conduct have been acceptable. He has consistently been described as a polite and compliant inmate who has not posed a security risk or management problem for staff."
15But in that same report SORC concluded inter alia:
"This career criminal has a lot to do: change his attitude to program participation with the consequential hard work that he will have to undertake. Or has a lot of time further to waste. Council advises that it is not appropriate for this offender to be considered for release on parole."
16Each of the decisions the subject of this application was based inter alia on a SORC report.
17At its meeting on 31 March 2010 the Authority found it was not satisfied the release of the applicant was appropriate in the public interest. In making that finding it summed up its position in the following way:
"Unlikely to adapt to normal community life, unwillingness to comply with conditions of parole, [lengthy violent history and lengthy criminal history], risk of reoffending [limited participation in relevant programs], needs to address offending behaviour (Therapeutic) [needs to participate in therapeutic program to address violence e.g. VOTP etc], needs to address offending behaviour (General) [needs to participate in program(s) to address violence e.g. Anger Management etc], need for post-release plans [structured post-release plans in the community], needs to participate in the external leave program and SORC advised that it is not appropriate for the offender to be considered for release on parole."
18Although the applicant's first application sought to have orders made directed to that decision, I accept Ms Johnson's submission that it was superseded by the decision on 10 February 2011 and that that is the one to which this application is directed: see also Sutton at [21]. Although there was no argument about the issue, I took Mr Segal to concede that the first application ought be dismissed regardless of the outcome of the second.
19SORC made a supplementary report on 14 December 2010. In paragraph 1 it quoted from its earlier report, in particular this:
"[T]his career criminal has a lot to do: change his attitude to program participation with the consequential hard work that he will have to undertake."
20SORC then considered a probation and parole pre-release report dated 12 April 2010. It then observed inter-alia the applicant had:
"...continued to maintain his refusal to be assessed or undertake any offence targeted programs. Until Mr Clark is either able to establish his innocence or accept responsibility for his offending behaviour it is the recommendation of the service that the inmate's release to Parole not be granted".
21Paragraphs 3, 4,5,6 and 7 provided:
"3. Clark was scheduled to be interviewed by an Assessment Committee of the SORC at Wellington Correctional Centre on 10 March 2010, however he refused to see the committee.
4. At its meeting of 7 April 2010 the SORC reviewed Clark's matter and recommended he remain as is, classified B, Wellington Correctional Centre. In making this recommendation the Council noted:
- Inmate continues to refuse Assessment Committee interview and offence targeted programs.
- Inmate needs to address offending behaviour.
- Council will write to inmate advising what programs are necessary.
- Council will review in 12 months unless inmate commences offence targeted programs.
- Good education and work reports.
- Non-parole period expired 2 April 2010, latest possible release date is to April 2014.
The Assistant Commissioner (Delegate of the Commissioner) approved these recommendations on 5 May 2010.
- In correspondence to Clark, dated 24 May 2010, advising the above decision, Council advised that in order to progress in classification, he will need to participate in suitable offence targeted programs, including the VOTP and AOD programs. Clark was recommended to make contact with psychology and AOD to determine the suitability for programs.
- A review of case notes since Council's last report:
- In January 2010 Clark was offered an opportunity to attend a pre-interview session for Getting Smart but refused stated "I don't need it".
- In discussions with custodial staff continues to maintain his innocence and refuses to undertake programs. Indicates he is aware refusal to undertake programs will impact on his parole.
- Continues to be a willing and enthusiastic worker and attracts very good work reports.
- Council notes advice of 10 December 2010 from Kerrie Wootton (Probation and Parole Officer, Wellington Correctional Centre) that:
"During the past 12 months Clark appears to have maintained satisfactory institutional behaviour, he however has continued to maintain his innocence, refused to participate in any therapeutic programs or to cooperate with SORC. When challenged about his intentions to comply with instructions from his allocated PPO post-release, particularly in relation to the completion of therapeutic programs he indicated that he would not comply with any such direction. Therefore, at this time it is my intention to recommend that Mr Clark not be released to parole"."
(My emphases: hereafter I shall refer to that advice from Ms Wootton as "paragraph 7")
22The Authority considered that report by SORC and, relying on it, denied the appellant parole on 10 February 2011.