CMC needs more staff to deal with confiscated cash

THE Crime and Misconduct Commission will ask Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie for additional members to resource the unit responsible for the civil confiscation of the proceeds of crime.

The CMC told the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee at a public meeting in Brisbane that at present the small team could not meet the demand and this had resulted in a queue of cases yet to be handled.

Acting CMC Chairman Ken Levy told the committee that the problem was twofold - it was difficult to attract members to the unit because of more attractive salaries offered by other departments and when suitable people were employed it took between 12-18 months for them to be trained to an acceptable standard.

Dr Levy added that the unit had already recovered $56 million of assets and money from proceeds of crime and that employing new members would be discussed with Mr Bleijie.