The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) should widen its investigation into who leaked information about drug use by a Bulldogs rugby league player, the NSW opposition says.
Opposition Leader John Brogden has called on the PIC to investigate who leaked to the media the contents of a tapped phone call made by a Bulldogs player, and not just who disclosed the details to the head of the Bulldogs club the next day.
The PIC recommended criminal charges be considered against Deputy Police Commissioner Dave Madden and Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons for breaching the Telecommunications (Interception) Act during a meeting with Bulldogs chief Malcolm Noad on April 5, 2004.
The meeting came a day after the Nine Network reported that police investigating the Bulldogs Coffs Harbour rape allegations had found evidence of drug use during a tapped phone call made by a Bulldogs player.
Mr Brogden said the PIC's investigation had been too narrow and should focus more on who leaked the details to journalists on April 4, not just which police leaked the information to Mr Noad the next day.
"Dave Madden is the patsy for the release of information earlier in the week to the media," he told reporters.
"What the PIC has failed to investigate at any point is why the information ... was leaked to the media, from the police on these investigations initially.
"We've got the second half of this but we don't have the first half."
Mr Brogden said he had written to the PIC commissioner demanding a new investigation.
But he stopped short of calling for the Nine Network reporter to disclose his confidential source.
"The reporter shouldn't be forced to divulge his source," Mr Brogden said.
"The NSW Police should investigate, with the Police Integrity Commission, why the information was given across in the first place.
"It would not be hard for the police to work out who gave this information to the media."
Mr Brogden declined to say what disciplinary action Police Commissioner Ken Moroney should take against Mr Madden and Mr Parsons.
But Mr Madden had "clearly" acted wrongly when he disclosed to Mr Noad details of the tapped phone call, he said.
Mr Moroney said he would consider disciplinary action against the pair.
