Walter Sofronoff comment reveals missed board of inquiry opportunity

Those who were "weak, injured and socially different" would simply be excluded from the pack.

"Occasionally, the pack gives them the left-over carcass of charity or social welfare, but this is only to ensure, deep down, that these people don't get too close to the pack," he wrote in his book, Palm Tree Justice.

The outgoing ACT Director of Public Prosecutions must now feel his story has come full circle, with the legal profession all but certain to exclude him from the pack following a board of inquiry that left his metaphorical carcass in its wake.

As he admitted himself, his position was untenable in the wake of inquiry chairman Walter Sofronoff KC finding he had engaged in serious misconduct while prosecuting former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann.

But Mr Drumgold, who disputes the findings of underhanded and dishonest conduct, included in his resignation announcement some interesting points that risk being lost in the inevitable 21st century rush to "cancel" anyone who ever did anything wrong.

Rather than write off everything the man ever said, those with the power to initiate change should consider his comments about what he described as a "chronic problem in Australia".

The issue is that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, 87 per cent of women subjected to sexual violence in this country do not report it.

Mr Drumgold says he hoped the inquiry would consider issues like this, observing that systems "do not miraculously self-repair".

Centre for Public Integrity director Geoffrey Watson SC later agreed, telling ABC radio "what's really been lost is the way in which we're treating young women in our justice system in sexual assault cases".

Obviously, Mr Drumgold should not be absolved of responsibility for his actions during the aborted prosecution of Mr Lehrmann.

But he is right to point out the inquiry could have achieved more than the scalp of one man.

MORE BOARD OF INQUIRY COVERAGE:

The ACT government called the probe a board of inquiry into the criminal justice system.

In reality, it examined one case and, because of its narrow terms of reference, missed an opportunity to do more.

This was particularly evident when Mr Drumgold's barrister tried to question experienced detective Scott Moller about ACT Policing's approach to other sexual assault cases.

These attempts were swiftly kiboshed by Mr Sofronoff.

"I'm not interested in what's happening now," the chairman said.

"As a citizen, I'm very interested.

"But as a commissioner, I have no interest."

Other citizens would no doubt have been interested as well, given the justice system must deal with far more than what has been described as "a case like no other".

ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury is right to point out that the inquiry's 10 recommendations, with which the territory government agrees, will improve things.

"Once we get past the sensational aspects of it, and the strong words that have been used, particularly to describe Mr Drumgold, in the sober light of day, I think a lot of people will take a lot from this [inquiry] report that will ultimately make the system better," he said on Tuesday.

But would a broader remit for the inquiry have yielded more positive change?

It is hard to argue to the contrary.

Now, however, we can only wonder.

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