You might remember that a year ago I criticised the decision of the Victorian government to settle a court action brought against it by a group of African youths alleging that the police force had engaged in racial profiling.

The claim always seemed to me to be utterly absurd, as what could possibly be wrong in the police using whatever means they had to identify the perpetrators of a crime, even if it was their race? But the government gave in and paid out a substantial sum in damages to avoid having to defend themselves.