Webb’s gin ‘tradition’ under scrutiny
Written by admin on August 7, 2024
A “tradition” of buying gin for dignitaries by NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb is being investigated, with the probe looking into whether the use of taxpayer dollars is appropriate.
Ms Webb has defended her decision to buy alcohol after allegations were tabled in NSW parliament on Tuesday.
She explained that the purchase of bottles of gin follows a tradition set out by her predecessor, former Police Commissioner Mick Fuller.
“‘After becoming commissioner, I was informed by the previous (NSW Police) Commissioner (Mick Fuller) of his practice of providing bottles of commissioner’s signature shiraz wine as courtesy gifts for visiting commissioners and dignitaries from other jurisdictions’,” Ms Webb wrote in a text to 2GB journalist Ben Fordham, who told his listeners on Wednesday about their exchange.
“‘I continued this tradition and ordered from the same supplier as commissioner Fuller.
“Some are being gifted to such visitors and others for special occasions such as being donated to police legacy as an auction item, supporting families of deceased police. This is an established precedent Ben.”
She later confirmed she had swapped the wine order for bottles of gin to be purchased from the same supplier.
During question time on Wednesday, Police Minister Yasmin Catley defended the Commissioner’s decision to uphold the tradition of buying gifts for visiting dignitaries.
However, she confirmed the spending will now be investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.
“The police commissioner was made aware by the previous police commissioner of a precedent of ordering bottles of wine as courtesy gifts for visiting commissioners, for other dignitaries from other jurisdictions overseas and have also been used at charity events,” Ms Catley said.
“The commissioner ordered bottles of alcohol from the same supplier as the former commissioner did.
“All of us have given wine as a gift – it really does seem like quite an ordinary gift to me.
“I am advised that the professional standards command have referred these questions and allegations to the law enforcement conduct mission.”
The furore over the spending comes after former NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell resigned after admitting he misled a corruption tribunal about a $3000 bottle of Penfolds Grange red he was gifted by Australian Water Holdings in 2014.
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The former premier was later cleared by ICAC of any wrongdoing in 2017.
However, Mr Fordham told his listeners on Wednesday it was important political figures, like Ms Webb, be held to account for spending taxpayers dollars.
“I think if there is more than one bottle of gin – it might be 10, it might be 20, it might be 50, it might be 100 – she’s been in the job for some time, she may have given many gifts, she may have donated many to charity and I don’t criticise her for that if she’s helping police legacy but because it’s public money, she’s going to have to come up with the answers I’d suggest pretty soon about how many bottles and where they went and what the total cost was,” Mr Fordham said.
