‘Coward’ Webb lied about gin order: Roberts

Embattled NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has been blasted in state parliament as a “coward” who lied about purchasing 100 bottles of gin using taxpayer money.

One Nation MLC and former cop Rod Roberts on Thursday used parliamentary privilege to say Ms Webb had “lied and misled” the public over the widely criticised purchase.

The Goulburn MLC said Ms Webb initially claimed there was only a 50 bottle purchase in a statement and the media, before later revealing there had been a second order.

The bottles, intended as gifts or for fundraising, have kicked off another media crisis for the state’s embattled top cop, who is also alleged to have had “used” some of the gin herself.

“She (Ms Webb) lied and misled the public. How do we know? Because two days (after the first statement) she comes out with a second press statement,” Mr Roberts said.

“It says a review of stock and gift registry in the last 24 hours ‘I can confirm 32 bottles have been distributed’, not the 24… and a second order of 50 bottle was identified”.

Mr Roberts went on to attack Ms Webb over statements in a 2022 budget estimates about the suspension of Daniel Keneally, son of former NSW premier Kristina Keneally.

He also alleged NSW Premier Chris Minns was “not given the full facts” in regard to the recent police vest scandal, and criticised Ms Webb’s targeting of whistleblowers.

“We describes the whistleblowers as faceless cowards… but, the coward is the Commissioner herself, hiding behind her rank and threatening officers,” Mr Roberts said.

He said Ms Webb’s comments about the Professional Standards Commission’s targeting of leakers had created “consternation” within the ranks of the police force.

Speaking for the government, Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty slammed Mr Roberts’ labelling of Ms Webb a coward as “a disgraceful attack on a fine public servant”.

“I cannot recall anything even remotely like this smear campaign against a public service department head in NSW in my time in this place,” Ms Moriarty said.

Ms Moriarty said Mr Roberts was “close to an abuse of parliamentary privilege” and that a review would be undertaken of the second purchase of gin bottles.

She went to back Ms Webb, saying the vest issues were currently being dealt with and that the Professional Standards Commission was investigating “wrongdoing”.

“What the commissioner was referring to was a prolonged campaign of malicious leaks designed to damage her, and, by extension, the NSW Police Force,” she said.

“Contrary to what’s been alleged in here and elsewhere, the Professional Standards Command was and will not be targeting those who legitimately report police misconduct.”

Ms Moriarty said the gift registry released by the Ms Webb showed 32 bottles had been distributed as gifts to dignitaries, senior external stakeholders and for fundraising”.

In an earlier statement, Ms Webb confirmed undistributed bottles of gin would not be handed out and that there would be a review of the force’s gift policies.