Police Commissioner Under Scrutiny After Being Accused of Buying Over 100 Bottles of Gin With Taxpayer Dollars
Karen Webb, Police Commissioner of New South Wales, was investigated over accusations that she purchased 100 bottles of gin with taxpayer dollars. (Photo: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
ABC Australia reported on Wednesday that New South Wales Commissioner Karen Webb faced an internal probe after being accused of purchasing 100 bottles of gin with taxpayer funds.
Though Bega District News reported she was cleared of the charges via an investigation with the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, the LECC claimed she should have been more forthcoming about her long-standing relationship with the gin supplier.
Webb claimed the allegations of using taxpayer money to purchase the gin for personal use were “completely false,” Bega District News reported.
“I invite public scrutiny as it is an important part of being NSW Police Commissioner, but these comments are solely intended to damage my personal reputation and have no basis in fact,” Webb said, according to Bega District News.
She claimed 50 bottles were purchased “in accordance with policies and procedures outlined by the LECC.” Per Bega District News, Webb additionally claimed that 24 of them were given to charity or gifted.
“I have not tasted the Commissioner’s Gin and to suggest the bottles were purchased for personal and staff use is incorrect,” she concluded.
Whatever type of gin Commissioner’s Gin is remains unclear, but NewsWire reported that Webb was acting in accordance with tradition, as the previous police commissioner would often give gifts of wine to other commissioners.
“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,” Webb explained. “I continued this tradition and ordered from the same supplier as Commissioner Fuller.”
Yet, some of the members of parliament disagreed with her statement. ABC Australia reported that MP Rod Roberts, a former police officer, refuted her claims.
“That gin has been used by the commissioner herself and some of her members of staff. I have very good informants inside the New South Wales Police Force and members of the legal fraternity outside, who have told me that Commissioner Webb has purchased in excess of 100 bottles of gin. I am asking for the records to show where the distribution of that gin went. It is taxpayers’ money.”
The LECC’s investigation into Webb was titled Operation Askern, and Webb was found not guilty of misconduct charges. The commission did reprimand Webb in the following statement:
“The Commission found that Commissioner Webb should have disclosed her association with the supplier when she became aware of the purchase of Commissioner’s Gin,” the outlet expressed.
The organization reminded Webb that officers are obligated to declare conflicts of interest, yet did not go into detail about the police commissioner’s conflict of interest. Police Minister Yasmin Catley defended Webb and claimed Webb was simply giving gifts.
“All of us have given wine as a gift — it really does seem like quite an ordinary gift to me,” she expressed.
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