‘Broken biscuits’: MP Frank Pangallo levels new claims against Police Association officials in parliament speech

Female SAPOL officers were denigrated and called “menopausal and histrionic” while a suicidal cop’s wife was turned away by the union in stunning claims levelled under parliamentary privilege.

• Women labelled ‘old, fat and ugly’ by cop union ‘boys club’, parli told

Staff were called “old, fat and ugly”, while female SAPOL workers were denigrated and labelled “menopausal and histrionic” if they spoke up about a boys’ club culture at the state’s police union, parliament has heard.

In shocking claims aired under parliamentary privilege, frontline police suffering from PTSD were referred to as “broken biscuits” by senior association officials and a suicidal cop’s wife was brushed off as she reached out for help — while other officers were labelled “f****** maggots” and “f***wits”.

Independent MP Frank Pangallo levelled a blistering union takedown in the upper house on Wednesday night, saying whistleblowers had been targeted through a “stacked” committee of management and silenced through the threat of costly legal disputes.

Mr Pangallo said former staff have had their complaints smothered in ongoing action estimated to have topped more than $1m – but union members have been prevented from finding out how and where money is being spent.

The MP told parliament three former female members had lodged complaints against the union in the Fair Work Commission but – contrary to information in a recent memo sent to members by the association – the allegations were never tested.

Instead, he said the women endured fear and intimidation in the process of trying to get a fair hearing.

Independent MP Frank Pangallo unleashed Police Association bombshells in parliament. Picture: Parliament of SA

“The enormous mental stress and the prospect of being deep pocketed through protracted legal proceedings proved too much, and they withdrew their claims,” he said.

One of the three members who had complained to the Fair Work Commission was Kim York, the widow of a police officer who took his own life.

Ms York went to work at PASA in mid-2022 “with high hopes of being involved in an organisation that cared for members affected by PTSD”, but left “extremely disappointed and disillusioned”, Mr Pangallo said.

Mr Pangallo read a statement from Ms York, who said during her 14 months in the role she “witnessed and experienced numerous verbal exchanges against staff on a daily basis”.

“The office environment was such that the female staff were powerless to retaliate without fear of repercussion,” the statement said.

“All of the administrative staff in the office had to witness the ongoing, planned bullying of Ms Bernadette Zimmermann, secretary of the association, by the (former) president, Mark Carroll (Ms Zimmermann’s brother) and the assistant secretary Steven Whetton.”

Ms York said the situation caused “much anxiety” because she did not know how to help Ms Zimmermann.

She said members were referred to by Mr Whetton as “f****** maggots” and “f***tards”, and members suffering from PTSD were referred to as “broken biscuits”.

“For example, I took a call from a member who was suffering from PTSD,” the statement said.

“After placing him on hold I asked assistant secretary/member liaison officer Steven Whetton if he could take the call.

“Steve responded that he didn’t want to speak to that ‘f***wit’, that the caller was ‘broken biscuit’ and a ‘time waster’.”

Bernadette Zimmerman with her brother Mark Carroll – former Police Association president.

In the statement, Ms York said, after receiving a phone call from a distressed member’s wife whose husband was suicidal while Mr Carroll, Mr Whetton and (another person) went out for a Christmas lunch, she was told the woman “had no right to call the association as she wasn’t a member and that they had just opened another bottle of red”.

She also said Mr Carroll and Mr Whetton had described admin staff as “old, fat and ugly”.

“This comment was made on occasions when they believed the admin staff couldn’t hear their conversation,” the statement said.

She went on to say that the culture for female staff at PASA was “quite sad” and that women often felt “second class and unworthy”, while the mental health of staff or SAPOL members was “not respected”.

“The environment within which we work is very male centric, basically a ‘boys club’ mentality,” she said.

“We are aware that we are considered to be histrionic or menopausal if we raise concerns. Unfortunately, this sentiment is often also placed on our female SAPOL members.”

In her statement, Ms York – who now works in Mr Pangallo’s office – said she felt she had been targeted by union deputy president Daryl Mundy, who “inferred that I’ve been spreading malicious commentary about PASA, which is completely inaccurate”.

Ms York said she had felt “more valued and respected” working in parliament than at the association.

“I don’t feel confident that if I had a grievance with a male co-worker at PASA that I would be taken seriously,” she said.

“That my concerns would be dismissed, that I would be labelled as a silly cow, a term I have heard on numerous occasions when female SAPOL members in distress have called the association for assistance.”

Police Association secretary Bernadette Zimmermann said she was subject to a “tirade of abuse” from her brother Mark Carroll in an email read under parliamentary privilege. Picture: Mike Burton

Mr Pangallo also read two “damning” emails from PASA secretary Bernadette Zimmerman, who he said had a “glacial” relationship with her sibling.

She suffered a “tirade of abuse” from Mr Carroll, Mr Pangallo told parliament.

In one email to Mr Carroll, written on June 22, 2020, Ms Zimmermann said Mr Carroll had “contacted staff member/s after hours to provide [him] with a statement” after he was involved in a verbal altercation with her.

“When you arrived at work the following morning, your tirade of abuse continued to the point I had to close my door because I could not physically listen to that again,” she said in the email read to parliament.

Mr Pangallo told parliament that, in her statement, Ms Zimmermann said Mr Carroll had “openly proclaimed in the workplace that [he] had sacked 10 people so far in [his] position”.

“The impression you gave was that it was something you were proud of”, her email said.

“You denigrated and belittled me in front of industrial staff when you told everyone at a meeting that I had made the association look stupid while you were away.

“I ask that you stop your abuse of me as I am feeling the effect of it and I am very tired.

“These incidents, among others, have caused me great shame and anguish and I ask that you stop the relentless abuse of me and my position in PASA.”

Police Association president Wade Burns at the union headquarters. Picture: Supplied

The speech was the latest in an escalating dispute between Mr Pangallo and the union, which broke out when Mr Pangallo in June used parliamentary privilege to reveal allegations of indecent assault against its now-president Wade Burns, which he said was “an internal workplace matter dealt with many years ago.”

Mr Carroll, in a statement, said he denied the “false” allegations against him “entirely”.

“They are unsubstantiated and have been found to be false and without foundation,” he said.

“Indeed, there is evidence which demonstrates the falsity of the allegations which presumably explains why those Fair Work Commission matters were withdrawn.

“If Frank Pangallo believes the allegations to have merit, he should repeat those allegations outside parliament.”

PASA, Mr Whetton, Mr Burns and Mr Mundy were contacted for comment.

Originally published as ‘Broken biscuits’: MP Frank Pangallo levels new claims against Police Association officials in parliament speech