Former deputy commissioner Paul Taylor likely to have been sacked if he didn’t resign

Queensland’s ex-deputy police commissioner was facing a second complaint that could have led to his dismissal when he was disciplined and then resigned over inappropriate comments at a conference, the Commissioner has revealed.

Deputy Commissioner Paul Taylor was facing a second complaint that could have led to his dismissal when he was disciplined for making inappropriate comments at a conference, Commissioner Katarina Carroll has told an inquiry.

Mr Taylor resigned from the service after it emerged at an earlier hearing that he had referred to a gynaecologist friend as a “vagina whisperer” at a leadership conference in April this year.

Giving evidence at the Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service responses to domestic and family violence, Ms Carroll was asked why she disciplined him only with local managerial guidance – which involves a conversation with a more senior officer. She told the inquiry it was because she expected he would suffer more serious consequences relating to a separate complaint.

She said she expected the second complaint would be resolved very quickly but it still had not by the time she gave evidence at the inquiry in August. Mr Taylor resigned the day after the “vagina whisperer” comment was made public.

Deputy Commissioner Paul Taylor resigned in August. Picture: Stewart McLean

“I honestly believed that (second) matter would be finalised a lot sooner,” Ms Carroll said in her evidence. “I honestly believed it would be done.”

Ms Carroll said she believed the outcome of the other complaint would be “much more serious”. She agreed that the second complaint could have resulted in Mr Taylor being dismissed from the service.

Ms Carroll told the hearing she spoke to Mr Taylor on the day of the inquiry hearing in August where information about his conference comments emerged.

“Straight after the hearing we had a quick conversation in my office,” she said.

“I said to him ‘Paul this is damaging to you and for the organisation’. And he said ‘I should resign’. And I said ‘I completely agree with you’.”

Ms Carroll said she would have asked him to resign if he had not offered his resignation.

Counsel assisting the inquiry Ruth O’Gorman KC previously told the inquiry Chief Superintendent Ray Rohweder made lewd comments at a separate leadership conference in March. He called out “did she shut her legs on you”, after the MC joked about a “rough promotional process” while referring to a cut on his face.

Superintendent Rohweder was dealt with by local managerial guidance within about a week, Ms Carroll told the inquiry. The inquiry was told Mr Rohweder said “if it’s OK for Mr Taylor, it’s OK for me”, at the time Mr Taylor made his comment at the senior leadership conference.

Mr Rohweder was promoted to chief superintendent on June 23. Ms Carroll said that at the time she was not aware of his later comments.