NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s $11,000 spend on personalised gin for dignitaries
A former detective sergeant has demanded Police Commissioner Karen Webb release documents showing the full list of dignitaries who received her taxpayer-funded personalised gin.
NSW
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NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb spent more than $11,000 of taxpayer funds buying 50 bottles of personalised gin and 200 gift boxes to give to visiting dignitaries, it can be revealed.
The Daily Telegraph has obtained an invoice detailing the cost of alcohol and boxes ordered from Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley in November 2022 as former cop turned Upper House MP Rod Roberts alleged in parliament that the gin was “used” by Ms Webb herself and her personal staff.
Mr Robert also demanded that commissioner Webb release documents showing the full list of dignitaries who received the taxpayer-funded personalised gin.
“I am asking for the records to show where the distribution of that gin went; it is taxpayers money,” he said.
He acknowledged that while revealing who received the gin “won’t get her off the hook,” it “will go a long way” in addressing the situation.
“I don’t know about off the hook, but that’ll go a long way towards it. I mean, the hook would then say, well, now, did you think it was wise to spend this sort of money when we’re in a cost of living crisis?,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Thursday morning.
“Nevertheless, that’s what I want to know. I want to know where it went, and if that can be addressed, well, then well and good. And that’s why we’ve called for papers.”
The bottles came with customised labels, reading ‘Commissioner’s Gin’ – complete with a NSW Police crest and a note which read “Compliments of the NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb APM.”
The bottles, worth $85 each, came to a total of $4250, but the additional purchase of 200 Tasmanian oak boxes brought the price up by another $6704.
Once the $385 shipping fee was added, NSW taxpayers were given a bill of $11,339.30.
Ms Webb intended to buy an extra 150 bottles of gin, according to the distiller, but did not go ahead after the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) received an anonymous complaint about the purchase of the alcohol.
NSW Police refused to reveal where more than $4000 worth of taxpayer-funded gin has gone.
The Daily Telegraph asked a series of detailed questions regarding more than $11,000 in spending, including questions about who had received the alcohol.
NSW Police did not answer any of them, instead referring the Telegraph to a statement issued by the LECC.
Ms Webb said Mr Roberts’ allegations that she had purchased the gin for personal and staff use were incorrect.
“The comments made under parliamentary privilege this afternoon are completely false. 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,” she said.
“The 50 bottles were purchased in accordance with policies and procedures as outlined by LECC. To date, 24 bottles have been distributed as gifts or donated for charity purposes. I have not tasted the Commissioner’s Gin and to suggest the bottles were purchased for personal and staff use, is incorrect.
“In the meantime, I am reassured by the fact that I have always acted honestly and in the best interest of the NSW Police Force and the people of NSW.”
Mr Roberts also questioned Webb’s claims that she never drank the gin.
“That’s not my information, and imagine this, it stretches the imagination that you would give a gift to visiting dignitaries and so forth, of something that you’ve never tasted yourself,” he said on 2GB.
“We do want to make sure it was a quality product before you handed it out with your name all over it.”
In an interview with 2GB’s Chris O’Keefe on Wednesday afternoon, the Police Commissioner acknowledged her relationship with Hope Estate owner Michael Hope, but that she only became aware after the purchase that she knew the supplier.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ms Webb defended her purchases after questions were tabled in parliament, saying it was tradition, and had been done by previous police commissioner Mick Fuller.
Hope Estate owner Michael Hope confirmed both commissioners had bought alcohol from his estate.
The Daily Telegraph understands Mr Hope is a longtime friend of Karen Webb, an association which began through her husband Mark.
“I am on the board of the Police Citizen Youth Clubs and was approached by former commissioner Mick Fuller about doing a shiraz as a commissioner gift,’’ Mr Hope said.
“We did about 50 bottles for him and when Karen became commissioner she said she wanted to continue the tradition but was thinking of doing it with gin.”
Roberts once more targeted Webb, implying that she was aware of the connection and that he “doesn’t believe in coincidences.”
“Well, Ben, I’ll let your listeners draw their own conclusion. Your listeners are smart, astute people like you and I,” he said to Mr Fordham.
“I don’t believe that your listeners believe in coincidences, and let’s let them, the public form their own opinion in relation to this matter.”
Mr Fuller ordered 48 bottles of shiraz with customised labels for $3840 in March 2021 and 12 bottles of shiraz for $984 six months later for a total of $4824.
Mr Hope said Ms Webb ordered 200 boxes to house the gin with the expectation she would order 150 extra bottles at a later date.
However, that order did not go ahead after the LECC received an anonymous complaint in September 2023 — almost a year after the order was delivered to police headquarters on Elizabeth St in November 2022.
In a statement to The Daily Telegraph, the LECC said it started an investigation in October 2023 and published its findings in a report provided to Ms Webb and Police Minister Yasmin Catley yesterday – only after the scandal broke.
The LECC said the evidence did “not support a finding of serious misconduct against Commissioner Webb or any other police officer”.
“The Commission is satisfied that the purchase was in accordance with policies and procedure,” it said.
But the LECC said Ms Webb should have disclosed her association with Mr Hope.
“The Commission recommended that all NSWPF employees, including the Senior Executive and the Commissioner of Police are regularly reminded of their duty to declare any conflict of interest, including a perceived conflict of interest,” it said.
Ms Catley defended Ms Webb during question time on Wednesday, saying the bottles of gin were given “as courtesy gifts for visiting commissioners, for other dignitaries from other jurisdictions overseas, and (they) have also been used for charity events”.
Ms Catley omitted that she had received a bottle herself, when she became a minister, until asked by The Daily Telegraph.
She did not disclose the gin on her official gifts register; gifts only need to be declared if they are worth more than $500.
However, Ms Catley did make a “discretionary disclosure” of a $75 bottle of champagne following the election, and $100 worth of flowers.
Asked if it was appropriate that Ms Webb was using taxpayer funds to purchase alcohol, Ms Catley’s spokeswoman said: “It is a matter for the Commissioner to comply with policy and ensure purchases are within business needs”.
Neither Opposition leader Mark Speakman nor Opposition police spokesman Paul Toole received a bottle of gin, the Telegraph was told.
Premier Chris Minns did not get one either.
The former detective sergeant accused the police executive of engaging in “nepotism and cronyism,” raising concerns about the current management and casting doubt over Webb’s leadership.
“Why are the police bleeding numbers like they are? I’ll tell you. One of them is their pay scale,” he said on 2GB.
“But the second thing is the cancer that’s eating this police force from within, and that’s the nepotism and cronyism that exists within the organisation.”
Mr Roberts told parliament he would seek an order for documents relating to the matter.
He also claimed female police officers in the Professional Standards Committee have made “adverse comments about (Deputy Commissioner) Paul Pisanos and sexual harassment of them” in a “people matters” HR survey, and that 1000 bullet proof vests had gone missing.
“It has been alleged to me that there are approximately, up to, 1000 vests gone missing and unaccounted for.”
“These vests are prohibited weapons under the act. They are gone.”
Labor did not oppose the motion.
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