NSW Police ‘disappointed’ to be disinvited by Mardi Gras after murder of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has compared herself to Taylor Swift but has apologised for calling the alleged murder of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies as a ‘crime of passion’.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb at the 2023 Mardi Gras Parade in Sydney.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has compared herself to Taylor Swift, dismissing criticisms against her and claiming that “haters like to hate” but has apologised for describing the alleged murder of Jesse Baird as a “crime of passion”

Ms Webb appeared on Channel 7’s Sunrise on Tuesday morning, responding to NSW Police having their invitation to march at Saturday’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade rescinded.

Ms Webb spoke to the Mardi Gras board at 10am on Tuesday to appeal for a change in the decision. She said on Sky News it brought “respectful and fruitful discussions” but that there was no outcome from the meeting to discuss as of yet.

The Commissioner referenced the global popstar Taylor Swift when queried on the drop in support for her police management.

“There will always be haters. Haters like to hate. Isn’t that what Taylor says? I have a job to do,” Ms Webb said.

The Commissioner also apologised for calling NSW Police constable Beau Lamarre-Condon’s alleged actions a “crime of passion” at a press conference on Monday.

“It certainly wasn’t my intention to offend anyone,” she said on Channel 9’s Today. “What I was intending is to say that it’s actually not (an alleged) gay hate crime.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns supported Ms Webb’s conduct through the investigation and urged a repeal on the disinvitation of NSW Police from Mardi Gras organisers.

“I’m grateful that meeting is taking place. I don’t want to front-run the consultations that take place between the Mardi Gras (board) and NSW police other than to say if you are asking for my opinion, I hope that yields a breakthrough. I hope the police can march,” Mr Minns said.

“It’s a very difficult job being a police commissioner in New South Wales .. . the Commissioner for Police has acted appropriately.”

The Premier said he would not pull funding from the event if police were not allowed to march. He also refused to comment on Ms Webb’s use of Taylor Swift lyrics in her press cycle on Tuesday morning.

PM refuses to condemn Mardi Gras for revoking police invite

Anthony Albanese has refused to condemn Mardi Gras organisers for revoking the invitation of NSW Police to attend this weekend’s parade, saying that he understands that Sydney’s queer community is “grieving what is an enormous tragedy”.

The Prime Minister said it was positive that police normally join the LGBTQI pride event as the relationship between law enforcement and the gay community healed following bashings and arrests at past events. But he understood the community was grieving after the alleged murder of two Sydney men at the hands of a serving officer.

“That of course is a matter for the police and Mardi Gras, but can I say from my personal perspective I think its been very good that police have marched, it’s come a long way from 1978 Mardi Gras where people were arrested for the crime of being who they were,” Mr Albanese told ABC Radio Melbourne.

“The events in Darlinghurst police cell have gone down in infamy, since then the police have apologised and the relationships have been turned around and have been positive, but I understand that the queer community in Sydney in particular are grieving what is an enormous tragedy.

“I can’t comment in too much detail of course, as the police investigation is still underway and the prosecution, but my heart goes out to those who are grieving the family and friends of these two men who have really suffered.

“People will be doing it tough at the moment.”

NSW Police says it is “disappointed” to have been uninvited from marching in Saturday’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.

“The NSW Police Force has been advised that the Board of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has decided to withdraw the invitation to NSW Police to participate in this year’s event,” an NSW Police spokesperson said.

Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon, left, marched in the 42nd annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade in Sydney in 2020.

“While disappointed with this outcome, NSW Police will continue to work closely with the LGBTIQA+ community and remain committed to working with organisers to provide a safe environment for all those participating in and supporting this Saturday’s parade.”

Commissioner Webb was notified of the decision after the Mardi Gras board met on Monday night following the alleged murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies by Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon.

Commissioner Webb said she was “disappointed and dismayed.”

“We are humans, we are representative of the community we serve and so we should be there,” she said.

“Conversations we’ve been having are around the under reporting of crimes in the queer community. How is this going to help that?

“I am disappointed, I find it illogical really,

“I can’t understand the logic behind it. I get the distrust and the concern about this matter but don’t brand the whole organisation because of the actions of one individual.

“To have us withdrawn on the basis I presume of the actions of one person who is currently charged before the court makes no sense to me.

“I think getting past this is including NSW Police in Mardi Gras and saying we are in this together on the basis we know there has been hurt, we acknowledge the hurt of the past and not to conflate this with the issue of the former officer before the court.”

The decision comes after Commissioner Webb’s apology on Sunday to families of gay hate crime victims following Justice John Sackar’s report from a Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ hate crimes in NSW.

The Inquiry investigated unsolved suspected hate crime deaths of LGBTIQ people in NSW between 1970 and 2010.