1 month ago
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Embattled NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has been blasted successful authorities parliament arsenic a “coward” who lied astir purchasing 100 bottles of gin utilizing payer money.
One Nation MLC and erstwhile bull Rod Roberts connected Thursday utilized parliamentary privilege to accidental Ms Webb had “lied and misled” the nationalist implicit the wide criticised purchase.
The Goulburn MLC said Ms Webb initially claimed determination was lone a 50 vessel acquisition successful a connection and the media, earlier aboriginal revealing determination had been a 2nd order.
The bottles, intended arsenic gifts oregon for fundraising, person kicked disconnected different media situation for the state’s embattled apical cop, who is besides alleged to person had “used” immoderate of the gin herself.
“She (Ms Webb) lied and misled the public. How bash we know? Because 2 days (after the archetypal statement) she comes retired with a 2nd property statement,” Mr Roberts said.
“It says a reappraisal of banal and acquisition registry successful the past 24 hours ‘I tin corroborate 32 bottles person been distributed’, not the 24... and a 2nd bid of 50 vessel was identified”.
Mr Roberts went connected to onslaught Ms Webb implicit statements successful a 2022 fund estimates astir the suspension of Daniel Keneally, lad of erstwhile NSW premier Kristina Keneally.
He besides alleged NSW Premier Chris Minns was “not fixed the afloat facts” successful respect to the caller constabulary vest scandal, and criticised Ms Webb’s targeting of whistleblowers.
“We describes the whistleblowers arsenic faceless cowards... but, the coward is the Commissioner herself, hiding down her fertile and threatening officers,” Mr Roberts said.
He said Ms Webb’s comments astir the Professional Standards Commission’s targeting of leakers had created “consternation” wrong the ranks of the constabulary force.
Speaking for the government, Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty slammed Mr Roberts’ labelling of Ms Webb a coward arsenic “a disgraceful onslaught connected a good nationalist servant”.
“I cannot callback thing adjacent remotely similar this smear run against a nationalist work section caput successful NSW successful my clip successful this place,” Ms Moriarty said.
Ms Moriarty said Mr Roberts was “close to an maltreatment of parliamentary privilege” and that a reappraisal would beryllium undertaken of the 2nd acquisition of gin bottles.
She went to backmost Ms Webb, saying the vest issues were presently being dealt with and that the Professional Standards Commission was investigating “wrongdoing”.
“What the commissioner was referring to was a prolonged run of malicious leaks designed to harm her, and, by extension, the NSW Police Force,” she said.
“Contrary to what’s been alleged successful present and elsewhere, the Professional Standards Command was and volition not beryllium targeting those who legitimately study constabulary misconduct.”
Ms Moriarty said the acquisition registry released by the Ms Webb showed 32 bottles had been distributed arsenic gifts to dignitaries, elder outer stakeholders and for fundraising”.
In an earlier statement, Ms Webb confirmed undistributed bottles of gin would not beryllium handed retired and that determination would beryllium a reappraisal of the force’s acquisition policies.
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