Internal emails show senior NSW Police officials debating whether it is “appropriate” to put a piece of Aboriginal art on taxpayer-funded bottles of Commissioner Karen Webb’s favorite gin.
The emails are part of a trove of documents handed over to NSW State Parliament and show Ms Webb ordered up to 100 bottles of ‘blue label’ Pokolbin Dry Gin with personalized labels from Hope Estate, owned by her friend. Michael Hope.
Webb told 2GB in August that she did not organize the purchase, nor did she know her friend owned the company until the $11,000 order was placed.
According to the documents, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, an employee from his office emailed Hope Estate on October 5, 2022 to purchase bottles of ‘Commissioner’s Gin’ with personalized labels and the New Wales Police logo. South.
On October 18, Webb’s office emailed a Hope Estate representative to confirm that the commissioner herself had requested the “blue label gin.”
The custom label was to include a digitized version of a $13,000 piece of art by an Indigenous artist that was already hanging in the waiting room of Webb’s office.
When mock-ups of the labels were emailed to the office, his chief of staff responded: “Can we do some cultural work on whether it is appropriate to display Aboriginal artwork on an alcohol product?”
A member of staff from the police events team responded by saying: “I think it’s an outdated notion, but we’ll see what the experts say.” He also sent an example of another gin bottle with indigenous artwork on the label.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb is pictured during a press conference in September.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb is pictured, left, at her husband’s Maserati dealership.
Pictured: The final label, featuring the Aboriginal artwork, which was approved and paid for by the New South Wales Police.
‘Gin’ is also a very offensive term for an Aboriginal woman. There is no indication that the New South Wales Police were aware of this at the time.
Months later, on December 14, another staff member, whose name was redacted from the documents, raised the pending purchase as a possible source of embarrassment.
The email was sent to a member of the NSW Police events team, before payment for the bottles was made.
He said: ‘I feel responsible to inform you that purchases made by our organization are under intense scrutiny.
‘While the purchase may have progressed in the past, the question I ask myself is: “Will I feel comfortable if this purchase were disclosed to the media?”
‘The purchase of alcohol is an area that does not have a set policy and I understand that the entertainment and gifts policy is being updated.’
He then asked if Webb’s office was sure it wanted to move forward with the purchase.
“If so, I can ask the team to code it and deliver it to you for payment via SAP, however it is a purchase I would be skeptical about and advise against,” he said.
The bottles were purchased and gifted to various dignitaries and officials, including former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, the Korean consulate and law firm Gilbert and Tobin.
Pictured: The artwork hanging in the waiting room of Karen Webb’s office.
Pictured: Emails between NSW Police staff, asking whether a piece of Aboriginal art on an alcohol bottle was appropriate
New Zealand High Commissioner Dame Annette King also received a bottle, while an additional 15 bottles went to the Pearls in Policing conference.
The email chain between Webb’s office and a Hope Estate representative clearly indicated the commissioner wanted the bottles before Christmas.
Ms Webb was not included in a copy of the emails.
Discussions between his office and ownership largely revolved around the design of the custom label, with a lengthy debate over whether to include artwork by an Indigenous artist, along with the NSW Police logo.
The Hope Estate representative said on October 5: ‘As you mentioned earlier in the email thread, the Commissioner wanted ‘blue label’ gin.
‘Can I confirm that we are talking about Pokolbin Dry Gin? I’ve attached a picture so you know what I mean and we can make sure we incorporate the right details.’
Mrs Webb’s employee replied: “Yes, that’s the one.”
The property employee then asked a question on behalf of the label design team: “Would you like to include the artist’s name, as in “Artwork by…” somewhere on the label?”
Pictured: An email from a member of NSW Police staff to a Hope Estate representative, discussing the personalized gin label.
Pictured: A representative from Hope Estate, confirming that the commissioner requested a specific variety of gin.
Pictured: An email from a NSW Police employee, warning the commissioner’s office about the large gin purchase.
Webb’s employee responded, “It’s probably not a bad idea,” suggesting the artist could sign it.
The artist’s name was removed from the records.
On October 20, the employee wrote to Webb’s chief of staff, confirming: See below for options for the gin bottle label.
“I have also just clarified that the Commissioner prefers the following gin.”
Attached to the email was a photo of Hope Estate’s Pokolbin Dry Gin.
Independent MP Rod Roberts has called for the Police Conduct Commission to investigate the situation.
The police watchdog found that the initial purchase of 50 bottles did not breach the rules, but the LECC was asked to investigate the second order of 50 bottles.
Webb’s predecessor, Mick Fuller, bought Hope Estate wine as a gift.
NSW Police did not respond to specific questions posed by Daily Mail Australia, but Ms Webb said: “I have discontinued the practice of giving away alcohol to businesses because I recognize it is not in line with community expectations.”
‘The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) previously investigated the purchase of Commissioner’s Gin and found no evidence of serious misconduct.
“A summary of their report is available on their website.”