'Absolutely false': Karen Webb denies drinking gin bought with taxpayer money 05:38

Well, the Police Commissioner Karen Webb is on the line. Before I get to the Commissioner, if you're just jumping in the car or just turning on the radio, I'll refresh your memory as to what is going on. I'll bring you up to speed. So, Rod Roberts, he's an independent member of Parliament in the Upper House in the New South Wales Parliament. Now, if you are not across the gin story, effectively...

The commissioner bought a whole bunch of gin on the taxpayer dollar to hand out to dignitaries. Now, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission launched an investigation into this, and they said the commission is satisfied that the purchase was in accordance with policies and procedures.

And the commission is of the view that the evidence does not support a finding of serious misconduct against Commissioner Webb or any other police officers. But Rob Roberts in the... Rod Roberts in the Upper House reckons that the gin was not handed out to dignitaries but drunk by the commissioner and her staff. I have very good informants inside the New South Wales Police Force and members of the legal fraternity outside...

who have told me that Commissioner Webb has purchased in excess of 100 bottles of gin and that gin, she said, and on radio this morning, Ben Fordham, that I've used that as gifts to visiting dignitaries. Well, I say that that is not correct and that gin has been used by the Commissioner herself and some of her members of staff. And I'm asking for the records to show where the distribution of that gin went. It is taxpayers' money.

Commissioner Karen Webb, g'day. Hi, Chris. Thanks for having me on. Did you drink the gin? No, I haven't even tasted it. And so his accusations are completely false. He must have me confused with someone else. Any of your staff drunk the gin? No, no, they haven't. I've certainly kept a register of who I've given the gin to. And as has been said,

It is a tradition to exchange or give custom and practice when we've got dignitaries coming to our jurisdiction that we give gifts of some sort that are appropriate in the circumstances, but certainly have a register with who I've given them to and it's certainly not my staff. And as I said, I haven't even tasted it. I haven't even opened a bottle. The register, are you happy to make that public, put this to bed? Well,

There's a Standing Order 52 Mr Roberts has called for and the register will be captured in that. So that will be provided. So the register will be furnished to the Parliament so we'll all see it. That's right. Is the 100 bottles correct?

No. No, I don't know where he's got that from either. How many bottles? 50. We're invoice for 50 and I've distributed 24. So the rest are there. To what kind of people?

As I said, Dignity Trees, we had an international delegation mid last year that a dozen went to and other international guests, etc. The minister has said in Parliament today that she received one and then there's been others for corporate etiquette where there's been an exchange of gifts. So that sort of occasion and certainly not for my own benefit by any stretch of the imagination.

and it's outrageous to suggest that I have consumed it or used it for my purposes. There's been no personal benefit to me in the use of the gin. Just reading the LECC's findings here, it says that Commissioner Webb should have disclosed her association with the supplier of the Commissioner's gin. What does it mean?

Well, it means that... Well, what it means... Well, it's difficult to talk about because there is a non-publication order. So the statement that they have put out is all I can say about it. But if you read that sentence in full, it means that I became aware after that I knew the supplier. Right. And, you know, I should have said so. But certainly I didn't organise the purchase and...

So I became aware after. Was it the same supplier as Commissioner Fuller used? Yes, it was. So it was just using an existing vendor to make, I presume, an easier transaction. Commissioner Webb, who wants your job?

What is happening here? Someone, clearly someone, but it needs to stop and it's ridiculous. I'm halfway through my five-year contract and really there's important work to be done. There's real work to be done. There's big problems to fix. We're trying to tackle domestic violence. We're trying to help victims in our community. We're trying to work on youth crime problems, but we've got to do it in partnership with our community and we can't afford this nonsense.

Do you think that there's a group of people within the New South Wales Police or outside the New South Wales Police that is trying to undermine you? Well, I think it's probably both to some extent. It might be former members, as is Mr Roberts, a former member. But what I can say is that if a person that's looking at joining the police force and sees this rubbish, why would they want to join the police? Why would you put yourself through this?

So it's totally against the grain. It's not helping our cause at all, and it needs to stop. Commissioner Karen Webb, I appreciate you jumping on and clearing all this up. Thanks so much. Thanks, Chris. See you. That's the New South Wales Police Commissioner, Karen Webb.