Internal emails show senior NSW Police staff are debating the “appropriateness” of placing an Aboriginal artwork on taxpayer-funded bottles of Commissioner Karen Webb’s favorite gin.
The emails are part of a series of documents released to the NSW State Parliament showing Ms Webb requested up to 100 bottles of ‘blue labelled’ Pokolbin Dry Gin with custom labels from Hope Estate, which is owned by her boyfriend Michael Hope.
Ms Webb told 2GB in August that she had not organized the purchase, nor did she know her friend owned the business until the $11,000 order was placed.
According to the documents, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, an employee of her office sent an email to Hope Estate on October 5, 2022, about acquiring bottles of ‘Commissioner’s Gin’ with custom labels and featuring the NSW Police logo.
On October 18, Ms Webb’s office sent an email to a Hope Estate representative to confirm that the commissioner himself had requested the ‘blue labeled gin’.
The custom label would feature a digitized version of a $13,000 artwork by an Indigenous artist that was already hanging in the waiting room of Ms. Webb’s office.
When the label’s mockups were emailed to the office, her chief of staff responded, “Can we please do some cultural work around the question of whether it’s appropriate to feature Indigenous artwork on an alcohol product?”
A member of the police events team wrote back: “I think that’s an outdated idea, but we’ll see what the experts say.” She also sent a sample of another gin bottle with an Indigenous artwork on the label.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb is pictured at a press conference in September
NSW 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 NSW Police Force
‘Gin’ is also a very offensive term for an Aboriginal woman. There is no indication that NSW Police were aware of this at the time.
Months later, on December 14, the pending purchase was brought up as a potential source of embarrassment by another staff member, whose name was redacted from the documents.
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 tell you that purchases are heavily scrutinized by our organization.
“While the purchase may have made progress in the past, the question I ask myself is, ‘Will I feel comfortable if this purchase were released in the media?’
‘The purchase of alcohol is an area where there is no established policy and I understand that the entertainment and gifts policy is being updated.’
He then asked if Ms Webb’s office was confident they wanted to go ahead with the purchase.
“If so, I can ask the team to code it and release it to you for payment via SAP, but it’s a purchase I would be skeptical about and would advise against,” he said.
The bottles were purchased and given to a number of dignitaries and officials, including former Qantas CEO 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 personnel, asking if an Aboriginal artwork on an alcohol bottle was appropriate
New Zealand High Commissioner Dame Annette King also received a bottle, while 15 additional bottles went to the Pearls in Policing conference.
The email chain between Ms Webb’s office and a Hope Estate representative clearly stated that the commissioner wanted the bottes before Christmas.
Ms Webb was not cc’d in the emails.
Discussions between her office and the estate largely revolved around the bespoke label design, with lengthy back-and-forth over whether artwork by an Indigenous artist should be included – alongside the NSW Police logo.
The Hope Estate representative said on October 5: ‘As you said earlier in the email thread that the commissioner wanted the ‘blue label’ gin.
‘Can I please confirm that we are talking about the Pokolbin Dry Gin? I’ve included an image so you know what I’m talking about and we can make sure the correct details are included.’
Ms Webb’s co-worker replied: ‘Yes, that’s him.’
The estate agent 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 NSW Police officer to a Hope Estate representative discussing the custom gin label
Pictured: A Hope Estate representative confirming that the commissioner requested a specific variety of gin
Pictured: An email from a NSW Police officer alerting the commissioner’s office to the large purchase of gin
Ms. Webb’s associate replied, “That’s probably not a bad idea,” suggesting the artist could sign it.
The artist’s name was retrieved from the archives.
On October 20, the staffer wrote to Ms. Webb’s Chief of Staff and confirmed the following: See Gin Bottle Label options below.
‘Also to make it clear that the commissioner prefers the gin below.’
The email included a photo of Hope Estate’s Pokolbin Dry Gin.
Independent MP Rod Roberts has called on the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission to investigate the situation.
The police watchdog ruled that the first purchase of 50 bottles did not breach the rules, but the LECC has been asked to investigate the second order of 50 bottles.
Mrs Webb’s predecessor Mick Fuller bought wine from Hope Estate to give as a gift.
NSW Police did not answer specific questions from Daily Mail Australia, but Ms Webb said: “I have stopped serving alcohol from businesses as I recognize this 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 on their website.”