DV report set to be released Monday
A COMMISSION of inquiry report into Queensland Police Service Responses to Domestic and Family Violence will be made public on Monday, Annastacia Palaszczuk says, as she pledged her support for under-pressure Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll.
Ms Palaszczuk said she had “started reading” the report, adding it had identified systemic issues which she believed Ms Carroll was the right person to address.
The inquiry heard evidence over five months of issues regarding racism, sexism and misogyny within the Queensland Police Service.
Just this week, a leaked recording from 2019 of watch house staff making racist remarks, which Ms Carroll described as “abhorrent”.
Ms Palaszczuk said she had “absolute confidence” in the Police Commissioner – saying she was “the right person for the job”.
“She has only been in the job a relatively short time,” she said.
“I think the issues that are raised in the report are systemic over decades. And it is going to take someone with her leadership skills to be able to implement those reports.”
Former Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said he had been “deeply saddened” by the evidence.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday about the state’s youth justice reforms, Mr Atkinson stressed the “vast, vast majority” of police were good people and those who aren’t should be “dealt with appropriately”.
He would not be drawn on the performance of current Commissioner Katarina Carroll, saying previous commissioners should not comment on those who took on the role after them.