“Mr D’Adam did not raise his criticisms about NSW Police with me, the Police Minister or with NSW Police. The first we heard about it was his speech in Parliament,” he said.
“Mr D’Adam’s comments do not represent the views of the NSW government.
“I have formed the view that his actions and criticisms of the NSW Police, without at any time speaking with colleagues to convey his concerns in relation to this matter, are incompatible with his position as Parliamentary Secretary.
“The NSW Police Force does an incredible and extremely difficult job and they have the full support of the NSW Government.”
In a statement released after his sacking D’Adam said he was disappointed but held “no malice” towards the premier. He said he would remain part of the Labor caucus.
“My comments made in the house last night were not intended as a criticism of the
government, but to raise concerns about the approach that has been taken by a particular
unit within the NSW Police and the incompatibility of that approach with the stated values of the NSW Police,” he said.
“I reject the assertion that I have been critical of the commissioner. I acknowledge the often
difficult work that police have to undertake. However, I believe I have a public duty to raise
concerns in the forums available to me when I believe that the conduct of public institutions
is inconsistent with the values that we as a community hold to be important.”
D’Adam said he maintained his criticisms of police, which were in response to a protest in March at which he said their response was “unnecessarily aggressive”.
Earlier Minns labelled D’Adam’s comments about Webb as “reprehensible”.
“Being a NSW Police officer in the most difficult circumstances imaginable, particularly right now, is far harder than issuing a speech in the middle of the night [in Parliament],” Minns said.
“I thought his comments were absolutely reprehensible. I completely disassociate myself from them and I want to make this point; we don’t want to make a martyr of anyone in this set of circumstances and I thought that the comments from the member were completely outrageous.”
Although not a member of the ministry, in NSW, parliamentary secretaries assist ministers and are entitled to additional salaries and benefits.
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Source Agencies
