The president of Queensland’s police union has claimed officers feel “under siege” and have been tarnished as misogynists during a commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic violence.
Ian Leavers, who has led the union since 2009, gave evidence on Friday at the inquiry in which he conceded that “abhorrent behaviour takes place”. But he said officers should not be “hung, drawn and quartered” over making “a dumb, silly comment”.
“I’m not saying any racist behaviour is acceptable but let’s look deeper into what has happened … most police are damaged, if not by three to five years, they will be,” Leavers told the inquiry.
Leavers claimed the inquiry – which has heard dozens of allegations about sexism, racism and sexual assaults by Queensland police officers – had been reported on in a “very negative way” by the media.
“I don’t think that’s the intent of this inquiry but there has been a significant effect on the membership … A lot of them have felt under siege,” he said.
Leavers had denied there were “widespread cultural issues” in the Queensland police in a written submission to the inquiry in July.
He said “instances of individual failings and shortcomings” were “more likely due to workload pressures or inadequate training” than cultural issues.
At the hearing on Friday, Leavers said he stood by that opinion.
“I think going back to the ‘80s and ‘90s [it was] a different world,” he said.
“I will stand by my statements that 98% of police are doing the right thing. But I’m under no illusions that abhorrent behaviour takes place.”
The inquiry was recommended by the state’s women’s safety and justice taskforce last year due to “concerns about deeply ingrained problems in police views and attitudes” towards domestic violence victims.
Leavers originally opposed calls for the commission of inquiry, labelling recommendations by the taskforce another “woke, out-of-touch report”.
In May, he said he’d changed his opinion after giving evidence at the inquest into the death of Hannah Clarke and her three children, describing the inquiry as “an opportunity” to commit to reforms.
Asked about the comments, Leavers told the inquiry they were made “out of frustration”, but he did not accept that they were belittling and dismissive.
“I’m sick and tired of this government, every time there’s an issue we’re going to have an inquiry and meanwhile nothing happens,” he told the inquiry.
Leavers was also asked about comments he made last year, referring to the practice of quotas to get more women into police as “woke, pandering nonsense”.
“I’m not against women – those who are close to me know that’s the case. I’m not like that,” he said.
“A lot of women have said to me, ‘we want to achieve on merit, we don’t need to be tokens’.”
The Queensland police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, appeared at the inquiry on Wednesday and Thursday as shocking evidence was given alleging the sexual harassment, rape and assault of female members of the force.
Carroll told the inquiry of her own experiences, saying she was attacked by a “sexual predator” on the first day of her training and was “pinched on the ass” by another officer early on in her career.
The inquiry heard Queensland police recruits were taught racist attitudes at the state’s academy, including comments about Indigenous people that “you can smell them before you see them”.
The inquiry will hand its final report to the state government on 14 November.
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
