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Sydney Morning Herald
9 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Who is Krissy Barrett, the first woman to lead the AFP?
In that time, federal police investigated a caravan found in the outer Sydney suburb of Dural that appeared to be a prelude to an antisemitic bombing, but found it was a hoax. It was Barrett who spoke to the media to explain that organised criminals had faked the plot in Sydney, after a political furore over national security and antisemitism was whipped up in the vacuum of communication from, and between, state and federal law enforcement – something Kershaw was criticised for. Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana, who negotiated with Barrett over the force's latest pay agreement, says she is amicable, affable and strategic. Barrett will need those skills because the AFP commissioner's role is a delicate balance of executing the will of the government while also leading the force's members. When the AFP was moved into the Home Affairs portfolio under the Morrison government, shortly before Barrett's predecessor Kershaw assumed the role, the police association raised concerns that the force was losing its independence and integrity. Loading Now the AFP is coming back into the 'mega portfolio' after Albanese had separated it out in his first term, the reversal made in part because of the communications issues during the Dural caravan plot. Caruana said that during enterprise agreement negotiations, Barrett rigorously held the government line while also showing empathy for the members seeking better pay. 'We need a commissioner that is going to have some empathy, some compassion and some understanding to what the troops are going through,' he said. 'And hopefully Krissy is the person to take that argument to the government, to get us what the members need in order to continue to keep Australia safe.' Barrett deployed to the Solomon Islands in 2003 as part of the AFP's first contingent in a multinational peacekeeping force. The local government had requested assistance from neighbouring countries to help quell escalating, ethnically driven violence, and the AFP worked to disarm militias and investigate attacks in the region. She has been recognised for her distinguished service there, and began training to be a sworn officer two years later. Barrett has since worked in fraud, anti-corruption and money laundering, counterterrorism, serious financial crime and transnational organised crime. Along the way, Barrett has been no stranger to being the first woman in a role, successively breaking new ground while climbing the AFP ranks. She was the first patrol sergeant at ACT Policing to work part-time after starting a family, and in 2015 did a research study into gender roles in frontline policing – achievements that were noted when she was awarded a King's Birthday Honour in 2023 while an assistant commissioner. Barrett did not shy away from the 'first woman' mantle when addressing reporters following her appointment. 'It's an absolute honour and privilege to be appointed to this position, and I'm very aware it's a significant milestone for the AFP and probably policing more broadly,' she said. 'I have been very fortunate to have some fantastic role models throughout my career, both men and women, and I do hope that I can play that role for aspiring leaders.' Appropriately for top-level law enforcement, Barrett has a meagre online presence. There is no LinkedIn profile boasting of any classified work, Burke would be pleased to see, after spy chief Mike Burgess warned on July 31 that people with security clearances were making it too easy for foreign agents to target them by boasting about their access online. Loading But Barrett's comments at the press conference with Burke this week provided a small insight into her priorities, starting with social cohesion 'right at the top of the list'. Barrett honoured Kershaw in her remarks, saying he was a mentor and crediting him with transforming the AFP. 'I never imagined that one day I would be leading this very fine organisation,' she said. 'As commissioner, I will ensure the AFP continues to keep Australians safe, protects the vulnerable, and identifies and disrupts an emerging cohort of criminals who have mixed motivations and threatens our national security.'
The Age
9 hours ago
- The Age
Who is Krissy Barrett, the first woman to lead the AFP?
In that time, federal police investigated a caravan found in the outer Sydney suburb of Dural that appeared to be a prelude to an antisemitic bombing, but found it was a hoax. It was Barrett who spoke to the media to explain that organised criminals had faked the plot in Sydney, after a political furore over national security and antisemitism was whipped up in the vacuum of communication from, and between, state and federal law enforcement – something Kershaw was criticised for. Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana, who negotiated with Barrett over the force's latest pay agreement, says she is amicable, affable and strategic. Barrett will need those skills because the AFP commissioner's role is a delicate balance of executing the will of the government while also leading the force's members. When the AFP was moved into the Home Affairs portfolio under the Morrison government, shortly before Barrett's predecessor Kershaw assumed the role, the police association raised concerns that the force was losing its independence and integrity. Loading Now the AFP is coming back into the 'mega portfolio' after Albanese had separated it out in his first term, the reversal made in part because of the communications issues during the Dural caravan plot. Caruana said that during enterprise agreement negotiations, Barrett rigorously held the government line while also showing empathy for the members seeking better pay. 'We need a commissioner that is going to have some empathy, some compassion and some understanding to what the troops are going through,' he said. 'And hopefully Krissy is the person to take that argument to the government, to get us what the members need in order to continue to keep Australia safe.' Barrett deployed to the Solomon Islands in 2003 as part of the AFP's first contingent in a multinational peacekeeping force. The local government had requested assistance from neighbouring countries to help quell escalating, ethnically driven violence, and the AFP worked to disarm militias and investigate attacks in the region. She has been recognised for her distinguished service there, and began training to be a sworn officer two years later. Barrett has since worked in fraud, anti-corruption and money laundering, counterterrorism, serious financial crime and transnational organised crime. Along the way, Barrett has been no stranger to being the first woman in a role, successively breaking new ground while climbing the AFP ranks. She was the first patrol sergeant at ACT Policing to work part-time after starting a family, and in 2015 did a research study into gender roles in frontline policing – achievements that were noted when she was awarded a King's Birthday Honour in 2023 while an assistant commissioner. Barrett did not shy away from the 'first woman' mantle when addressing reporters following her appointment. 'It's an absolute honour and privilege to be appointed to this position, and I'm very aware it's a significant milestone for the AFP and probably policing more broadly,' she said. 'I have been very fortunate to have some fantastic role models throughout my career, both men and women, and I do hope that I can play that role for aspiring leaders.' Appropriately for top-level law enforcement, Barrett has a meagre online presence. There is no LinkedIn profile boasting of any classified work, Burke would be pleased to see, after spy chief Mike Burgess warned on July 31 that people with security clearances were making it too easy for foreign agents to target them by boasting about their access online. Loading But Barrett's comments at the press conference with Burke this week provided a small insight into her priorities, starting with social cohesion 'right at the top of the list'. Barrett honoured Kershaw in her remarks, saying he was a mentor and crediting him with transforming the AFP. 'I never imagined that one day I would be leading this very fine organisation,' she said. 'As commissioner, I will ensure the AFP continues to keep Australians safe, protects the vulnerable, and identifies and disrupts an emerging cohort of criminals who have mixed motivations and threatens our national security.'
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Transparency gaps cloud $2m Folbigg compensation offer
Secrecy surrounds why Kathleen Folbigg has been offered $2 million for decades of wrongful imprisonment, with concerns the compensation system risks undermining the principles of open justice. The NSW government is refusing to budge on the sum, with the state's premier saying Ms Folbigg would need to go to court for more, despite widespread criticism of the payout amount. High-profile lawyer Sam Tierney said $2 million appeared to be low for her 20 years in jail. Mr Tierney represented David Eastman in his $7 million compensation win against the ACT government after being wrongly convicted of AFP assistant commissioner Colin Winchester's murder. Serious concerns about the transparency of the ex gratia payment process would persist until governments handed over powers to the courts or released reasons for their decision, he said. "It seems only fair and reasonable and sensible that the decision maker would issue reasons explaining why they arrived at a particular figure," Mr Tierney told AAP. "State and commonwealth legislatures should look very seriously at implementing Human Rights Acts so that courts can be empowered to properly review these situations." Ms Folbigg was jailed over the deaths of her four children before being freed in June 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt about her convictions. Premier Chris Minns said her lawyers were free to sue the government if they felt the offer was inadequate, but he wouldn't budge without a court order. "There's no future action that cannot be pursued by Ms Folbigg or her lawyers," he said on Friday. NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley's office declined to comment when asked whether it would release the reasons for the decision. Despite his former client's success, Mr Tierney said Ms Folbigg would struggle to appeal against the offer she received on Thursday. "If there are no reasons issued by the decision maker, then it's very difficult to attack the decision that's been made," the lawyer said. Unlike court-run compensation claims, which have precedents, ex gratia payments are one-off matters and are a decision of state cabinets. Arguing about the viability of a $2 million payment in a state budget of billions of dollars was "a little trite", Mr Tierney said. Against the NSW annual budget of $128 billion, the amount offered to Ms Folbigg represents about 0.0015 per cent. Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the government's offer was unfair and far too low. "This is all about showing some empathy for someone whose conviction has been overturned," he told Nine's Today show. "Her conviction was wrongful. She suffered enormously." Ms Folbigg's solicitor previously described the payment offer as a "moral affront". "The system has failed Kathleen Folbigg once again," Rhanee Rego said. Greens MP Sue Higginson described it as "an absolute slap in the face". AUSTRALIANS WRONGLY CONVICTED OF HOMICIDE: * Darryl Beamish - convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1961, paroled in 1971, conviction overturned in 2005. Received $425,000 in 2011. * John Button - convicted of manslaughter in 1963, released in 1968. Conviction quashed and received $400,000 in compensation in 2002. * Lindy Chamberlain - convicted of the murder of her daughter Azaria in 1982, released in 1986 and pardoned in 1988. Received $1.3 million in compensation in 1992. * Andrew Mallard - convicted of murder in 1995, conviction quashed by the High Court and released in 2006. Received $3.25 million in compensation in 2009. * David Eastman - convicted in 1995 of the murder of AFP assistant commissioner Colin Winchester. Conviction quashed and released in 2014. Acquitted on retrial in 2018. Awarded $7 million in compensation in 2019. * Kathleen Folbigg - convicted of the murder of three and manslaughter of one of her children in 2003. Pardoned and released in 2023. Offered $2 million compensation. Secrecy surrounds why Kathleen Folbigg has been offered $2 million for decades of wrongful imprisonment, with concerns the compensation system risks undermining the principles of open justice. The NSW government is refusing to budge on the sum, with the state's premier saying Ms Folbigg would need to go to court for more, despite widespread criticism of the payout amount. High-profile lawyer Sam Tierney said $2 million appeared to be low for her 20 years in jail. Mr Tierney represented David Eastman in his $7 million compensation win against the ACT government after being wrongly convicted of AFP assistant commissioner Colin Winchester's murder. Serious concerns about the transparency of the ex gratia payment process would persist until governments handed over powers to the courts or released reasons for their decision, he said. "It seems only fair and reasonable and sensible that the decision maker would issue reasons explaining why they arrived at a particular figure," Mr Tierney told AAP. "State and commonwealth legislatures should look very seriously at implementing Human Rights Acts so that courts can be empowered to properly review these situations." Ms Folbigg was jailed over the deaths of her four children before being freed in June 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt about her convictions. Premier Chris Minns said her lawyers were free to sue the government if they felt the offer was inadequate, but he wouldn't budge without a court order. "There's no future action that cannot be pursued by Ms Folbigg or her lawyers," he said on Friday. NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley's office declined to comment when asked whether it would release the reasons for the decision. Despite his former client's success, Mr Tierney said Ms Folbigg would struggle to appeal against the offer she received on Thursday. "If there are no reasons issued by the decision maker, then it's very difficult to attack the decision that's been made," the lawyer said. Unlike court-run compensation claims, which have precedents, ex gratia payments are one-off matters and are a decision of state cabinets. Arguing about the viability of a $2 million payment in a state budget of billions of dollars was "a little trite", Mr Tierney said. Against the NSW annual budget of $128 billion, the amount offered to Ms Folbigg represents about 0.0015 per cent. Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the government's offer was unfair and far too low. "This is all about showing some empathy for someone whose conviction has been overturned," he told Nine's Today show. "Her conviction was wrongful. She suffered enormously." Ms Folbigg's solicitor previously described the payment offer as a "moral affront". "The system has failed Kathleen Folbigg once again," Rhanee Rego said. Greens MP Sue Higginson described it as "an absolute slap in the face". AUSTRALIANS WRONGLY CONVICTED OF HOMICIDE: * Darryl Beamish - convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1961, paroled in 1971, conviction overturned in 2005. Received $425,000 in 2011. * John Button - convicted of manslaughter in 1963, released in 1968. Conviction quashed and received $400,000 in compensation in 2002. * Lindy Chamberlain - convicted of the murder of her daughter Azaria in 1982, released in 1986 and pardoned in 1988. Received $1.3 million in compensation in 1992. * Andrew Mallard - convicted of murder in 1995, conviction quashed by the High Court and released in 2006. Received $3.25 million in compensation in 2009. * David Eastman - convicted in 1995 of the murder of AFP assistant commissioner Colin Winchester. Conviction quashed and released in 2014. Acquitted on retrial in 2018. Awarded $7 million in compensation in 2019. * Kathleen Folbigg - convicted of the murder of three and manslaughter of one of her children in 2003. Pardoned and released in 2023. Offered $2 million compensation. Secrecy surrounds why Kathleen Folbigg has been offered $2 million for decades of wrongful imprisonment, with concerns the compensation system risks undermining the principles of open justice. The NSW government is refusing to budge on the sum, with the state's premier saying Ms Folbigg would need to go to court for more, despite widespread criticism of the payout amount. High-profile lawyer Sam Tierney said $2 million appeared to be low for her 20 years in jail. Mr Tierney represented David Eastman in his $7 million compensation win against the ACT government after being wrongly convicted of AFP assistant commissioner Colin Winchester's murder. Serious concerns about the transparency of the ex gratia payment process would persist until governments handed over powers to the courts or released reasons for their decision, he said. "It seems only fair and reasonable and sensible that the decision maker would issue reasons explaining why they arrived at a particular figure," Mr Tierney told AAP. "State and commonwealth legislatures should look very seriously at implementing Human Rights Acts so that courts can be empowered to properly review these situations." Ms Folbigg was jailed over the deaths of her four children before being freed in June 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt about her convictions. Premier Chris Minns said her lawyers were free to sue the government if they felt the offer was inadequate, but he wouldn't budge without a court order. "There's no future action that cannot be pursued by Ms Folbigg or her lawyers," he said on Friday. NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley's office declined to comment when asked whether it would release the reasons for the decision. Despite his former client's success, Mr Tierney said Ms Folbigg would struggle to appeal against the offer she received on Thursday. "If there are no reasons issued by the decision maker, then it's very difficult to attack the decision that's been made," the lawyer said. Unlike court-run compensation claims, which have precedents, ex gratia payments are one-off matters and are a decision of state cabinets. Arguing about the viability of a $2 million payment in a state budget of billions of dollars was "a little trite", Mr Tierney said. Against the NSW annual budget of $128 billion, the amount offered to Ms Folbigg represents about 0.0015 per cent. Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the government's offer was unfair and far too low. "This is all about showing some empathy for someone whose conviction has been overturned," he told Nine's Today show. "Her conviction was wrongful. She suffered enormously." Ms Folbigg's solicitor previously described the payment offer as a "moral affront". "The system has failed Kathleen Folbigg once again," Rhanee Rego said. Greens MP Sue Higginson described it as "an absolute slap in the face". AUSTRALIANS WRONGLY CONVICTED OF HOMICIDE: * Darryl Beamish - convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1961, paroled in 1971, conviction overturned in 2005. Received $425,000 in 2011. * John Button - convicted of manslaughter in 1963, released in 1968. Conviction quashed and received $400,000 in compensation in 2002. * Lindy Chamberlain - convicted of the murder of her daughter Azaria in 1982, released in 1986 and pardoned in 1988. Received $1.3 million in compensation in 1992. * Andrew Mallard - convicted of murder in 1995, conviction quashed by the High Court and released in 2006. Received $3.25 million in compensation in 2009. * David Eastman - convicted in 1995 of the murder of AFP assistant commissioner Colin Winchester. Conviction quashed and released in 2014. Acquitted on retrial in 2018. Awarded $7 million in compensation in 2019. * Kathleen Folbigg - convicted of the murder of three and manslaughter of one of her children in 2003. Pardoned and released in 2023. Offered $2 million compensation. Secrecy surrounds why Kathleen Folbigg has been offered $2 million for decades of wrongful imprisonment, with concerns the compensation system risks undermining the principles of open justice. The NSW government is refusing to budge on the sum, with the state's premier saying Ms Folbigg would need to go to court for more, despite widespread criticism of the payout amount. High-profile lawyer Sam Tierney said $2 million appeared to be low for her 20 years in jail. Mr Tierney represented David Eastman in his $7 million compensation win against the ACT government after being wrongly convicted of AFP assistant commissioner Colin Winchester's murder. Serious concerns about the transparency of the ex gratia payment process would persist until governments handed over powers to the courts or released reasons for their decision, he said. "It seems only fair and reasonable and sensible that the decision maker would issue reasons explaining why they arrived at a particular figure," Mr Tierney told AAP. "State and commonwealth legislatures should look very seriously at implementing Human Rights Acts so that courts can be empowered to properly review these situations." Ms Folbigg was jailed over the deaths of her four children before being freed in June 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt about her convictions. Premier Chris Minns said her lawyers were free to sue the government if they felt the offer was inadequate, but he wouldn't budge without a court order. "There's no future action that cannot be pursued by Ms Folbigg or her lawyers," he said on Friday. NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley's office declined to comment when asked whether it would release the reasons for the decision. Despite his former client's success, Mr Tierney said Ms Folbigg would struggle to appeal against the offer she received on Thursday. "If there are no reasons issued by the decision maker, then it's very difficult to attack the decision that's been made," the lawyer said. Unlike court-run compensation claims, which have precedents, ex gratia payments are one-off matters and are a decision of state cabinets. Arguing about the viability of a $2 million payment in a state budget of billions of dollars was "a little trite", Mr Tierney said. Against the NSW annual budget of $128 billion, the amount offered to Ms Folbigg represents about 0.0015 per cent. Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the government's offer was unfair and far too low. "This is all about showing some empathy for someone whose conviction has been overturned," he told Nine's Today show. "Her conviction was wrongful. She suffered enormously." Ms Folbigg's solicitor previously described the payment offer as a "moral affront". "The system has failed Kathleen Folbigg once again," Rhanee Rego said. Greens MP Sue Higginson described it as "an absolute slap in the face". AUSTRALIANS WRONGLY CONVICTED OF HOMICIDE: * Darryl Beamish - convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1961, paroled in 1971, conviction overturned in 2005. Received $425,000 in 2011. * John Button - convicted of manslaughter in 1963, released in 1968. Conviction quashed and received $400,000 in compensation in 2002. * Lindy Chamberlain - convicted of the murder of her daughter Azaria in 1982, released in 1986 and pardoned in 1988. Received $1.3 million in compensation in 1992. * Andrew Mallard - convicted of murder in 1995, conviction quashed by the High Court and released in 2006. Received $3.25 million in compensation in 2009. * David Eastman - convicted in 1995 of the murder of AFP assistant commissioner Colin Winchester. Conviction quashed and released in 2014. Acquitted on retrial in 2018. Awarded $7 million in compensation in 2019. * Kathleen Folbigg - convicted of the murder of three and manslaughter of one of her children in 2003. Pardoned and released in 2023. Offered $2 million compensation.
