John Hatton - documents submitted to the Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service, ca. 1986-1996

MLMSS 7416

fonds

ca. 1986-1996

Textual Records, Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Moving Images

402420

1.53 metres of textual material (9 boxes) - manuscript, typescript, typescript, photocopy, computer files, and photocopy
Sound Recordings
Moving Images - video recordings

John Hatton, Independent South Coast MP, raised matters of police corruption in the NSW Parliament for many years, leading to the Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service. Established on 13 May 1994, the Royal Commission authorised Justice James Wood to investigate the existence and extent of corruption in the NSW Police Service and other related matters. The final report was released in 1997 in 6 volumes. The Police Integrity Commission was established in 1996 upon the recommendation of the Royal Commission. When the Royal Commission ceased operations in June 1997, it transferred its records to the Police Integrity Commission. The documents submitted by John Hatton to the Royal Commission were returned to him in 1998 by the Police Integrity Commission.

The collection is predominantly correspondence to John Hatton from a variety of sources (such as prisoners, private citizens, ex-police officers, disturbed people, academics, disgruntled public) citing examples of police corruption or incompetence and miscarriages of justice. The accusations include racial harassment, ineligibility for a police pension, gambling, bribery, drug cultivation and conspiracy theories. Most of these have a copy of a covering letter from Hatton (or his research officer, Alan Barry) advising the correspondent that their complaint has been forwarded to the Royal Commission. There is also correspondence directly from Hatton to Justice Wood. The collection includes subject files on a particular case or area of concern, which often include documents (or copies of documents) dated prior to 1994.
1994; Barcodes 6753 - 35971 (with gaps). Mainly correspondence files but also includes an index to 11 volumes of Police newspaper clippings supplied to the Royal Commission (barcodes 8151-8250) and a cassette tape (barcode 28596). (Call No.: MLMSS 7416/1)
1986-1994; Barcodes 40482 - 177413 (with gaps). Mainly correspondence files, but also includes video tape of ABC TV 7.30 Report 5/5/1994 on police racism (barcode 55840). (Call No.: MLMSS 7416/2)
1986-1995; Barcodes 190600 - 234780 (with gaps). Mainly correspondence files. (Call No.: MLMSS 7416/3)
1989-1995; Barcodes 260001 - 474387 (with gaps). Mainly correspondence files. (Call No.: MLMSS 7416/4)
1986-1995; Barcodes 491237 - 629714 (with gaps). Correspondence and subject files. Includes word-processed manuscript of autobiography [by Arthur Stanley ("Neddy") Smith] (472 pp., barcodes 491237-491708) and file on drug security (barcodes 601899-601996). (Call No.: MLMSS 7416/5)
1987-1995; Barcodes 629715 - 630624. Subject files mainly relating to drug exhibits security (vols. 1-3). (Call No.: MLMSS 7416/6)
1988-1995; Barcodes 630625 - 649717 (with gaps). Subject files including complaints file and drug exhibits security (vol. 4). (Call No.: MLMSS 7416/7)
1989-1995; Barcodes 649718 - 650517. Subject files including drug exhibits security (vol.5), reports and correspondence to Joint Select Committee Upon Police Administration, and a computer disk of 'in camera' evidence taken before the Joint Select Committee Upon Police Administration, 1992-1993 (barcode 650517). (Call No.: MLMSS 7416/8)
1989-1996; Barcodes 658147 - 1662981 (with gaps). Subject files mainly relating to Joint Select Committee Upon Police Administration, and some correspondence files (Call No.: MLMSS 7416/9)

The collection is arranged in barcode order: every page or item was barcoded when received by the Royal Commission.

Restricted: Restriction to be reviewed in 2027

Public hearing transcripts (complete) for the Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service are available at ML REF 1/MAV/DISC 10/249; Final report of the Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service is available at ML MAV/DISC 10/81 v. 1-6 and SRL RAV/DISC 10/329 v. 1-6.

This collection was listed in 2004 as part of the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government in NSW 1856-2006 Project.