Shaped by the experiences of current and former members, the Cultural Review will examine the culture in New South Wales Police Force workplaces and recommend reform for the future.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions. If you have additional questions, please contact us.
In late September 2024, following public allegations of current and historical instances of misconduct, bullying and sexual harassment within parts of the New South Wales Police Force, Commissioner Karen Webb approached Kristen Hilton, former Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner, about conducting a cultural review of the New South Wales Police Force, with a particular focus on understanding where progress towards a safer and more equitable working environment has been made and where there are areas that continue to demand attention and reform.
The Cultural Review will examine the drivers and experiences of workplace culture within the New South Wales Police Force. These include:
Download the full Terms of Reference for more detail.
The Cultural Review is open to:
While we recognise that there may be people who left NSWPF prior to 2020 who would like an opportunity to share their story, the scope of the Review is limited to people who have exited in the past five years.
Current and former members will have a range of opportunities to participate in the Cultural Review, including confidential interviews, a workforce survey, informal listening sessions and written submissions. During the engagement phase of the Cultural Review, the team will be visiting a range of locations around New South Wales to speak with members and leadership about their experiences and reflections.
Find out more about participating in the Cultural Review or to register your interest in a confidential interview / listening session.
The Cultural Review is being undertaken by an independent team led by Kristen Hilton, former Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. Kristen has previously led comprehensive, multi-year reviews into human rights compliance, equality and diversity within Victoria Police, Victoria’s fire services, Ambulance Victoria, the Victorian racing industry and Victoria’s adult custodial corrections system, as well as acting as an expert adviser on the recent Review into Diversity and Inclusion in the Queensland Police Service.
Kristen will be supported by an independent team that brings together significant expertise in workplace cultural reform, law, human rights, diversity and inclusion, and communication.
Find out more about Kristen and the Cultural Review team.
The Cultural Review is being conducted by external experts who are not employed by or affiliated with the New South Wales Police Force. These reviewers operate under agreed Terms of Reference, guided by transparency and accountability to avoid conflicts of interest. The process involves diverse stakeholder input, providing a balanced perspective that reinforces the Cultural Review’s neutrality and credibility.
Your privacy is one of our key concerns. The Review team has strong experience in the sensitive, careful management of issues around workplace culture, and unlawful workplace behaviour.
The starting position of the Review is that we will keep your information safe and confidential.
We will keep all written notes, interview recordings and your personal details in a secure electronic file in compliance with the privacy principles contained in the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) (PPIP Act).
If you disclose information relating to another person, including a victim/survivor or alleged perpetrator, that information will be de-identified and will not be disclosed to a third party unless determined necessary due to a serious risk of harm to you or others.
Written notes and interview recordings will be kept for the duration of the Review. The interview transcripts, names and contact details, will be destroyed as soon as practicable following the completion of the Review. Professional transcription services used to transcribe interviews are also bound by strict privacy obligations.
The Review will collect, store and destroy all personal information in accordance with the information privacy principles contained in the PPIP Act.
Please visit the Social Research Centre website for further information on their data and privacy policy. The Social Research Centre uses the ISO 27001 Information Security Management framework to apply global best practices in data security. Every year it is audited by ISO-Experts to retain our accreditation (current certification number: ISOEX-110045-2). This International Standard provides guidance and specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an Information Security Management System.
During the Cultural Review, we will talk to as many people as possible. By participating, you will have an opportunity to share your experiences with the Cultural Review team. This information will then help the team understand the experiences and challenges of former and current police and administrative officers and report de-identified experiences, trends and issues shaping recommendations.
The Review will make findings and recommendations to the NSWPF Commissioner relating to the current state of culture and desired future state. This report will be made public. Ultimately, it will be for police leadership to determine if and how the recommendations are adopted and implemented.
Independent cultural reviews have been conducted looking into many public and private sector agencies. Ultimately, their impact is determined by the level of leadership engagement and buy in to the recommendations.
The Cultural Review team is very focused on ensuring that any recommendations are actionable and meaningful for the NSWPF workforce.
We know that sharing experiences of workplace culture and inappropriate behaviour can be distressing. All individuals who contact us will be offered information and referrals to counselling and support services.