The Queensland police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, says she is “hoping” to keep her job amid increasing pressure on the Queensland police service’s leadership over revelations about racism, sexism and misogyny in the ranks.
On Tuesday Carroll and the police minister, Mark Ryan, spent almost an hour answering questions from the media after the release of audio recordings – published by Guardian Australia – that contained officers using racist and violent language.
“The stuff that we heard in the watch house is truly abhorrent,” Carroll said.
“It’s tough to stand here and listen to that being said and I know that I have apologised and I apologise again.”
The final report of the state inquiry into police responses to domestic violence has been handed to the state government, and will be released publicly next week.
It is understood the report contains an entire section on “leadership”, and is highly critical of Carroll, who is Queensland’s first female commissioner.
The Australian reported on Tuesday that the inquiry would say Carroll had “unjustifiable confidence” in the culture of the QPS.
Guardian Australia understands Carroll’s future is being discussed within the Palaszczuk government, ahead of a cabinet meeting next week and the subsequent release of the report.
There is a view that Carroll’s performance in the witness stand at the commission, including her refusal to accept that issues were cultural or widespread, has raised concern about her ability to reform the organisation.
Ryan said on Thursday the commissioner had his support.
Asked whether she would stay on past the release of the report, Carroll said: “I am hoping to survive. I actually believe that I am the person to take this organisation forward.
“Our reform takes, in the best environment, anywhere from three to five years, just to get the system, the processes, the training, the education in place.
“I do believe I’m in the right position … I have had extensive experience in reform, and I have commenced extensive reform, and it is incredibly important to take that forward.”
