Phillip Arantz
Encyclopedia
Philip Arantz was a Detective Sergeant in the New South Wales Police
.
In the 1970s he was involved in a long-running and highly-publicised battle with the NSW government after his dismissal from the Police Service, and Arantz claimed that he had been victimised for his whistle-blowing actions, which had exposed systematic police corruption.
In 1971, while working on a computerisation program, the computer expert discovered that the NSW police service had been systematically under-reporting crime statistics for years. The obvious inference of this revelation was that police were trying to conceal corruption, which allegedly extended up to the Police Commissioner himself, and the widespread police involvement in organised crime.
Arantz took his allegations to senior police but they were dismissed out of hand. Eventually Arantz, now recognised as one of Australia's pioneer "whistle-blowers", realised that Norman Allan
(who had been Commissioner since 1962) was at least aware of the scheme, if not directly involved in it, and that he wanted to suppress Arantz's revelations.
The frustrated Arantz eventually leaked his information to the press, so an enraged Commissioner Allan began a vicious campaign to destroy Arantz's credibility. As a result, Arantz was suspended, forced to undergo a psychiatric assessment, and, finally, dishonourably discharged from the force; it took him years to clear his name. Meanwhile both Commissioner Allan and New South Wales Premier Robert Askin
had retired (respectively in 1972 and 1975), avoiding the taint from the scandal. It wasn't until 1989 that Arantz and his claims were finally vindicated, by which point Askin and Allan were long since dead.
Arantz went on to write a book about his experiences, entitled A Collusion of Powers.
New South Wales Police
The New South Wales Police Force is the primary law enforcement agency in the State of New South Wales, Australia. It is an agency of the Government of New South Wales within the New South Wales Ministry for Police...
.
In the 1970s he was involved in a long-running and highly-publicised battle with the NSW government after his dismissal from the Police Service, and Arantz claimed that he had been victimised for his whistle-blowing actions, which had exposed systematic police corruption.
In 1971, while working on a computerisation program, the computer expert discovered that the NSW police service had been systematically under-reporting crime statistics for years. The obvious inference of this revelation was that police were trying to conceal corruption, which allegedly extended up to the Police Commissioner himself, and the widespread police involvement in organised crime.
Arantz took his allegations to senior police but they were dismissed out of hand. Eventually Arantz, now recognised as one of Australia's pioneer "whistle-blowers", realised that Norman Allan
Norman Allan
Norman Thomas William Allan was the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police, from 1962 to 1972...
(who had been Commissioner since 1962) was at least aware of the scheme, if not directly involved in it, and that he wanted to suppress Arantz's revelations.
The frustrated Arantz eventually leaked his information to the press, so an enraged Commissioner Allan began a vicious campaign to destroy Arantz's credibility. As a result, Arantz was suspended, forced to undergo a psychiatric assessment, and, finally, dishonourably discharged from the force; it took him years to clear his name. Meanwhile both Commissioner Allan and New South Wales Premier Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
had retired (respectively in 1972 and 1975), avoiding the taint from the scandal. It wasn't until 1989 that Arantz and his claims were finally vindicated, by which point Askin and Allan were long since dead.
Arantz went on to write a book about his experiences, entitled A Collusion of Powers.