Former politician John Hatton AO thanks detective for courage under fire
RENOWNED anti-corruption advocate, John Hatton AO, is in the Glass House Mountains this week to present a personal painting of the region to former NSW Detective Sergeant Max Chapman.
Mr Hatton is a former independent Member of Parliament for the NSW South Coast and he explained that Mr Chapman – a Glasshouse local for 20 years – alongside former Detective Sergeant John Edlund and former Senior Constable Peter Jamieson, played a critical role in exposing deep-rooted corruption within the NSW Police Force during the 1980s.
After being ignored by police administration, the trio took their concerns to Mr Hatton about possible ties between corrupt police officers and the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta also known as the ‘Honoured Society’ —which was deeply embedded in the multi-million-dollar marijuana trade.
Their bravery came at a significant personal cost, Mr Hatton said.
Mr Chapman, at that time, had four awards for bravery, being one of the most decorated police officers in Australia.
He was also in the top 25 per cent of his detective training course, and his work performance was rated as excellent by his supervising sergeant, Mr Hatton explained.
He was also familiar with the local Canberra Queanbeyan crime scene.
Mr Hatton’s relentless advocacy led to the establishment of the NSW Police Royal Commission, which exposed widespread corruption and resulted in the removal of 180 officers.
Nigel Hadgkiss AM APM, the Commission’s Director of Operations, later described it as “The biggest exposure of corruption in a police force anywhere in the world.”
The influence of the ‘Ndrangheta in Australia was further revealed during the inquest into the assassination of Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Colin Winchester.
Mr Hatton said that many believe the criminal organisation ordered his murder—a subject explored in an upcoming revised edition of a book by lawyer Terry O’Donnell.
The painting presentation serves to honour both Max Chapman and his wife, Elaine, as local heroes.
Though Mr Hatton resides in Jervis Bay, he has been staying with Mr Chapman while completing his painting in the Glass House Mountains.
The painting’s frame bears the inscription:
‘To Detective Sergeant Max Chapman for Courage and Persistence in Exposing Corrupt Police.’