NSW DPP Sally Dowling accused of authorising media leak, inquiry recommends removal
Consensus Summary
A parliamentary committee in New South Wales released a report on Tuesday accusing Director of Public Prosecutions Sally Dowling of authorising a leak of sensitive information to 2GB in October 2024, which allegedly defamed District Court Judge Penelope Wass. The leak involved a story about a young Aboriginal offender in Taree District Court, sentenced for break and enter and sexual touching, and included details that breached legal protections against identifying children. The committee, which was originally tasked with examining identity protections for children in court, found Dowling gave false evidence by denying her involvement, despite evidence from her media manager Sally Killoran about a meeting on 25 October 2024. The report, released after a divided committee vote of 4-3, recommended Attorney-General Michael Daley consider establishing a formal inquiry to examine whether Dowling should be removed from office. Daley, however, rejected the findings, calling the report the worst he had seen and expressing full confidence in Dowling. Eight DPPs from across Australia signed a letter of support for Dowling dated 30 June, describing her as a person of integrity. The inquiry itself was controversial, with Labor members dissenting and criticizing the report as biased, while Dowling maintained she was not aware of the leak's details during the meeting.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The parliamentary committee report was tabled on Tuesday
- The leak involved a story aired on 2GB's breakfast show in October 2024
- The story concerned a young Aboriginal offender in Taree District Court sentenced for break and enter and sexual touching
- The committee found the DPP authorised pitching the story to 2GB and falsely denied it in evidence
- Attorney-General Michael Daley called the report the 'worst' he had seen
- Eight Commonwealth, state, and territory DPPs signed a letter supporting Sally Dowling before the report's release
- The inquiry was set up in October last year to examine identity protections for children in court
- The committee recommended Daley consider establishing a formal inquiry to examine removal of Dowling from office
- Dowling admitted her office leaked the information but denied authorising it
- The committee report included eight findings against Dowling, including authorising the leak and falsely denying it
- The inquiry focused almost solely on the leak to 2GB despite being about children's identity protection
- The committee was divided, with Labor members dissenting and refusing to accept adverse findings against Dowling
- Dowling's media manager, Sally Killoran, testified about a meeting on 25 October 2024 where pitching the story was discussed
- The committee found the leak had a 'significant personal and professional impact' on District Court Judge Penelope Wass
- The committee report stated the leak breached ODPP guidelines because it included the offender's name, despite legal restrictions
- Dowling claimed she was not paying attention during the meeting where the leak was discussed
- The committee's report was split 4-3, with the majority finding Dowling gave false evidence
- The letter of support for Dowling was dated 30 June
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The committee was led by Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MLC Robert Borsak
- Labor's Cameron Murphy and Bob Nanva filed a dissenting report alongside Greens MLC Sue Higginson
- Dowling said she did not realise her media officers were planning to pitch the story to 2GB
- The committee's report stated the leak was 'inherently dangerous and potentially intimidatory' to the criminal justice system
- The committee found the ongoing dispute between Dowling and Judge Wass was harmful to the administration of justice
- Dowling has been criticised by other district court judges for bringing 'unmeritorious' cases, particularly sexual assault cases
- The committee recommended establishing a parliamentary committee to oversee the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
- Dowling's media team allegedly pitched the story to the Daily Telegraph before 2GB was chosen
- The committee found the leak included the offender's name, even though the offender cannot be identified by law
- The committee's report said the leak was meant to defame Judge Wass during an ongoing professional dispute
- The inquiry found there was 'no genuine public interest' in the ODPP pitching the story
- The committee found the action risked identifying the child involved and 'most likely constituted a breach of the prosecution guidelines'
- Dowling first appeared before the inquiry last year and said she only heard her office was the source of the story two days before her December 2025 appearance
- Dowling accused the inquiry of a 'gross denial of procedural fairness'
- The inquiry heard evidence from ODPP media manager Sally Killoran about a meeting with Dowling and an external media adviser the day before the story aired
- The external media adviser did not appear before the inquiry or make herself available to be served a summons
- Dowling wrote in evidence that she was reading emails and text messages about other ODPP matters during the meeting
- The inquiry found some in NSW were likely being identified 'through a jigsaw of information' despite safeguards
- The inquiry recommended expanding the definition of information that can lead to identification
- Greens MLC Sue Higginson said the loss of power for parliamentary committees to compel witnesses had a 'negative impact on the veracity' of the inquiry
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The ABC states the committee made eight findings against Dowling, while the Guardian does not specify the number of findings
- The ABC says Dowling admitted her office leaked the information and that it was discussed in a meeting she attended, while the Guardian states Dowling admitted her office pitched the story but strongly rejected authorising it
- The ABC mentions Dowling's media team allegedly pitched the story to the Daily Telegraph before 2GB, while the Guardian only mentions 2GB and the Daily Telegraph in Killoran's testimony
- The ABC states the committee recommended establishing a parliamentary committee to oversee the ODPP, while the Guardian does not mention this recommendation
- The Guardian notes Dowling accused the inquiry of a 'gross denial of procedural fairness,' while the ABC does not explicitly mention this accusation
Source Articles
Controversial report calling for NSW DPP to be replaced condemned
The inquiry into children's identity protection was called in October last year, but has focused almost solely on the leaking of the story to media.
NSW’s top prosecutor gave false evidence on media leak about young Indigenous offender, inquiry finds
Sally Dowling admits her office pitched the story but says it was not authorised by her, while her colleagues call her ‘a person of integrity’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A New South Wales parliamentary committee report has made findings accusing the state’s top prosecutor of giving false evidence under oath to an inquiry and recommended the attorney general investigate whether there are grounds to remove her