Sin City: Crime and Corruption in 20th-Century Sydney

Go-go dancer, Kings Cross, c1965,
© Robert McFarlane

“Sydney is a city with no memory.” So said Gary Sturgess, the man responsible for establishing the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Have we really forgotten the systemic corruption that engulfed Sydney not so long ago, or is it just easier for our collective consciousness to simply push away those memories?

A revealing and confronting exhibition titled Sin City: Crime and Corruption in 20th-Century Sydney, being held at the Justice and Police Museum in Sydney, brings this colourful history into clearer focus. It takes you through the causes, the laws, the vices, the criminals, the cops and the politicians, who all played a part in the making of this sin city.

Organised crime in Sydney had at its core networks of criminals with links to those who manned the justice system. Alcohol, gambling, prostitution, drugs, bribery and blackmail proliferated within the criminal world, and took an even more sinister turn, with the birth of criminal syndicates. Tracing this history from 1900 onwards, the exhibition takes you through the World Wars, the links between organised crime and corrupt police, the use of legitimate business as fronts for unsavoury activities, the adoption of new policing methods (such as phone tapping), and the investigations that finally brought it all to the grim light of day.  

Sin City: Crime and Corruption in 20th-Century Sydney is presented in a most engaging way through the use of audio-visual aspects. There are plenty of photographs from days past, as well as several interesting exhibits and wall graphics. The Ballyhoo and Bobby Dazzler poker machines, the pre-1914 crown and anchor chocolate wheel, as well as the striptease outfits provide a nostalgic note to the exhibition.

A gaming club at 5155 Goulburn Street, Sydney, 16 April 1985 (detail)
© Fairfax Photos

The 40-minute DVD presentation is informative, and contains interviews, taped conversations, clips and footage of key figures, who appear and disappear through the narrative. Their swagger, power and murderous intents make a mockery of the justice system, made even more useless because of corrupt police officers and power hungry politicians.

Abe Saffron (a.k.a. Mr Sin), Lennie MacPherson (a.k.a. Mr Big), George Freeman and Stan Smith feature prominently in the exhibition, while victims such as Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, Juanita Nielsen and Shirley Brifman are also given a place and a voice. Then there are the allegations against Fred Krahe, Ray Kelly, Roger Rogerson, Don Fergusson, Fred Hanson, Norman Allan, Sir Robert Askin and a host of other policemen. The establishment of the ICAC, the National Crime Authority, the Woodward Royal Commission, and even the opening of Star City (the first legal casino) feature as important hallmarks on the path to fighting organised crime.

Abe Saffron at his Roosevelt Club in Sydney, January 1951
© Fairfax Photos

I especially liked the life size figures that adorn the walls of the last part of the exhibition. The quotes that accompany them show how assured they were of their positions within the system. They knew the rules, the players, the weak links and how to take advantage of all combined. It’s indeed a relief to know that Sydney has survived these notorious figures, and that the wounds are healing. It’s also fully worth your time to sit at the computers made available and have a read through the more detailed histories of the figures that surround you.

The exhibition raises some interesting questions about the effectiveness of bans and restrictions, the conditions that must come together to enable organised crime to flourish, and the importance of good policing made credible through sound policies. It’s an arresting collection that brings out an important part of Sydney’s historical narrative. When you love a city, it’s always good to know something about the people and events that made it what it is today.

Sin City: Crime and Corruption in 20th-Century Sydney goes on till 22 May 2011. For more information, log on to (and explore) www.hht.net.au/sincity