The Roebuck Bay Hotel was long considered an untouchable fixture of the West Australian tourism town of Broome.

Affectionately known by locals as “the Roey”, the pub for long had a monopoly over the town’s alcohol supply.

Its presence was everywhere, serving drinks at the town’s horse races and its famous Mardi Gras festival.

The venue’s manager, Stewart Burchell, was described by local police as a “great guy”. The Roey’s reputation was enduring, until detectives kicked in its doors two years ago.

A reckoning

Australia’s hospitality industry has been under scrutiny in recent years, with universities and unions investigating reports of sexual harassment, substance abuse and inappropriate professional norms across businesses.

The Roebuck Bay Hotel was a petri dish of the same issues ex

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