Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I wish to place on record my congratulations to Senior Sergeant Corey Allen, who has recently been nominated as a Queensland finalist for the Australian of the Year awards in the category Australia’s Local Hero. Corey is a truly remarkable local who has enriched not just the Ryan community through his hard work but that of the city of Brisbane. I first met Corey when he served the Queensland police as officer in charge at the Indooroopilly station in Ryan. He is now serving as the officer in charge of the Brisbane city station. Despite his elevated managerial position in the police force, Corey believes that the most effective policing occurs by being out and about and working in the community, and he continues to walk the beat.

However, his work above and beyond the call of duty is just as significant and worthy of recognition in this place. Indeed, it is the work of people like Corey that makes Brisbane a safe and truly wonderful place to live. It is the work of people like Corey, who has personally worked tirelessly to improve the lives of thousands of Brisbane residents, that embodies what it means to be Australian. Corey’s own unique style of policing is underpinned by a vision to create connections in the community and build tolerance and trust where none previously existed. With this vision, Corey has worked relentlessly with no expectation of community gratitude. Corey is focused on issues of youth, homelessness and public safety and has introduced several innovative programs to tackle these issues.

One key initiative is Project PATCH. Project PATCH was developed by Corey three years ago to target drug issues, violence and assault in Brisbane’s inner city suburb of Kelvin Grove. In recognition of the enormous success of this undertaking by Senior Sergeant Allen and the Brisbane city police, the project was awarded the prestigious National Meritorious Police award at this year’s Australian Policing and Crime Prevention ceremony in Canberra.

The National Australia Day Council has said of Corey that ‘he embodies old-fashioned policing values, where the officer in charge knows the people in their area and works with them on a first-name basis’. He is a member of the Commissioner’s Homeless Reference Group and volunteers with ‘50 Lives 50 Homes’, which engages with those sleeping rough between four and seven o’clock each morning. Corey and his wife, Tracey, also foster children on short-term and emergency placement. He is passionate about helping young people in difficult situations and his personal, hands-on approach is doing just that. He was also recently awarded the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust fellowship to study youth homelessness overseas to find better ways to help young people on the streets of Brisbane.

Senior Sergeant Corey Allen is a role model for all young police officers and, indeed, all people in our community. The Australian of the Year awards recognise individuals who inspire national pride and enrich the lives of their fellow Australians. It is therefore fitting that Corey is a finalist for these awards. It is a great honour. I congratulate Senior Sergeant Corey Allen on his well-deserved achievement. (Time expired)

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