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

The men and women of our police force perform a difficult and at times thankless job. They are the people to whom we turn in times of acute crisis. They occasionally see humanity at its best, but more often at its very worst. They are the people to whom we go in dangerous situations, when the rest of us are escaping to safety. By its very nature the act of policing will always come with some risk, but sometimes police men and women pay the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe.

On the 29 September, National Police Remembrance Day, we remember those who have died in the course of or as a result of their duties. The National Police Memorial in Canberra was completed in 2006. It records the names and honours the memory of 757 police men and women. The list dates right back to first recorded fatality in 1803. It makes for some sombre reading. It includes the 29 officers from Queensland, who have lost their lives. For the Hansard record, I would like to repeat them: Patrick Cahill, John Power, George Dyas, Henry Kaye, Mark Beresford, William Dwyer, Alfred Wavell, James Sangster, Edward Lanigan, William Conroy, George Doyle, David Johnston, Charles O'Kearney, Albert Price, Roy Doyle, Gregory Olive, Douglas Wrembeck, Cecil Bagley, Desmond Trannore, Douglas Gordon, Lyle Hoey, Colin Brown, Michael Low, Peter Kidd, Brett Handran, Norman Watt, Perry Irwin, Detective Senior Constable Damian Leeding and Constable Brett Irwin, who, in 2007, having already served his country in the Army, had joined the police service and was posted to Ferny Grove in my electorate of Ryan. On his first night shift, he was sent to serve a bail warrant on a career criminal at a house in Keperra. He was shot without warning and died at the scene. His last act was to shout a warning to his colleague. He was just 33 years old. We must always remember that every loss leaves behind a grieving family. In the case of Constable Irwin: his mother, Christine and her surviving children.

Police legacy organisations around Australia work to support the partners and dependents of deceased officers. I wish to pay particular tribute to the work of Queensland Police Legacy who, for more than 40 years, have been supporting police and their families. At present they are assisting 53 families from across the state, including meeting education expenses of 80 dependent children. They also fund group holidays for police families who have suffered loss. These trips encourage them to share their stories and to look out for each other, with many establishing connections, support networks and friends that last a lifetime. Queensland Policy Legacy receives no government funding, and relies entirely on charitable support. I encourage all Queenslanders to support this very worthy cause.

In Ryan, we are well served by a police service that is heavily involved in our local community. Key to this is the work of Sergeant Jose Sarmiento, the District Crime Prevention Coordinator for our area. Jose is a frequent presence at schools and events and gives his time to speak to many community groups, including local Neighbourhood Watch meetings. He is a great example of an officer who genuinely cares about his community and is committed to working with us to keep us safe. For all the safety improvements in process, in vehicles and firearms, policing will always carry risk. It is perhaps the only profession that asks its members to leave their homes each and every day not knowing if they will return.

On National Police Remembrance Day, on 29 September, please take time to consider the vital role that the men and women of our police forces play. Remember those who have given their lives and also pay tribute to those still serving and those who have served—people like the member for Macarthur. We need to be appreciative of the risks that they take every day to keep our community safe and secure. We owe our police and their families a debt of gratitude for the work that they do. I thank the member for Fowler for bringing this motion to the House today.

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