Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) recognises that 17 September 2022 is the start of National Police Week, which culminates with National Police Remembrance Day on 29 September 2022;

(2) acknowledges the crucial, and often challenging and dangerous, work that the men and women of our state and federal police do on a daily basis;

(3) remembers those police who have lost their lives in the line of duty, and their families who are forever impacted; and

(4) thanks the men and women of our state and federal police for their ongoing dedication to keeping Australian communities safe and maintaining the rule of law.

Our heroic police officers sacrifice much for our safety, most notably their own safety. Each day, thousands of police personnel go to work with the great duty of sacrifice to keep our communities safe and to keep the law and order that we cherish in this country. We often don't notice just how much our officers are willing to sacrifice for us, but we feel the impact when they do. National Police Remembrance Day is 29 September and is where we as a country acknowledge, remember and honour those who have died serving the community in the line of duty. It's a day of great reflection for many in our police forces who have been confronted with the deaths of their co-workers, their brothers and sisters.

This year, we have lost one serving police officer in the line of duty. On Friday, 8 April 2022, Senior Constable Bria Joyce was tragically killed in the line of duty at just 25 years of age. Bria had been in the police force for just six years and had risen to the rank of senior constable. She had a great passion for the service and she had incredible potential. Whilst on her patrol in the country Victorian town of Red Cliffs, a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction veered into her lane, resulting in a head-on collision. The result of this terrible tragedy will be felt long into the future. For her service and her sacrifice, we thank Bria and extend our sympathies to her family and close friends, still grappling with the loss of a bright soul.

Leading Senior Constable Thomas Kinnane was with Senior Constable Joyce on the night of 8 April during their regular patrol. The devastating physical and mental toll that night has had on him is unimaginable, and today we thank Constable Kinnane and all other police personnel for the sacrifices that they have made.

Of course, in the face of such tragedy, we must renew our national gratitude for the police men and women that serve every single day. We must stand by our police officers, who stand in the face of danger, who work tirelessly to uphold law and order and who keep us safe. It's a duty bound like no other, with commitments incomparable to most lines of work. For police officers and their related agencies, we as a parliament must continue to prioritise the protection of our values and laws in this country. We are a proud liberal democracy that prides itself on community. At the heart of that is the need to preserve it and ultimately support those who selflessly do.

The 29th of September 2022 marks 33 years of commemorating National Police Remembrance Day. Since 1989 we have experienced much change within our communities and country alike. While society may have shifted over the past three decades, the police force's dedication to serving our community has not. They will always continue to support us in our communities, and for that we do all thank them.

In my time as Minister for Home Affairs I saw firsthand the work that our law enforcement agencies and their personnel carry out. That covers the whole range of work. It includes the work that's done by our offices to protect those who are affected by domestic and family violence. It's those officers who work on local crime and it's the whole spectrum, right the way through to those officers who are engaged in tackling serious and organised crime. Much of the work of our police officers is unnoticed by our community, but we are very grateful and very thankful for their work. I wish to convey the House's gratitude to our police force, who keep and preserve peace across our great country. To those who serve as police officers and protective services officers and to those who work in the likes of family violence units, we thank you.

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