Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to support the motion, and I acknowledge all of the previous speakers. Police Week 2022 commenced across Australia on Saturday 17 September with the 13th annual Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance. This Thursday, 29 September, National Police Remembrance Day will be observed. As a former police officer myself, I'd like to thank and recognise all police right across the nation for the incredible work that they do. Police Remembrance Day commemorates police officers from all Australian police services who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our community. The day is a time for us all to reflect and remember the very real risks that our police officers face on a day-to-day basis. It's also a time when we pause and honour the lives and memories of police who have had their lives tragically cut short in their work protecting us. It is also a very solemn day and an important day for police officers, their loved ones and the wider police family. I'd also like to pay tribute to the very enduring work of NSW Police Legacy, an incredible organisation providing services to police legatees right across my state of New South Wales. On this day we pay tribute to the men and women of the service who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Together we must all ensure their legacies are preserved.

As a former general duties police officer myself, I've seen firsthand some of the situations, challenges and complexities that police officers face day in, day out while serving their communities. They often have to face confronting, dangerous situations and also have to attend fatal incidents and horrific tragedies. There are also many other challenges specific to policing, particularly in regional areas like mine, on the New South Wales North Coast. As I've publicly said many times and commented on before, I continue to stand with my community in calling for more police and more resources to ensure regional police and communities remain safe.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge my newly elected colleague the member for Tangney. The member for Tangney was born in Malaysia and emigrated with his family to Australia in 2002. The member for Tangney was a member of the Royal Malaysia Police and, upon coming to Australia, he joined the Western Australia Police Academy in 2006. He was recognised as police officer of the year in 2020 for his work with multicultural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, as the member for Tangney, he serves his community in our federal parliament and joins the ranks of many current and former members of parliament who have proudly served as members of police services: welcome.

As this motion states, we acknowledge the crucial and often challenging and dangerous work that the men and women of our state and federal police do on a daily basis. I'd also like to take the opportunity to especially mention Tweed-Byron Police District Superintendent Dave Roptell APM. Superintendent Roptell took command of the district in 2019 and has served in the NSW Police Force for over 30 years. Mr Roptell has greatly assisted our community on the New South Wales North Coast through many challenging and difficult times since he took that command—notably, of course, the public health orders in response to the pandemic, and also the coordination of the emergency responses at the height of our devastating floods earlier this year. Most recently, Superintendent Roptell was recognised for his more than 30 years of service to the NSW Police Force as part of the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours list, being awarded the Australian Police Medal. I'd like to take this opportunity in our federal parliament to congratulate and commend Superintendent Roptell APM for this award and acknowledge his commitment to our community's safety.

I'd also like to make a special mention of all the police associations and police unions and the Police Federation of Australia for their tireless work in representing the interests of Australian police officers. In my electorate of Richmond, I pay respect to our local police, who serve and protect our community. I know firsthand the outstanding work that they do.

On Police Remembrance Day I encourage locals in my area and right across the country to take the time to think about the role that police officers play within our community, in our state and right throughout the nation. Thursday 29 September is an occasion for us all to recognise these services and acknowledge the work the police are doing to keep us safe and, particularly on this day, to remember those police who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our community. I commend the motion to the House.

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