Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For some years I have known a man called Ron Gianoncelli. I first met him when he was the newsagent at Koondoola Plaza shopping centre, and he now runs the Australia Post shopfront up at the nearby Alexander Heights Shopping Centre. When I am at that centre I normally pause to give Ron a wave. If Ron has time he will give me his thoughts on crime and what he thinks should be done about it. That really is not very remarkable—a lot of people offer me their views on a range of subjects, and crime and the inadequacy of sentencing are frequent subjects. But I am always keen to hear what Ron has to say because, if we are talking about crime, Ron Gianoncelli has earned the right to express an opinion, and I value his.

Yesterday, local Cowan newsagent Ron Gianoncelli was awarded the Star of Courage for his actions in 2004. At the time, Ron was the newsagent in Koondoola Plaza. Koondoola is a suburb challenged by low-socioeconomic circumstances. There are no big, expensive houses and the average incomes are certainly low compared to most of the northern suburbs of Perth. This is not a suburb or a suburban newsagency where there would be a great amount of cash to be targeted in a robbery. Yet on 31 January 2004 drug affected armed robber Leon Sutcliffe entered Ron’s newsagency. I know the shop well. It is small, with nowhere to hide or escape. Even the main counter on the right side of the shop cannot offer full protection. At the time of the robbery it was also a post office shopfront, resulting in it being very congested with displays and merchandise for sale.

On the day of the robbery Ron was in the shop with his wife, Mary, and his sister Sonia. Sutcliffe entered the shop with a rifle. He approached Mary and demanded the money from the till, before also demanding the safe be opened by Ron. When Ron refused to go into the back office to empty the safe, Sutcliffe pointed the rifle at Ron’s face and fired it. I do not think that very many people would have refused to open the safe and instead turned to face a man with a rifle. Sutcliffe opened fire, resulting in Ron being grazed across the forehead by the bullet. At this, the resolve of most people would have been to crumble and self-preservation would have kicked in.

Faced with Ron’s fortitude, Sutcliffe then threatened Ron’s sister Sonia, counting down from five with the intent to shoot her. As Sutcliffe counted down, with the intent to intimidate Ron into opening the safe with the clear and present threat to shoot Sonia, a customer walked into the shop. Ron then launched himself at Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe fired twice in that desperate fight, with Ron being shot in the shoulder and in the chest, puncturing one of his lungs and his liver and stomach. Sutcliffe then ran out of the shop, pursued by the wounded but resolute Ron, who was driven on by a combination of what were no doubt adrenaline and anger. This caused him not to realise that he had been shot, and Ron was able to grab the bag that Sutcliffe had put the till money in. Sutcliffe then ran to his car and fired again at Ron before driving away. Sutcliffe was later arrested in Brisbane, extradited and jailed for 10 years in Western Australia. For an aggravated robbery and what should have been a charge of attempted murder, 10 years seems a light sentence.

Following Ron’s wounding, the Koondoola community united in support of him. There were a number of big events in the suburb where the local people were rightly outraged at the incident and this demonstration of such extreme violence in the suburb’s only shopping centre. As I have already said, when faced with the threat to one’s life, most people would choose to give a criminal the money. Understanding that the lives of his wife and sister and his life were on the line, Ron decided to risk his own life for those dearest to him. In previous speeches I have remarked that in some cases, some circumstances, there are times when you just have to fight. I said that in reference primarily to international events but, as he found when faced with an unstable and highly dangerous criminal who clearly had the capacity to kill, Ron Gianoncelli just had to act. As a result, he saved the lives of his wife, Mary, and his sister Sonia. He also won the highest respect from the local community.

‘Hero’ is a word often used these days. Too often it is used to describe the activities of some highly paid sportsmen, who, while being courageous on the sporting field, are not actually protecting others whilst risking their own lives. There are no true heroes on the sporting field. A hero is a person that acts to protect others whilst facing grave injury or death, rather than seeking self-preservation. That is the difference. I believe that the term ‘hero’ should only be applied in specific circumstances, and none of them has to do with sport. Those that put their lives on the line for their loved ones or for strangers are the true heroes, the greatest Australians. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to Ron Gianoncelli, recipient of the Star of Courage, and his outstanding bravery. It is an honour to know him and our community is honoured to have him as a member.