Motions

Women in Policing

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (11:28): I move:

That this house recognises the 100^th anniversary of women serving as police officers in the South Australian police force.

I rise today to recognise the significant milestone in December 2015 of 100 years of women serving in the South Australian police force. In doing so, I acknowledge the serving women police officers here today who are my guests and, in the other place, those of the Minister for Police, the Hon. Peter Malinauskas.

It was on 27 August 1915 that a number of community organisations petitioned the chief secretary to employ female officers. On 27 September of the same year, an advertisement appeared in The Advertiser calling for expressions of interest from women wanting to take up a position in policing. South Australia was already a world leader in women's rights, having granted women the right to vote and to stand for parliament.

The requirement that police be under the age of 29 when appointed was waived to pave the way for Adelaide juvenile courts probation officer, 40-year-old Kate Cocks, to become the first principal matron of women police. Kate Cocks employed as her assistant Annie Ross.

When the South Australia Women Police Branch, staffed by these two pioneering women, came into operation on 1 December 1915, it was the first women's police branch in the British Empire and just the second in the world behind Los Angeles. However, the branch was formed mainly to address what were considered at the time as social and behavioural issues with young girls.

Together the pioneering two patrolled areas of Adelaide where young women were thought to be offering services of prostitution. According to South Australia Police Historical Society president, Bill Prior, they patrolled the streets in plain clothes armed only with a whistle, baton, badge and identification card. Interestingly, they were said to be strong enforcers of a one-yard courting rule where non-married couples had to remain a minimum of one yard apart.

For many years the work of women police officers was directed largely towards preventative policing in social welfare fields where they performed useful, but restricted, duties dealing mainly with matters relating to women and children. The only opportunity for promotion came within the branch and was usually not regarded as part of the general seniority list.

It was not until the mid-1920s that female officers were issued with small pistols and 1953 before they were admitted to partial training courses at the Thebarton barracks. Until 1973, only single women were permitted to join the force and they had to resign when they got married. In 1974, with only 45 women officers, mixed patrols were introduced, and in 1975 the policewomen's branch was absorbed into the main force.

The sex discrimination act of 1975 paved the way for women to be promoted into all areas of the police force. In 1977, they were issued with firearms as part of their general patrol equipment, and from 1979 they were recruited under the same provisions as their male counterparts and received the same training.

Opportunities for women in the South Australian police force further improved in March 1979 when girls from the age of 17 were allowed to join the force as cadets. Until this time, only adult women could join. In later years, like their male counterparts, female recruits were appointed to the rank of constable when they reached the age of 19. Training varied from six to 12 months and female recruits underwent the same selection standards and training as male officers with no formal restrictions as to the career paths or promotional opportunities offered.

South Australia's policemen also became the first in the British commonwealth to receive equal pay. It was stated at the time that they would be treated the same as constables with regard to hours of labour and remuneration. Mr Prior, himself a former police officer, said that although women police officers and their supporters had to fight for every achievement, the South Australian police force had prospered from each successful step.

The significance of this anniversary cannot be understated. When Kate Cocks and Annie Ross became our first female constables they paved the way for all women to serve with great distinction since.

From the brief of helping with a specific social issue, the role of women in the police force has changed significantly over a century. While they were once used predominantly for welfare, family and social-based duties, women are now included in all the roles of modern policing. Marital status is insignificant and part-time employment and maternity leave is available. The majority of women police are now employed in uniform patrol and general duties in metropolitan and country areas and the remainder work in a wide range of specialist areas, including CIB, drug taskforce, prosecution, academy, administration, domestic violence and sexual assault units.

South Australia has a long history of women doing outstanding police work, from working on-duty officers in the frontline and at police stations across the state, to specialist positions and roles in senior management.

Last year, we took another step forward with the appointment of our first female deputy commissioner of police. Deputy Police Commissioner Williams is one of those 17 year olds who took advantage of the changes and joined SAPOL in 1980. She worked her way up through the ranks, along the way graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from Adelaide University and an Applied Diploma in Criminology and Police Management from Cambridge University. Like Kate Cocks and Annie Ross 100 years ago, our Deputy Commissioner of Police is a great example to girls and women.

Today, SAPOL is served by more than 1,700 women. The Holden Hill police station, across from my electorate office, has 96 women officers on the roster, and I cannot speak highly enough of the work they and their colleagues do. I move this motion in honour of the South Australian women police who paved the way 100 years ago, and all those who have served our community and our state so well. To the policewomen here this morning, and those who serve and have served in SAPOL, we honour you, your commitment and dedication to our community, and we thank you.

From those humble beginnings when the South Australia Women Police Branch blazed a trail for women, not just in this state but right around the world, we acknowledge a century of women serving in the South Australian police force.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (11:35): It is a pleasure for me, on behalf of the opposition—and I know that other speakers will do the same—to support the member's motion:

That this house recognises the 100^th anniversary of women serving as police officers in the South Australian police force.

I have no doubt that every single member in this chamber strongly supports that motion, as they should. To begin, I would just like to read a couple of things which set some context. Firstly, from the South Australia Police Historical Society website:

The South Australia Women Police Branch came into operation on 1st December, 1915. Miss Kate Cocks and Miss Annie Ross were appointed as Constables, the primary reason being the growing social problem of immorality in the community, particularly in relation to young girls. The Branch was the first Women Police Service in the then British Empire, and the second in the world.

The website also states:

Until 1973 only single women were permitted to join, and they had to resign if they married…

In 1979, female recruits underwent the same selection standards and training as male officers. According to the website, 'There were no restrictions to their career paths or promotional opportunities offered.' I would also like to give a bit of information from an online article written by Mr Brett Williamson for ABC Adelaide, with some other very relevant facts:

On April 27, 1915, a collection of 20 community groups petitioned the Chief Secretary A.W. Styles to employ female officers….

Crown solicitor Charles Dashwood advised there was no legal barrier to employing female officers.

'The only limitation was that the government would need to pay the women exactly the same [wage] as the men and give them the same authority,'…

That was obviously a concern at the time, but quite appropriately, no longer. The article continues:

The ruling to pay female police the same as men was the first time such a thing had been done in the British Empire.

The government of the time, the police of the time, and certainly the women of the time who received equal pay, were leaders, and deserve to be recognised as such. I remember being at the South Australia Police Academy a few years ago for the 175^th anniversary of South Australia Police very well. It was an absolutely tremendous occasion. One of the many wonderful recognitions that were given that day was for the women serving in South Australia Police. It was certainly one of the many things that was highlighted, and it was a pleasure to see that.

At the moment, women make up approximately 25 per cent of the total South Australian police force, but we have more than that in very senior leadership roles. We have Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams, Assistant Commissioner Linda Fellows, and Assistant Commissioner Bronwyn Killmier in those very senior ranks, and it is a pleasure to have all three of them with us today, along with other very important female representatives from SAPOL.

Everybody in this house and throughout the community should be made aware (or indeed, if they are aware, remind themselves) that South Australia Police, out of all the police forces through all the states in the nation, is held in the highest regard by the public. Surveys continually show that the South Australian police force is valued more highly by South Australians than other police forces are by other people in other states. I am sure that is, in no small measure, due to the role that female officers play in the broader policing work. SAPOL has been a leader and continues to be a leader in many ways, and that is one of them, and I think the women who serve us in SAPOL can be very proud of that.

Women fulfil many roles. I think, across almost every single area of our current modern day police force, there are women serving in all of the different areas. It might seem like a small thing and perhaps not one of the glamorous roles, but, as the member for Stuart, I am regularly made aware of how often female police officers work on their own in charge of single officer stations in very remote places and communities across country and outback areas, with which I am very familiar, have no hesitation about that whatsoever. It has never ever happened that anybody has said to me, 'Gee, you know, we're a bit remote. They're all on their own. That officer could be put in a difficult situation. I wish it was a bloke instead of a woman.' That has never happened in my 17 years, I think, of living in country and outback South Australia.

Communities appreciate female police officers enormously, even when they are working all on their own. In fact, I would go so far as to say that communities rally around police officers in remote places very well. Communities appreciate the fact that there is a station, they appreciate the fact that there is an officer, and they will do what they can to support that officer, whether it be to welcome them into the community or into their homes in a social way, or whether it be to support them in a potentially more difficult, stressful, confronting work environment. So, there is no hesitation about having female officers in those roles whatsoever.

I will touch on Commissioner Grant Stevens' recent announcement that, as of January of this year, he intends to recruit 50 per cent women into the Police Academy. Again, that is leading the way, from South Australia's perspective, across the nation. I think it is very important we recognise the commissioner has taken that step. I think it is also very important that he has said simultaneously that this will not impede the delivery of service by the South Australian police at all. He has said that publicly, he has said that privately. I know that he means it. I also know that he will have to make some adjustments within SAPOL to deliver on those two commitments, and I will certainly do everything I can possibly do as the shadow minister for police to support him in that. Some of those adjustments will make the South Australian police force better than it has been in the past.

I do not think it is a sexist thing at all to acknowledge that there are some tasks in some areas that women are better at, and some tasks in some areas that men are better at, in general. It does not mean that every single woman or every single man fits that role, but there are an enormous amount of problem solving issues and perhaps even, let me say, intuition. Policing is a science and operational based, on evidence, but officers need to trust their own beliefs in certain things. There are many areas where women are better than men, on average, and I think that having more women in the South Australian police force will enhance the South Australian police force.

Let me just say on behalf of the opposition, and I am sure every member of this house would agree, thank you to all of the women who have served in SAPOL for 100 years until now. For all of the people, particularly, who are sworn officers at the moment, we appreciate your contribution, your leadership and your hard work in protecting our community, preventing crime and apprehending people who have committed crimes. We value the work you do very highly. So, on behalf of the opposition and, as I said, I am sure every member here, thank you for doing that.

Ms COOK (Fisher) (11:44): I rise today proudly to speak in support of the member for Torrens' motion which recognises the 100^th anniversary of service to the South Australia Police force by women. I welcome the members of the police force who are here today, many of whom I have met along several pathways in my life during various pieces of work, and I am really glad to have you here.

I will speak very briefly and just say some key points from the point of view of a woman who also has had to face many challenges around their gender in terms of being able to succeed in their career. I just say that I am very, very pleased that there is some target being set around recruitment of women in the police force.

It is unfortunate that in the 21^st century we need to set targets but those who question quotas and targets have never been a woman. I congratulate the commissioner for doing that, and I know that it will benefit the police force with balance. You are trailblazing women and you will continue to be trailblazing women as you continue to fight for equality and as you continue to fight for equity and access for acknowledgment as a professional within your career.

I have personally come across some inspiring women working in the South Australia Police force, particularly through Victim Support Service and also through crime prevention, and I cannot speak of them more highly. Their innovation, their ability to look at things in a different way and come up with practical solutions is incredible, and I look forward to doing much more work with you in this current career that I am now in.

I understand the many challenges and barriers that you have had as professional women to have to fight within your workplace. I think that, as a working mother, I would like to offer my support to women who are attempting to juggle being a woman, being a mother and also participating within the professional workforce because I know the pressures that are placed on you in order to be expected to work full-time and in order to be able to complete your job.

I declare immediately that I am absolutely confident that, as women, you support your work force and your colleagues and complete your job much better if you are given permission to work at it as a part-time worker. Congratulations on continuing to fight that fight, and I am here for you with that.

One little piece of irony this week is that we are about to continue to debate, I believe, to take the word 'mangle' out of some legislation. Do you all know what a mangle is? It is a very old piece of laundry equipment. I just want to sum up by saying that we have come so far but, boy, have we got further to go, and just know that here we are in support of you. I thank you for your trailblazing, I thank you for your enduring leadership and also your friendship.

Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (11:48): I rise today, too, to speak in support of this motion that we recognise the 100^th anniversary of women serving as police officers in the South Australia Police force. I know that a lot of the history has been spoken about by members on both sides before me so I will not go into the history of women in the police force, and I know that it can all be obtained online as well.

I would like to take this opportunity as a father of two daughters to commend all the trailblazers and role models who have gone before them in this role. I have a sister-in-law who has been through the academy, my wife was accepted into the academy, but sadly for her she did not pursue that career, and I have a niece who is training at the moment and who is hoping that she will be accepted into the academy.

Again, the people who have gone before have set such a great example for them and I do commend them for that. I also have women friends who are in the force and who have done a marvellous job. I admire one person greatly. After separating from her partner she put herself through the academy. She had five kids and had a lot to juggle. She has four daughters and she is a real asset to those kids and to our community.

As we look back over the history of women in the police force, Kate Cox is a figure in and around the community that I live in and represent who is recognised with a childcare centre in the area named in her honour because of all the great work she did. The thing that is notable about a lot of women in the police force, and that I truly admire—and, arguably, police officers across the board but women in particular—is their ability to do their great work in the police force and then give back to the community in so many other ways, as Kate Cox did way back in the early 1900s.

I would like to mention one other person in my community who has done some marvellous work, very much in the same vein, and she has been absolutely outstanding, and that is Julie Clifton. She was a member of SAPOL and had a career that spanned 14 years. She then went on to become a senior sergeant working across a number of quite difficult policing districts, including Elizabeth; the police communications dispatch, Glenelg, Coober Pedy and Christies Beach; on the front line doing a lot of the more difficult duties along the way.

She also worked with youth and was involved with the Blue Light program and juvenile justice, and she did some great work there. The great thing about it is that that sense of community and giving and the work that she did through the police force has now rolled on to the Bully Zero Australia Foundation that she helps and supports, and does some great work with.

They are just a couple of examples. I know there are many more, but my time here is brief and I want to allow others to speak as well. I applaud all the women in the police force who have gone before and all those who will come after; it is great to have them as role models.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Wright, a special place for you today.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright) (11:51): Thank you, deputy speaker. I am pleased to be able to stand in this place and acknowledge the great women who have served in the South Australian police force and thank the member for Torrens for bringing this motion to the house. I have to say how delighted I am to see so many wonderful policewomen sitting here behind us, the most senior ranks in the South Australian police force.

When I became part of the police family some many years ago now—too many years really to count, back in the early 1970s—we would never have seen such a display of women in uniform and women of such high rank. I moved to Peterborough in 1973, a seven-man station as it was referred to back then, and the positions there were only for married men of course and the sergeant's wife was required to clean the station and provide meals for prisoners. I think they got $1 or so per meal that they provided. No women. I think the only female officer was appointed to the Port Pirie station and, if required, would be taken out to different stations to interview women mainly or in relation to child protection matters. So it was an interesting time.

As I said, for many positions you had to be a married man. There were single men's posts and married men's posts. A married man was the only one who could occupy a single person station and, again, the wives were required to provide all necessary assistance. Indeed, I can remember going to a divisional dinner once where the then secretary of the association—who did not last very long I might add—asked all the women (the wives) to come into another room so that he could have a discussion with them. He wanted us to tell them if we had any problems with our husbands, if there was domestic violence in the home etc., and he got short shrift on that.

He then talked about the fact that women were exposed to certain dangers, they were required to do strip searches of female prisoners and, if they were injured, they would not be covered by workers compensation. So his question was, 'Will you continue to do that?' One young woman put up her hand very keenly and said, 'Well, no, I won't,' and the inspector's wife turned to her very aggressively and said, 'Yes, you will. You will help your husband.' So that was the environment in which I joined, I guess, the police family, but it had a very long history before that and I have seen great changes.

I had the honour of being the first and only female Minister for Police. I think that for some it struck fear in their hearts because I knew a lot about a lot of very senior officers—I had known them from when they were very young. I had the opportunity of going along to a celebration of women in policing; their final dinner. They had an organisation that was originally for women police officers, but then included women in the Public Service. Again, when I went to Peterborough, they were not called public servants; they were women police auxiliaries, so you had a woman in the office to do the office work in a station.

I shared some of my memories in relation to the progress of women in the South Australia police, and I remember so well the ruckus that it caused when women were going to be put in uniform and allowed to go out on patrols. Most of the aggravation actually came from police wives who did not want women out in cars with their husbands. I suppose the assumption was that these single women were going to be hitting on their husbands, so they obviously held their husbands in great store. I do not know that the women police officers held the same view, but that was the case.

After I had finished my speech, former assistant commissioner Madeleine Glynn got up and spoke, and I was pleased that she was able to reaffirm what I was saying. She relayed the story that, yes, in fact that was true, that before you could go out on patrol with a male officer you had to get the approval of the wife. So, the female officer had to go and meet the wife, talk to the wife and get her approval. Madeleine did not know whether she should be offended or pleased that no-one had objected to her working with their husbands.

We also heard stories about Joyce Richardson. Prior to women going out on patrol and being in uniform, Ms Richardson used to run the South Australia Police service in the city, and there were many women there who talked about how they would have to rock up in the morning with hats, gloves and handbags and would be inspected by Ms Richardson before they were allowed to go out on whatever job they were allocated. They were, essentially, lent out like library books. The male officers would come if they needed a female officer; she would be allocated, and off she would go.

I cannot imagine the frustration they must have felt. They were not allowed to be promoted through the ranks, so I do not think they were allowed to be promoted any higher than a senior constable. You had extremely talented, highly intelligent and committed women who were held down by a system that just did not open up. Of course, our police force now is unrecognisable from those days; the service has taken a monumental leap forward. It is great that the recruitment targets have been put in, but I think there is nothing to stop women now; there are so many in the force, and so many capable leaders in the South Australian police force that there is absolutely no going back.

I thought it would be useful to add my tiny insight, having lived through all of this, and congratulate those women who persisted; those women who were the firsts (and there were so many first-commissioned officers), and acknowledge the big step and the burden that those women carried; the scrutiny under which they were assessed, and how they were able to—and had to—win over the loyalty of the men who served under them.

They were quite amazing women and quite iconic, and I have no doubt there are still more challenges facing women in the service, but I think we are looking forward to a much more inclusive professional service that truly reflects the South Australian community. It is just great that finally the police service recognised that brains were much more effective in policing than simply brawn.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I was almost prepared to move an extension of time to hear the R rated version of what you did not say this morning. Member for Morialta.

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (11:59): I will be brief because I know that many of the guests in the gallery have a very important morning tea to get to soon, which recognises the service that they have provided to the community of South Australia and to South Australia Police, for which we are all very grateful and of which they should rightfully be proud. I do, however, want to put a few things on the record.

I was the shadow police minister for 18 months and it was an honour and a privilege to spend time working in this area which is so critical to the daily lives of all South Australians and for which those serving officers provide such service to all South Australians. This extraordinary celebration of 100 years of women in South Australia Police is an issue I really enjoyed talking about on a number of occasions last year, and I will be brief today.

Some extraordinary facts and stories have come out today and I do want to pay credit to two women in the South Australian police force who have not been mentioned today. They are Chris Bettess and Patricia Higgs who, of course, wrote the book on it—To walk a fair beat: a history of the South Australian women police 1915-1987—the primary source from which many of the stories that are on the SAPOL website and other historical facts are taken.

As somebody who is quite interested in history, I have read a lot of South Australian histories and I would say that this is one of the best texts. It is worth every member taking the time to read it. I thank the Deputy Speaker who lent me her copy—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, I gave you one.

Mr GARDNER: You gave it to me—that was nice of you.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: So he would read it.

Mr GARDNER: In that case, I will not give it back. I thank the Deputy Speaker for giving me her copy, which I read a while ago, but there is also one in the parliamentary library and everyone should get it out and read it, because it is terrifically interesting and has a lot of that detail. I particularly acknowledge the member for Wright's speech which also provided her own primary source of material for the record, and it was probably the best contribution I have heard her make in this place, so thank you for that. I also thank Assistant Commissioner Bronwyn Killmier who was the person who put me onto the book in the first place.

On 7 May last year, a motion was passed in this house commending Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams on her significant career and her appointment as the first female deputy commissioner in South Australia. There was a significant debate then, and I encourage everyone to read the Hansard of that debate, which contained a great deal of useful historical information and the tribute of this house to women police at that stage.

In regard to Christine Bettess, I know that she still works for the South Australia Police Historical Society and there was a 'centenary of women in police' edition of Hue and Cry (the historical society's magazine) last year which, again, should be in the parliamentary and state libraries for anyone to have a look at. It has some terrific information. I pay tribute to Kate Cocks and Annie Ross, our first female police officers, Madeleine Glynn, our first assistant commissioner, and those assistant commissioners who have followed. I was very pleased to hear a bit more about Joyce Richardson from the member for Wright.

Last November when 400 of South Australia's 1,300 serving female police officers walked through the streets to commemorate 100 years of women in police in South Australia, Joyce Richardson, who served us from 1944 to 1979 and who had an extraordinary career, was there in her 90s, going strong. It was an honour and a privilege to meet her and spend five minutes talking to her about her experiences. There are so many trailblazers, so many women who have served throughout the history of the South Australian police of whom we can all be proud. They deserve recognition, so we are very pleased as a parliament to recognise that service today.

Mr ODENWALDER (Little Para) (12:03): I will be brief; I do not think I have much choice now. I want to thank the member for Torrens for bringing this motion. I want to thank all the members for contributing, particularly the member for Wright, who did make a very interesting addition to the primary record, as the member for Morialta said. I want to welcome all the police officers here today and thank you all for your service. As a former police officer myself, I do have some experience—not as a woman, I add, for the member for Hammond, but as a police officer, just to be clear, member for Hammond—

Mr Pederick: As a person.

Mr ODENWALDER: As a person. It is hard work, it is tough work but as, I think, the member for Stuart observed, it is no longer the work of someone who necessarily has to be brawny and pushy, and knock heads together and kick bottoms, as they used to say. Modern policing requires communication, strategic thinking, problem solving, empathy and to be able to diffuse and to build trust.

In my own experience (and I will be very brief) both as a cadet and as a probationer, I almost always worked with women as my senior partner. The sergeant of my team was oddly enough always a man, but the partners I went out with were almost always women, and I learnt so much from those women about policing in my short career. I remember very well riding around the streets of Elizabeth at all hours of the day and night.

On the odd occasion when I was with a male officer, things would very easily get out of control. They were very easily brought under control, generally, but when I was out with female senior partners, they always used their communication skills and their empathy. Things were diffused a lot quicker, and many potentially violent situations were easily resolved. I did have a lot more to say, but I want to thank you all for coming in. Again, thank you all for your service. I commend the motion to the house.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER (12:05): Before I call the member for Torrens, I would just like to add thanks on behalf of my electorate for all you do and wonder at the enlightenment of the police force. I can only hope that similar enlightenment spreads to the parliaments throughout Australia very quickly.

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (12:06): I would like to thank all members for their contribution today and in particular highlight the member for Wright, who was the first and only female police minister in this state. Today, I pay tribute, along with all members in this place, to women police officers past and present in South Australia as we acknowledge 100 years of women serving in the South Australian police force. I commend the motion to the house.

Motion carried.