NATIONAL POLICE REMEMBRANCE DAY

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. S.G. Wade:

That this council—

1. Notes that 29 September 2013 is National Police Remembrance Day;

2. Pays tribute to the 61 members of the South Australian police force who have paid the ultimate sacrifice whilst performing their duties as police officers; and

3. Acknowledges the dangers facing the men and women who serve in our police force to provide us with a safer and more secure community.

(Continued from 16 October 2013.)

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (22:46): I rise to support the motion of the Hon. Stephen Wade. In 2013, National Police Remembrance Day was held throughout Australia and the South Pacific on Friday 27 September. National Police Remembrance Day is traditionally held on 29 September, that being the feast day of St Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of policemen. National Police Remembrance Day is a significant day of commemoration, when people can reflect on each individual police force and remember those officers killed on duty. In South Australia it is no different, and this year we again commemorate officers who have been subject to violence, which has cost careers and lives.

National Police Remembrance Day is the perfect opportunity to honour the sacrifice made by SAPOL officers. Sober commemoration of the past will also help ensure that the work of SAPOL officers is better appreciated. Our police force is not external to society. It is such a fundamental part that without it our society would cease to function properly.

The 61 SAPOL officers killed in the course of service since records have been kept are deeply missed and very much appreciated by South Australians right across the community. They remind us that although technology improves society, the dangers to the officers remain the same. This number contains not only the barest traces of the tragedy of the statistics, but speaks to people who will be sadly missed.

I commend the shadow minister for police for the amount of historic research that went into his speech recently. In the past 12 months, of the three Australian officers killed in service, fortunately none were from SAPOL, but as we commemorate National Police Remembrance Day with reverence we hope there is an ever-dwindling set of names to add to the memorial.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (22:48): I also thank the Hon. Kyam Maher for his contribution on behalf of the government and note that the motion is supported across the chamber. Since I moved this motion, I have had the opportunity to discuss police history with a senior police officer. Let's just say that he is in the SAPOL executive. I took the opportunity to reflect on the comment I made in my speech in moving this motion, which was to note how many officers in the 1800s died of drowning. Being as ignorant as I am, I speculated that that might have been in relation to police boats, but he clarified that in fact it is a well-established fact in terms of police safety on the job that training in swimming is a very important factor in preserving the lives of police officers on duty.

I thought it was a useful reminder that one of the ways that we as a parliament and as the executive can support our police is to make sure they get the resources, not just merely the equipment but also the training, that help them to stay safe on the job. I thank the government for its support and commend the motion to the council.

Motion carried.