Commissioner of Police

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. R. L. Brokenshire:

That this council calls on the state government to immediately—

1. Note the achievements of the outgoing Commissioner of Police, Gary Burns, during his 46-year policing career;

2. Thank the outgoing Commissioner of Police for his dedicated service to South Australia; and

3. Congratulate the incoming Commissioner of Police, Grant Stevens, on his appointment and welcome him to the position.

(Continued from 6 May 2015.)

The Hon. T.T. NGO (17:38): I move to amend the motion as follows:

Leave out all words after 'Commissioner of Police, Grant Stevens' and insert 'and incoming Deputy Commissioner of Police, Linda Williams, on their appointments and welcomes them to their positions'.

The reason for this amendment is to ensure that we also congratulate the incoming Deputy Commissioner of Police, Linda Williams, on her appointment. When the Hon. Mr Brokenshire moved this motion a few weeks ago Ms Williams was not appointed then, so it is important that we also recognise her appointment.

During Commissioner Burns's distinguished 45-year career at South Australia Police he has worked across a range of operational policy and executive areas. After graduating in 1972, Commissioner Burns served in uniform patrols, in country locations and in the STAR group, where he ultimately rose through the ranks to become the officer in charge. In 1991 Commissioner Burns was promoted to inspector, and in 2000 he was appointed to the senior executive group. He has served as assistant commissioner in operations support service, human resources service, southern operations service and northern operations service.

In 2001, Commissioner Burns completed a three-month exchange program with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, examining a range of topics on strategy, change programs and improved levels of service delivery. In 2003, Commissioner Burns was seconded to the security and emergency management office in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet for 12 months. Then he implemented a number of whole-of-government counterterrorism, security and emergency management reviews.

Commissioner Burns is currently a member of the National Counter Terrorism Committee and is a recipient of the Australian Police Medal. He was appointed to deputy commissioner in April 2007 and commissioner on 21 July 2012. As commissioner, he has continued to provide outstanding leadership and drive major organisational reform which has revitalised and provided new direction and achievement for SAPOL and the community of South Australia.

His vision, inspiration, commitment and leadership have seen SAPOL become an organisation committed to innovation and change, resulting in significant reductions in crime, vehicle collisions and fatalities, and major improvements in the delivery of policing services in South Australia. Amongst his many personal achievements are the 1978 awarding of a bravery medal, after commissioner Burns entered a burning house to save the life of a resident, and his receipt of the Australian Police Medal, National Medal and SAPOL Service Medal.

In 2015, his outstanding contribution to SAPOL and the community was recognised in the award of the SAPOL Leadership and Efficiency Medal. He is recognised for his contribution to policing at both local and national level, and he is widely respected by SAPOL staff, other policing jurisdictions, the community of South Australia and other government agencies. His outstanding leadership has seen SAPOL continue to develop into an organisation which is held in the highest regard as an accessible, visible and responsive police service for all South Australians.

Commissioner Burns will retire on the 20^th of this month after a distinguished and highly respected career. I would like to also congratulate both the incoming Commissioner of Police, Grant Stevens, and the incoming Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ms Linda Williams, on their appointments and welcome them to their positions. I had the pleasure of sitting next to the incoming commissioner, Grant Stevens, and his wife at a Chinese function last year and I found them to be very pleasant.

The incoming commissioner, Grant Stevens, has worked for South Australia Police for over 30 years. He has been deputy commissioner since 2012. The incoming deputy commissioner, Ms Linda Williams, is currently the assistant commissioner. She has been in the South Australian police force for 35 years. Following this promotion, she will be the highest-ranking female officer ever in South Australia.

I am extremely confident that both Mr Stevens and Ms Williams will continue to deliver a first-class police service to the people of South Australia. I also hope that they are able to find the time to drive up to the APY lands and visit some of the police stations on the way to see the good work that the police are doing in the country.

I have spoken to a number of police officers. Lately, when I went up with my Aboriginal Lands Standing Committee to Coober Pedy, several police officers said they were really looking forward to the new leadership and they certainly wished that both Mr Stevens and Ms Williams were able to have the time to drive up there to see them. Lastly, on behalf of the government, I would like to congratulate and wish Commissioner Burns and his family all the best for the future.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (17:45): I rise to support the motion on behalf of the Liberal Party of South Australia. I will not repeat basically what the Hon. Tung Ngo has just said about the exemplary service of the officers we are commending, but I certainly concur with everything he said. I come from a slightly different tack.

I will say that I am blessed to know many serving police officers and ex-police officers. To that point, I recently hosted a group of serving and ex-police officers in the barbecue area at Parliament House. Whilst the circumstances were to a degree a little sad in that we were commemorating and celebrating the life of senior commissioned officer Derryn Phillips, who was a good friend to all of us and an outstanding officer and person, we used the opportunity to get together and discussed obviously many issues.

When Commissioner Burns was appointed to his position, I asked my network of friends, both commissioned and non-commissioned officers and some senior constables, as to their views with regard to Commissioner Burns' appointment. Sir, you would be pleased to know that all of them were really quite enthusiastic about the appointment of Gary Burns to the position of Commissioner of Police. He was described by all as, in their words, 'a copper's copper', and they meant that with every amount of respect. To me, he turned out to be a policeman's commissioner and went about his duties without fear or favour in that particular role.

There was one incident that I fondly remember when he was questioned about the appointment of a senior person and the money was coming out of his budget. There was not an ounce of political motivation in Commissioner Burns. He basically said, 'I've got no idea what this guy is going to do and I've got no idea why the money is coming out of my budget.' It showed that, without fear or favour, he was there to do the best job for the people of South Australia running his department and he certainly was not going to be involved in any political games. Commissioner Burns leaves the job and leaves it with a lot of fond memories among his staff, and I reckon that is as good as it probably gets: the people who he was commanding, to me, apparently hold him in the highest regard. So, on behalf of the Liberal Party, I wish Commissioner Burns all the very best.

I use the same opportunity to talk about the new deputy commissioner and the new commissioner, Grant Stevens. Grant Stevens I also have had the pleasure of meeting at I think it was a retired police officers' function. I sat with Commissioner Stevens and his wife, and I concur with the Hon. Tung Ngo: they are wonderful people. But, most importantly, the many police officers who I know quite enthusiastically received the news that Grant Stevens was going to become our Commissioner of Police and, again, it instils me with quite a bit of confidence when the people who I know are on the ground doing the work—these people come from many different areas of the police force—are enthusiastically embracing Grant Stevens as the Commissioner of Police, and no less Linda Williams. Obviously, Linda has had an outstanding career in policing. The Liberal Party fully endorses these appointments and looks forward to working with the commissioner and the deputy commissioner for the betterment of all South Australians. I commend the motion to the house.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (17:49): I thank all honourable members for their very good contributions to this motion. It is an important motion, because policing is paramount to the wellbeing of our society and we have been blessed for a very long period of time with excellent commissioners, deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners.

I was very happy to second the Hon. Mr Tung Ngo's motion. As he rightly pointed out before, when I moved the original motion, at that stage the then Assistant Commissioner Linda Williams had not been appointed as deputy commissioner. She has been an outstanding police officer and richly deserves the opportunity. As we continue to grow with more numbers of women in the police force in South Australia she will be integral to that and working with the new soon-to-be commissioner.

I know that the soon-to-be commissioner, Grant Stevens, and his wife Emma are very committed to our state, very committed to supporting the police and have a strong and committed family. That will augur well for the future and I wish them every success as he takes on this important role. As current Commissioner Gary Burns and his wife Denise in a few weeks head to retirement on their farm, I wish them a very long and healthy retirement and I thank them again for their great contribution. I commend the motion to the house.

Amendment carried; motion as amended carried.