Byard, Emeritus Professor R.W.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:51): My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the Attorney-General inform the council about South Australian Professor Roger William Byard's recognition in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:52): I would be most happy to do so. It is with some pride that we can celebrate the appointment of Professor Roger William Byard as a Companion of the Order of Australia in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours. This achievement is one of the highest civilian accolades that can be bestowed in Australia and was bestowed in recognition of his service to medicine, forensic pathology, tertiary education and the broader community.

It also, I must add, is an additional set of letters for what is already a formidable set of letters for Dr Professor Byard AC PSM PhD, MD, DSc, FAHMS, BMedSci, MB, BS, MMedSci-paed, FCAP, FRCPC, FRCPath, FRCPA, FFFLM, FFSc, FRSN, FFPMI. So a couple of more letters to add to the many, many letters this distinguished professor already has.

Professor Byard's career has crossed the globe over four decades, during which he has made significant contributions to forensic pathology and public health. He qualified in medicine in Australia in 1978 from the University of Tasmania, became a fellow of the College of Pathologists across the world and was registered as an expert with the International Criminal Court in The Hague in 2009. I recall having met Professor Byard when awarding him the Justice Ted Mullighan Outstanding Case Award at the Forensic Science Awards in 2023 for his work in the Jasmeen Kaur murder case. His pathological findings demonstrated the manner of the death in this case, after which the accused pleaded guilty.

Along with contributing to just outcomes in matters like this, Professor Byard has also played a crucial role in some of the most challenging forensic science investigations of our time. He was integral to identifying victims in the Bali bombings in 2002, and the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, providing closure to grieving families. His experience has also extended to international efforts, including the investigation of the 1995 Serbian massacre in Bosnia.

Although this brief synopsis of his outstanding career does read like an index of some of the worst examples of human suffering, the professor's work has also undertaken some groundbreaking work to preserve human life at its earliest stages. His pioneering research into sudden infant death syndrome has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of this tragic phenomenon, leading to improved prevention strategies and saving countless young lives.

As an academic, Professor Byard has been a pillar of the University of Adelaide, holding the George Richard Marks Chair of Pathology from 2006 to 2023. His dedication to education has shaped the minds of countless medical students and professionals, fostering a new generation of forensic experts. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Professor Byard on this extraordinary honour. His unwavering commitment to science, to education and to humanity exemplifies the very best of South Australia.