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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-06-18 Daily Xml
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Commissioner of Police

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (12:53): By leave, I move my motion in an amended form.

That this house—

(a) congratulates the Commissioner of Police, Gary Burns BM APM, on his 43 years of service to the people of South Australia through his work in South Australia Police;

(b) recognises that over the past three years as commissioner he has led South Australia Police with distinction; and

(c) congratulates the incoming Commissioner, Grant Stevens, and incoming Deputy Commissioner, Linda Williams, and welcomes them to their positions.

I have amended the motion by adding part (c). When the motion was originally to be moved those two positions were not known.

One early morning in the middle of July 2012 Gary Burns packed up his desk and walked the few metres to his new office to take up the role of South Australia's 20th Commissioner of Police. At the time, Commissioner Burns said that his vision was to lead a visible and responsive police service. The key decisions and directions of SAPOL in his three years as Commissioner have been underpinned by this vision.

In his 45-year career at South Australia Police, Commissioner Burns has worked across a range of operational, policy and executive areas. After graduating in 1972 he served in uniformed patrols both in city and country locations and the STAR Group, where he ultimately rose through the ranks to become the officer in charge. In 1991 he was promoted to inspector and in 2000 he was appointed to the Senior Executive Group. He served as the assistant commissioner in the Operations Support Service, the Human Resources Service, the Southern Operations Service and the Northern Operations Service.

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 has seen SAPOL become an organisation committed to innovation and change, resulting in significant reductions in crime, vehicle collisions, road fatalities and major improvement in the delivery of policing services in South Australia.

Amongst his many personal achievements, Commissioner Burns was awarded a Bravery Medal in 1978 after he entered a burning house to save the life of a resident. He is also the recipient of the Australian Police Medal, the National Medal and the SAPOL Service Medal.

Recognising his contribution to policing at both the local and national level, he is widely respected by SAPOL members, 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.

In my time as police minister, I have valued his knowledge, professionalism and leadership and never had doubts of his resolve to keep South Australia safe. He has acknowledged that at the forefront of every aspect of good policing are good people, whether it is when officers are chasing down offenders, comforting victims of crime, talking to community groups, running complex investigations or offering advice to the public.

In his three years, he has helped implement a range of new technical innovations to free police from their desks, including introducing mobile data terminals, tablets and fingerprint scanners, and cutting back paperwork duplication. He understood that 'meaningfully engaging with the community' will build on that precious commodity of community trust and confidence.

Commissioner Burns will retire on 20 July 2015 after a distinguished career. His strong leadership has fostered a strong leadership team, ensuring that SAPOL will be left in safe hands. I am confident that incoming Commissioner Grant Stevens and incoming Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams will continue to deliver a first-class police service to the people of South Australia. On behalf of the government, I would like to wish Commissioner Burns and his family the best into the future.

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (12:57): It is with great pleasure that I rise on behalf of the opposition to support the motion. I indicate that, as shadow minister, I have enjoyed a terrific working relationship with Commissioner Burns, as indeed have the members for Stuart and Morphett (as shadow ministers) prior to me. Were it not for the late hour of this debate, where we have only two minutes until the closure of private members time, I know that those two members in particular would have very much enjoyed the opportunity to rise to express their personal appreciation, as well as on behalf of the opposition.

Gary Burns started his career in 1969. He has provided the South Australian community with 46 years of exemplary service in a range of positions within the South Australian police force. He was the dux of his commissioned officers course in 1991 and he was the first STAR Group officer to take the job of Commissioner of Police. In 1978, as a 25-year-old constable, he received the Australian Bravery Medal for saving two elderly women from a burning cottage. He is a recipient of the South Australian Police Medal and a member of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee. His family is a proud policing family. His grandfather, his son, and his wife have contributed to the police force. We are grateful for his service.

We are also pleased to support the motion and the appointment by the minister of current Deputy Commissioner Grant Stevens as our new police commissioner and Assistant Commissioner Linda Williams as South Australia's first female deputy police commissioner in the 100th anniversary year of women in the South Australian police force. They all have a great deal to be proud of.

I am pleased that we have the opportunity to pass this motion in the house this morning, with 10 seconds to go, I think. I urge all members to support this motion.

Motion carried.

Sitting suspended from 12:59 to 14:00.

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