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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-05-13 Daily Xml
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Shanahan, Chief Supt Joanne and McNeill, Ms Tania

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. C. Bonaros:

That this council—

1. Expresses its deep regret over the tragic death of pioneering South Australian police officer, Chief Superintendent Joanne Shanahan, and St Peters woman, Tania McNeill, in a tragic road accident on Saturday 25 April 2020;

2. Acknowledges the exemplary service, commitment, dedication and outstanding contribution Chief Superintendent Shanahan made to the South Australian community through her highly distinguished and decorated career in the South Australian police force, spanning four decades;

3. Expresses its appreciation for Chief Superintendent Shanahan's pioneering role in working with domestic violence support agencies to make the lives of hundreds of women and their children safer;

4. Acknowledges Chief Superintendent Shanahan's leadership role in SAPOL's response to the coronavirus pandemic; and

5. Recognises the outstanding contribution Chief Superintendent Shanahan made to the SA Greek community, where she was highly regarded and respected.

(Continued from 29 April 2020.)

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (17:35): I rise today to support the motion moved by the Hon. Connie Bonaros and offer my condolences, and those of organisations and services within the human services sector, to the friends and family of Detective Chief Superintendent Joanne Shanahan. I also pay my respects and offer my condolences to the loved ones of St Peters wife, mother and businesswoman Tania McNeill. Their lives were taken in the same tragic car accident on Saturday 25 April.

Joanne Shanahan's passing is a terrible tragedy for her family and friends and also for the South Australian public. She made an immense contribution to the domestic and family violence sector in South Australia over her career. As the Minister for Human Services, I would like to outline some of her legacy and provide messages of condolence from those in the sector who knew her well.

Detective Chief Superintendent Joanne Shanahan joined South Australia Police in 1981 and was designated as a detective in December 1992. She was only the third woman in South Australian police history to be appointed chief superintendent. Last year, she was awarded the Australian Police Medal in the 2019 Australia Day honours. She was a trailblazer and it is fitting that she was recognised with this award in the year that South Australia celebrated 125 years of women's suffrage in this state.

She served in both uniformed and criminal investigation branch roles, including specialist crime areas, until her promotion to the rank of inspector in 2002. Her career spanned more than three decades and involved major cases that shocked the state, including the child abuse uncovered in 2008, known as the house of horrors. She showed superior leadership and commitment in the field of family and domestic violence, with her involvement in this complex area beginning in 1999 as the officer in charge of a local service area family and domestic violence investigation unit.

Joanne Shanahan was committed to making our state safer for women and children and she was driven by compassion and understanding for those most vulnerable. Her work led to many firsts in our state and our nation for responding to violence; no obstacle or challenge was a deterrent. Her mission was to make positive change for victims of violence and our community. The Office for Women within the Department of Human Services had a wonderful working relationship and friendship with Joanne over many years to improve women's safety in South Australia.

Joanne's work with the Office for Women included the statewide rollout of the Family Safety Framework and the creation of the Multi-Agency Protection Service (MAPS) for which she led the cross-government project team from concept stage to implementation in 2014, bringing together SAPOL, Families SA, Housing SA, Education and Health in one office to ensure information and intelligence about at-risk children, women and families was acted upon properly. Joanne knew that MAPS would ensure incidents of child neglect and domestic violence were detected at the earliest opportunity. At the time, she said:

If we have a wider perspective of what is happening from different agencies, you are going to get a better picture to allow intervention faster than has been the case.

MAPS continues to be an invaluable service to this day, thanks in no small part to the foresight of Joanne.

In 2014, she was also appointed as the inaugural officer in charge of SAPOL's Family and Domestic Violence branch, which was formed following the internal review and Coroner's inquest into the murder of Zahra Abrahimzadeh. Joanne was also instrumental in delivering the first multiagency hub, located at the site of Women's Safety Services SA. This, too, continues to be an important part of the sector and responses in South Australia.

The Office for Women has told me that Joanne's partnership in these projects was invaluable. She approached challenges with an open mind, was always flexible in finding solutions and focused on practical ways that we could improve outcomes for women and children. During all of this, her compassion, kindness and respect for everyone, especially for women and children as victims, shone through and was also evident in her support of victims and their family members during extremely challenging situations such as coronial inquests.

Joanne touched many people in her professional work and I have been provided with messages to share from some of those in the sector with whom she worked closely. Maria Hagias, who is the CEO of Women's Safety Services SA, said that Joanne will always be remembered as a leader, pioneer and compassionate advocate in the area of domestic violence and sexual assault, and I quote:

Her leadership, commitment and drive resulted in the development and implementation of initiatives that have ensured the safety and wellbeing of victims of violence.

Joanne's contribution to our state in addressing and working towards the elimination of violence against women will be her legacy and we will ensure that together we continue her work.

What an immense privilege to have worked alongside her and we will treasure those memories now and into the future. Vale Joanne.

Arman Abrahimzadeh, from the Zahra Foundation, has provided me with the following words, and I quote:

Joanne Shanahan and I met in 2014, shortly after the Coroner handed down his findings into my mum's murder by my abusive father. As the inaugural officer in charge of the family and domestic violence branch, we worked closely with one another and it was then that I saw her take charge against domestic violence. Her commitment, drive and passion for the cause was inspiring. Over time, Joanne and her husband, Peter, became mentors and friends.

Joanne's hard work and leadership made South Australia a leading jurisdiction in the fight to eliminate and prevent family and domestic violence. Her tireless effort in establishing the Multi-Agency Protection Service is one of her many professional legacies.

Detective Chief Superintendent Shanahan APM was more than a highly decorated police woman. She was a loving and proud mother who would share her children's achievements with joy. My thoughts are with her children especially now as we have just celebrated Mother's Day. Joanne was a loyal friend and work colleague. She will be sorely missed but not forgotten. May she rest in peace.

Susie Smith, Co-Chair of Embolden, the peak body for domestic and family violence services in South Australia, and Manager of Centacare's Limestone Coast Domestic Violence Service has described Joanne as a 'gallant crusader'. She said that Joanne was instrumental in shifting the organisational culture in the sector by driving the development of trusting relationships between SAPOL and domestic violence services. Susie further credits Joanne with having played a significant role in moving the sector towards an integrated response—work that continues today.

As has been stated by previous speakers, it has been touching that we had Adelaide landmarks lit up blue shortly after her passing. I also note that Kornar Winmil Yunti and Chief Executive Officer, Craig Rigney, will be establishing a domestic violence award in her name. Joanne Shanahan was an incredibly dynamic and energetic woman who applied herself to the safety of women and children across decades of her outstanding career. She had a wonderful view of life and was immensely proud of her husband, Peter, who himself worked tirelessly over many years to improve access to justice for women who have experienced domestic and sexual violence and their children. She will be greatly missed.

The Hon. C. BONAROS (17:43): I thank the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Kyam Maher, for his contribution and the Minister for Human Services, the Hon. Michelle Lensink, for her contribution, for both heartfelt contributions and their support of the motion. Once again, I convey my deepest sympathies to Chief Superintendent Joanne Shanahan's family: her husband, Peter; her children, Nick and Eleni; her parents, Mr and Mrs Panayiotou; and the rest of her family.

Their strength and courage last Friday was profoundly admirable, and I hope they take some comfort from the show of support of the thousands of community members who lined the streets for Joanne's funeral procession. All deaths are sad, needless deaths even more so. Some affect us more than others. Chief Superintendent Shanahan's passing has affected so many of us for so many different reasons. For my part, I take this opportunity to thank her for her tireless work, for making our community a better place for all of us in so many different ways.

Once again, I convey my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Tania McNeill's whose loss is just as heartbreaking. As I said before, we know that her family's pain is just as deep and her family is just as broken. Our thoughts and prayers remain with them also. With those words, I commend the motion to the chamber.

Motion carried.

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