Australian Honours and Awards Investiture Ceremony E (1)

Representing the Queensland Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner John Tims; Queensland Corrective Services Acting Commissioner Jon Peach; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here today.

I am delighted to be among a group of such remarkable Queenslanders, whose achievements in the public sector truly exemplify outstanding, extended service to others, and we welcome you all to Fernberg.

The great humanitarian Fred Hollows once said that “having a care and concern for others is the highest of human qualities”. There is no doubt that every single person who has been presented with a medal today, is driven by a powerful motivation to improve the wellbeing of Queenslanders and the systems that serve them.

Despite the differences in career paths that led you here, you are defined by impressive leadership, professionalism and expertise, overlaid with a commendable sense of generosity and compassion.

Such qualities are tremendously valuable within the public service itself — as you strive to improve the strategies, processes and outcomes that promote performance and efficiency, while also supporting those around you, as teachers and mentors.

And such qualities are also reflected outwards to the wider community, where every step of your careers has prioritised building greater trust, by responding more effectively to the diverse needs of everyone who calls this state home.

Along the way, you have had to innovate, be malleable and foster the benefits of increased collaboration… and you have all been faced with immense challenges and complexities that require an equal measure of intelligence and calm.

Recently, I was privileged to invest former Queensland Police Commissioner, the late Mr Steve Gollschewski as an Officer of the Order of Australia, in recognition of his services to law enforcement in this state. I take this moment to pay tribute to his dedicated contributions, and express my sincere condolences to all those who knew him.

This afternoon, his colleague, Ms Katarina Carroll, joins him in receiving this honour, with both of these special individuals having had a lasting positive impact that extends far beyond their roles; expressed through unwavering concern for the needs of others. 

Those of you receiving Australian Police Medals today are also exemplars of the oath you took when you first joined the Queensland Police Service. Your professional journeys have unfolded in different ways, but what unites you is a determination to enhance safety and security for all Queenslanders — wherever they may live, and whatever circumstances bring them into peril.  

Your experiences on the frontlines have put your own lives in danger, as you have coped with highly volatile, unpredictable situations, which have no doubt also been deeply disturbing.

Beyond your obvious capabilities as highly competent police officers, you have each worked diligently to develop our system of policing — and whether this is by leading reforms in critical operations, working across multiple agencies, implementing training courses, or mentoring more junior QPS members — you are protecting the integrity of the force and strengthening it for the future.

For those who are receiving Australian Corrections Medals, you have devoted many years to building a better prison system in our state—one that is safer for inmates, colleagues, and the community, and one that also encourages respect and rehabilitation.

Your work often puts you in harm’s way, but you have applied your experience and skills to improve outcomes for everyone involved — particularly by placing importance on the need to pass on your knowledge to those following in your footsteps. 

And for those who are receiving Australian Public Service Medals, your efforts underpin a more cohesive and inclusive approach to the processes of stable, successful government. Your roles vary, but whether you have led organisational upgrades, ensured greater transport safety, protected our natural environments or pioneered innovations in paediatric health care, your endeavours are having a transformational impact that will continue to benefit countless individuals in the years ahead — in Queensland and much further afield.

On behalf of all Queenslanders, I commend every recipient here today, for the significant ways in which you have expressed your “care and concern” for others and am humbled by this selfless devotion to the welfare of our society.

Please enjoy this opportunity to celebrate with colleagues, friends and family, who I know, are also so proud of what you have achieved.