Police Constable Induction Ceremony marking the 50th Anniversary of the Queensland Police Service Academy

Premier, the Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP; Police Minister, the Honourable Mark Ryan MP; all other Members of Parliament, both State and Federal; Queensland Police Service Commissioner, Katarina Carroll; all other distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen; and a special acknowledgement to our newly inducted Queensland Police Service Officers and their proud families and friends.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and extend respectful greetings to Elders, past, present and emerging.

It is a great honour, as the current representative of Her Majesty The Queen, whose peace our newest Officers have just sworn to keep and preserve, to join you all today.

The official opening of the Queensland Police Service Academy here in Oxley exactly 50 years ago today was a major milestone for policing in our State, and for the wider Queensland community.

That event, which took place on the 24^th of March 1972, was also the first ever formal duty of the newly sworn-in Queensland Governor, Sir Colin Hannah.

Before his vice-regal appointment, Sir Colin had a distinguished career in the Royal Australian Air Force.

He saw active service in World War Two and the Malayan emergency before rising to the rank of Air Marshal and Chief of the Air Staff.

It was with this personal understanding of service firmly in mind when he encouraged the entire Queensland Police Service to apply their considerable “knowledge, skills and determination” to ensure the success of the Academy – the establishment of which he also described as an “intelligent concept”.

As the current Queensland Governor, and one who developed a deep personal respect for the capacities and compassion of all serving QPS members, especially as Chief Health Officer, I can say with absolute confidence that the Academy has met and exceeded these expectations, and those of the wider Queensland community.  

Over the past 50 years, the Academy and the thousands of recruits who have passed through it, both here and in Townsville, have made a significant contribution to the culture of service, excellence and agility which defines the Queensland Police Service.

I thank and congratulate everyone who has assisted with these successes, including current and former Police Commissioners and all key personnel, and members of the very first cohort of Officers inducted at Oxley in December 1972, some of whom are in today’s audience – I hope you enjoyed your special reunion dinner last night!

I join our current Commissioner in congratulating today’s inductees for reaching this important milestone, and further wish you all every success as you embark on your rewarding but challenging policing careers in the service of the people of our State. Thank you.