Summer 2024
Previous Member Advocacy
29 September 2024
In the lead up to National Police Remembrance Day the QPU is encouraging our members and the community to participate in memorial services across Queensland. It’s a day of significance not only to remember all police who have been killed in the line of duty but it’s also an opportunity for individuals to show their appreciation for the job police do with honour and integrity. The largest commemoration will be held in Brisbane on Friday September 27 with a march along George Street at 9am before a memorial service at the State Police Memorial in the City Botanical Gardens at 10am.
6 June 2024
Support a colleague and submit a vote to help make Acting Sergeant Matt Minz the 2024 Royal Flying Doctor Service Local Hero of the year winner. Acting Sgt Minz was nominated for his outstanding community support in the Western Downs town of Tara following the murder of fellow officers Const Matt Arnold and Const Rachel McCRow in 2022. Matt Minz not only showed leadership and guidance but also reassured visiting medical teams of their safety while working in the area. Along with the acknowledgement of his efforts, the award also comes with a $20,000 grant to help fund a wellbeing and health program on the Western Downs. Vote at: rfdslocalhero.com.au Voting closes as midnight tonight Thursday June 6, and the winner announced this weekend.
29 May 2024
May 29 is always an important date for Queensland Police because on this day six years apart we lost two outstanding officers murdered by violent offenders. Detective Senior Constable Damian Leeding from Coomera CIB was mortally wounded in 2011 while on duty. Senior Constable Brett Forte from the Darling Downs Tactical Crime Squad was shot while on duty in 2017. We will never forget their service, sacrifice and the impact their deaths had on the community. Their families continue to live with the pain and trauma of having caring and loving people taken from them. Please pause for a moment today to honour those we have lost.
6 May 2024
Following today’s Labour Day announcement of significant fertility entitlements by the Queensland Government, QPU and Police Federation of Australia President Ian Leavers congratulated the Premier on listening to his advocacy on behalf of frontline police. “This has been a goal which all policing jurisdictions have wanted for over a decade. We have campaigned that there should be a ‘catch up option’ for when women in particular take time out of the workforce when having children. Today’s announcement delivers even better outcomes than what we asked for and will also ensure that women will not be penalised for taking time out when having a child and give them the ability to have the same superannuation entitlements as their male counterparts and it’s only right that they should be able to retire with the same superannuation as their male counterparts! We’ve come a long way, only a few decades ago female police and in other areas of the public service had to resign if they got married or had a baby. This groundbreaking announcement is an Australian first, it’s another example of your police union improving workers rights and benefits and confirmation Queensland is leading the way!”
28 February 2024
The Police Federation of Australia’s National Police Bravery Awards are now open. This award has been developed for police by police and nominations are sought from officers across the country. While police work is inherently dangerous…some actions stand out. Do you know someone who has performed an exceptional act in exceptional circumstances? SELECTION CRITERIA 1. The nominee must be a sworn police officer from an Australian police jurisdiction. 2. Nominees must have undertaken an outstanding act of courage or bravery, by selflessly putting themselves in harms way to protect others, going well beyond the call of duty. 3. Where feasible, the incident should have occurred in the past twelve months, however exceptions could include if the matter is subjudice or if other unavoidable delays have occurred. The online nomination form is available at policeweek.org.au/bravery-awards and close on 30 June 2024. The National Police Bravery Awards will be presented in Melbourne on 17 September 2024.
10 October 2023
The QPU brought concerns to the Police Commissioner about severe overcrowding at our Northern Watch Houses in particular Mt Isa and Townsville urging for urgent action to be initiated. The QPU concern is not only for our members but also those in our care. QPU President Ian Leavers delivered a blunt assessment “we do not want a police officer ending up in a Coroners Court due to a tragedy and having senior police including the Commissioner denying any knowledge of the overcrowding or the problems it produces.” As a result of our advocacy prisoners are being relocated to ease the demand at these areas that have unacceptable numbers of custodies under QPS supervision. The QPU thanks the QPU members involved for their assistance and selfless actions in assisting with this change. QPU President Ian Leavers has continued to defend the industrial entitlements, protections and Work Health & Safety practices of police ensuring the QPS operates under regulation and with the best of intentions for the safety of police and people in their care.
29 September 2023
Tonight, despite the wet weather a large crowd attended a candlelight vigil at the State Police Memorial in Brisbane on the eve of National Police Remembrance Day. This year the service was marked by the consecration of the touchstones for Constable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow who were murdered at Wieambilla last December. They will forever remain side by side and never forgotten. There are now 150 names on the memorial walls for Queensland officers who have died on duty protecting communities across the State. QPU President Ian Leavers laid a wreath on behalf of all serving and retired police. He thanked everyone who expressed their gratitude for the work police do and in particular the businesses and organisations that have supported police since the Wieambilla incident. Police Legacy President Shane Prior also laid a wreath on behalf of the families who are supported by the scheme funded by police and charity work they do. River city landmarks have been lit in blue in recognition of NPRD and at sunset in Canberra the images of Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were projected onto the National Carillon in Canberra. Tomorrow, Friday September 29 police will gather to march together and attend memorial services to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The QPU encourages the community to join with us in remembering those brave police and those currently working as first responders.
25 September 2023
QPUE: National Police Remembrance Day 2023 National Police Remembrance Day is Friday September 29. The Queensland community want to show their appreciation for the job police do, so the QPU is encouraging as many police as possible to participate in Remembrance Services. It’s important to show the relatives & friends of those we have lost that the ‘blue family’ is strong, resilient and will continue to honour their service forever and a day.
14 September 2023
This year the baton for the Wall 2 Wall Ride of Remembrance is heavy for Queensland as it carries the names of Constable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow who were murdered last December. Today around 300 motorcycle riders were farewelled after an emotional service at the State Police Memorial in Brisbane before they headed for Canberra to join colleagues from around the country at the National Police Memorial on Saturday on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. Each rider pays to take part and the money is donated to QLD Police Legacy to assist police families. This initiative was started by the QPU and we continue to support this ride as it gathers more significance nationally. QPU President Ian Leavers thanked the current serving and retired police taking part for continuing to support the ongoing remembrance of those we have lost and wished them a safe journey across the rural roads they will take to the Nations Capital. The QPU will forever honour the service and sacrifice of Queensland Police who died protecting the communities where they live and work.
31 August 2023
Congratulations to the 51 new Constables who graduated today from the Townsville Police Academy. 16 of intake 48/2023 will be on shift tomorrow in the Townsville area the rest will join rosters over the new few days as far as Cairns, Rockhampton and the Western Downs. Many of the new Constables had previous experience with the ADF and they will continue selflessly serving the community in their new career. Welcome to the blue family and the camaraderie it inspires. Constable Sarah Annesley was the recipient of the QPU sponsored Dux Award presented by QPU President Ian Leavers.
3 May 2023
Sustained, effective and factual advocacy from the QPU has again achieved a significant win for our members. SDRP and it’s implementation was flawed and we have demonstrated that to the ELT and Police Commissioner. Lead by QPU President Ian Leavers,the QPU worked to deliver a result for members. Hopefully now those who felt the strain and stress during this failed experiment can recover and return to effective community policing.
