Last year approximately 120 Australian police officers (including ten IPA members) from Queensland and Victoria suffered loss as a result of the January 2011 floods. A number of these members were substantially affected and displaced, with 19 members loosing their entire homes and contents. IPA International launched an Australian Flood Appeal for the benefit of these adversely affected police officers. Generous donations were received from Austria ($5,300), Denmark, Germany ($2,500), Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia ($1,900), South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden and Switzerland. International Treasury, Victoria Region and National also contributed to the fund that amounted to over $15,000. Distribution of the funds has now been completed, and although the cash amount received in the hand of each individual recipient is not substantial, it is hoped that they will receive comfort from the fact that serving and retired police officers from around the world have considered their plight and wanted to assist them during this difficult time.

2nd World Seminar for Young Police Officers

In August 2011 the Netherlands successfully hosted the 1st World Seminar in Amsterdam with 47 participants from 27 Sections. The seminar provided a rare opportunity for junior members to participate in a professional policing seminar. Australia Section strongly supported the Netherlands vision for this event and their belief that it should continue on. At last year’s International Executive Council Conference in Romania, Australia Section tabled a proposal, which included a request for financial assistance, to stage the next seminar. Unanimous support was received and a grant of 17,500 euro secured. Queensland Region will be hosting the event, with significant support from the Queensland Police Service, in Brisbane from the 22nd to 26th of April 2013.

The seminar theme will be ‘Worldwide Similarities in Policing’ with topics including Cybercrime, Child Exploitation, Identity Fraud, Emergency Response and Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Victim Identification, Illicit Drug Manufacturing, Importation and Detection, Organised Crime, Road Policing (including Roadside screening in Oral fluid Analysis). The presentations will be delivered by members from various policing jurisdictions across Australia and New Zealand. The seminar will cater for fifty participants and nominations have been called for internationally from all Sections.

Mid Year NEB Meeting

Tasmania Branch will be hosting the ‘mid year’ NEB Meeting (mid year refers to the half way mark between our National AGM weekends). The location will be Launceston in the state’s North on Saturday 14 April 2012. The meeting will be conducted at the Launceston Police Headquarters with a social function taking place later that evening. Full details of the social function will be posted on the Tasmania Branch webpage. I hope that there will be a number of members available to meet with us!

Arthur Troop Scholarship Recipient

Congratulations to Henrik WULFF WA Region who has been awarded one of the ten international  2012 Arthur Troop Scholarships. This scholarship entitles Henrik to a bursary of 3000 swiss francs which will enable him to undertake Police related studies at a location of his choice.

Michelle Harris

Hi all,

Well, what a fantastic weekend.  Well done Mick, Andy, Ray, Dave and members of ACT Region.  Everything was so well planned and executed perfectly.  If there was anything that didn’t go exactly to plan, if most definitely wasn’t noticeable.

From all reports, the Serving Police Officer Day was very well received and the members from almost every State and Territory enjoyed the hospitality and sharing of information from the AFP.

Great to see our New Zealand colleagues represented and, for the first time, a member from the Northern Territory Police.  CHOGM prevented any member from WA attending so the WA Region assisted in sending a NT member along by paying the airfares. (Qantas unfortunately).  Hope you managed to thumb a lift home Meagan.

Our NEB meeting went very well, as did the AGM on the Friday night.  The Triennial Election of National office bearers was held this year and the positions of President, Vice President and Assistant Secretary General were uncontested and the previous incumbents regained their positions. The position of Secretary General was contested and resulted in an election with two nominees – Val Doherty (WA Region) and Tareq (Rick) Faizy (NSW Region).  The result of the election was in favour of Rick Faizy, congratulations Rick.

This unfortunately meant that Val Doherty has ended a long and dedicated term of office to the Australian Section National Executive.  Val served as the National President from 1981 to 1987, Immediate Past President from 1987 to 1990 and as the Secretary General from 1999 to 2011.  But don’t think that Val was holidaying between 1990 and1999…. Val was the inaugural Secretary of the WA Region when it commenced in 1969 and WA has only ever had one Secretary, yes, 42 years as the Region Secretary.  Do not fear, Val will still be around and I am sure she will look forward to being able to enjoy the social activities arranged for future National AGM Weekends.  From us all Val, THANK YOU.

Great supper  after the AGM on Friday night……….

The NEC Meeting held on Saturday went along smoothly and your Region Chairs will no doubt send out a group email to you all advising of several issues raised and dealt with during the day. I was pleasantly surprised (seems a bit strange to say) when I was asked to remove myself from the meeting and upon returning was informed that I had been nominated by the Western Australia Region for Honorary Life Membership of the Australian Section and that is had been passed unanimously….  Thank you, it is a wonderful and very much appreciated honour to join the list of members previously awarded this award. Time to relax after the meeting NO, NOT ON YOUR LIFE……… Breaking News….. all Qantas flights cancelled and planes grounded…… There were phone calls going in all directions…. lap tops dragged out whilst everybody scrambled to try and find out what was happening………. We all know the story so we won’t go there….. At the time of my putting this onto the Website, we are all home or on the way home….. Thank you Virgin……

Other appointments for the next twelve months were for our National Editor Ray Newman (great job on the magazine Ray); National Travel Coordinator Jason Brewer (thanks for all the work Jason); and the Hobbies Bureau Secretary Mark Kibbler.  Mark has been working hard on the Hobbies area and is finding it a little frustrating that our members are holding back with their registering of hobbies interests.  It doesn’t matter what your interest is, comics, cycling, police memorabilia collecting, old books etc…. there are sure to be other members out there who are interested in what you do…..  easy to contact Mark… click on his email on either the National Officers page or the WA Region page and send him an email. Welcome to the two new Associate Secretaries – Dave Wells (Qld Region) now responsible for Hong Kong and Macau and, Brian Hansen (Qld Region) responsible for the Scandinavian and a couple of neighbouring countries (see list in PDU next month or on the Website).  Welcome Dave and Brian….. hope you enjoy the experience.

The Conference dinner at the Brassey was absolutely fantastic. Well presented – many members sent their appreciation messages to the chef.  The music provided was very apt for all age groups and we were also treated to a few songs from the very talented Ann Newman (Ray’s – National Editor – better half). It was beautiful Ann.  What an emcee our Mick Richardson makes, great job Mick, do you hire yourself out for weddings?

Sunday morning and off we went to the National Police Memorial for a service. Very personal and sole touching.  Doesn’t matter how many times you go there, it means a little more each time. The recruits reading out the names of departed colleagues was very touching.  Following the service, the Police Volunteers put on a brilliant breakfast for us and the display of Police vehicles went over very well.  Much appreciated and thank you to all who provided their time.

What more can I say….. amazing weekend…. hard to top…….  So, for our next National AGM Weekend, Queensland have taken up the offer to host 2012, South Australia in 2013, NSW in 2014 and, we are hoping to welcome Tasmania back into the rotation for 2015.  Our midyear NEB meeting in April next year will be held on Tasmania to give Fiona support in trying to rebuild the Tasmania Branch and bring it back to its previous Region status.  More details later.

Make sure you have a look at the booking area for the two IPA houses we now enjoy….  Melbourne and Miami on the Gold Coast.  The information and booking forms can be found at the top right of the website page under the link for Houses.  The other area you should be visiting regularly and providing input is the Forum – link same place at the top or the website.

Finally, thank you to all of the Region, Sub-Region and Branch executive members, Associate Secretaries and other members who have assisted along the way…. we couldn’t do it without the input each have made along the way…..

In friendship

Ross Pengilly
Assistant Secretary General

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