Mr GREG WARREN (Campbelltown) (12:54): I am delighted to contribute to debate on the Summary Offences Amendment (Police Memorial Offences) Bill 2025. I acknowledge my friend, the very hardworking member for Barwon, Mr Roy Butler, and thank him for bringing this bill before the House. It is another example of his commitment to ensure that adequate provisions are in place to protect memorials and acknowledge those who serve our community. Before I go into the bill in more detail, with the House's indulgence, I would like to begin by talking about the most important thing: the contribution and sacrifice made by our police officers in each and every community.
I was just talking to another good friend and former police officer, the member for Orange, who served for a considerable amount of time in my electorate of Campbelltown. It is 25 years this year since Senior Constable James "Jim" Affleck was killed on the Hume Highway when throwing spikes out across the road. There is a memorial to Jim at Campbelltown Police Station. Every year, the close-knit police community in our local area command gather there to remember him. I did not know Jim personally—I was driving coal trucks at the time—but I remember that incident and how it shook the community.
That incident reminded us of the dangers that police officers face, whether they are a detective, a probationary constable on general duty, a highway patrol officer or an officer working at the front desk. I know about the dangers that police officers confront, because I am very fortunate to share a close and well‑supported relationship with my local area commander, Grant Healey. He keeps me well-informed about matters that need to be raised or addressed. I am very fortunate to enjoy a relationship that allows me to consult with Mr Healey to have matters resolved before they accelerate and get worse.
Drawing on recent events, particularly at Bondi, we saw our police officers step up. Mr Healey told me of police officers who were ending their shifts who, when they heard what was evolving at Bondi, flocked to support their colleagues on the ground and protect that community. I was deeply disappointed at the emergence of contrary, inconsistent and unfair questioning about the level of police presence. I commend the Premier and the Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, as well as the member for Vaucluse, for correcting the record at the time. At a difficult time, they stood up to defend and protect our police, just as our police protect and defend us. That is only right and trust. It is also right and just that this bill is before the House in order to defend and protect memorials that do not celebrate but remember and honour the sacrifice and commitment of our police officers, particularly those who have made the ultimate sacrifice as they marched that thin blue line. It is not an easy job.
The Government supports this bill. Its purpose is to amend the Summary Offences Act 1988. Firstly, it puts beyond doubt that the offence of wilfully damaging or defacing any protected place in section 8 (2) captures police memorials, by amending the definition of "protected place" in section 8 (1) to expressly include police memorials. Secondly, it expands the offence of committing a nuisance or any offensive or indecent act in, on, or in connection with any war memorial or interment site in section 8 (3) so it also captures police memorials. While that is necessary, it is sad that we need to introduce this type of legislation. Why? It is because deficient human beings of an undesirable nature will take it upon themselves—for what reason I will never understand—to damage those memorials.
Like the many other veterans in this place and elsewhere who have served throughout our great country and our State, I find it heartbreaking to visit war memorials. That is not because they concern us personally but because they are places to go to remember those who served, particularly for those of us who lost friends during our service. Police memorials are not dissimilar to that. They are special places where families and especially police officers can visit to remember officers who, like themselves and their loved ones, served on the front line of the community to keep us safe. That is so very important. That brings me to the point of why the bill is required.
Currently, section 8 of the Summary Offences Act includes two offences. Section 8 (2) provides that wilfully damaging or defacing any protected place carries a maximum penalty of 40 penalty units. A protected place is defined in section 8 (1) as "a shrine, monument or statue located in a public place, and (without limitation) includes a war memorial or an interment site". Section 8 (3) provides:
A person must not commit any nuisance or any offensive or indecent act in, on or in connection with any war memorial or interment site.
It carries a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units. As an alternative to a fine for those offences, section 8 (3A) provides that the court may impose a community corrections order with the standard conditions and a community service work condition, or the equivalent order for children. If a person is convicted of an offence under section 8 in relation to a war memorial, a compensation order is also available to the sentencing court under section 8 (3B). Although it is likely that police memorials are already captured by the offence of wilfully damaging or defacing a protected place in section 8 (2) of the Summary Offences Act—as monuments fall under the definition of "protected place"—putting that beyond doubt will enhance understanding of the offences and their application to police memorials. That amendment will also serve an important symbolic role by signalling the seriousness of that conduct, and it will be a way to show respect to the police officers who lost their lives as part of their service.
Furthermore, the bill makes clear that each and every member of this Parliament will not tolerate such conduct. It puts it beyond reasonable doubt. The mind-numbing morons who take it upon themselves to wilfully and deliberately damage those memorials should be in no doubt that the law will come for them and come down very hard, and that is the primary motive of the member for Barwon in bringing the bill before the House. To conclude, if it is good enough for the State to look to our local police officers to serve, protect and respect the law and order of our communities, and to keep us all safe, it is just as good for this Parliament to serve and respect each and every one of them.
