President and Media Dispatch
This section of the AFPA Dispatch gives you greater insight into the day-to-day work of the AFPA President. The President is the voice of the Association, representing members to achieve the best employment outcomes possible.
This report provides updates on the President’s efforts to further your interests. It focuses primarily on the President’s advocacy on your behalf, including discussions with the AFP Senior Executive, the federal government, and the ACT government.
It also includes a summary of the President’s appearances on television, radio or in print.
February 2023 Dispatch
The last month has seen much preparatory work for National Council take place as we make the final plans for the agenda and presentations taking place over the two-day conference. We’ve also just entered into an exciting agreement with Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW), allowing AFPA members the opportunity to adopt an ex-racing greyhound for free! The benefits to mental health afforded by pet ownership are well documented, and we are delighted to be able to make this offer available to the membership. The upcoming issue of Blue Star will carry a joint press release from the [...]
January 2023 Dispatch
Happy New Year to all members! I hope most of you were able to enjoy at least some time off over the Christmas period; for those unable to, I hope that it won’t be too long before you are able to enjoy a well-deserved break. I must start by acknowledging the recent deaths of the two young Queensland Police Service members. Following on from my all-member email on 13 December, the AFPA attended the memorial service on 21 December in Brisbane. The AFPA laid a wreath honouring Rachel and Matthew and joined with other attendees in commemorating the lives of [...]
December 2022 Dispatch
Christmas is a time for togetherness, and I hope that colleagues across the AFP are preparing for precious time with family, friends and loved ones. It’s a time for us to be thankful for family, community, health, and happiness, but it can also be a poignant time of reflection, as we remember those who are no longer with us. For some, Christmas is a difficult time, and in policing we are privileged to see many great acts of generosity within communities, as people reach out to help those who may need support or companionship over the Christmas period. For [...]
November 2022 Dispatch
Feedback on the AFPA DispatchWe're always interested to hear from our members; if you'd like to share your thoughts on the AFPA Dispatch, we've created a short survey hereIf you have a few minutes to complete the survey, we'd appreciate it. My upcoming meeting with the MinisterI will be speaking to Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus next week about the toll policing has on the mental health of members, and how it can contribute to premature deaths.Some of the issues that will form the backbone of our conversation will be around recent floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2019/2020 bushfires; the effect [...]
October 2022 dispatch
Welcome to the October edition of the AFPA Dispatch! October is National Safe Work and Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to spend a little extra time reviewing your own safety and mental health.Working for the AFP is not a regular occupation with negligible physical risk; the job regularly exposes members to significant risks which can and do negatively affect mental health and work/life balance.If you need assistance in this space, I strongly urge you to reach out to your delegates or the AFPA Office and ask for assistance if needed. If you don’t know who the AFPA delegate in your [...]
National Museum of Australian Policing
I would also like to share another important update with you. A new national Museum of Australian Policing is coming in 2024 to tell the stories of and generate a greater connection and understanding of policing. To help us get it right, we want to hear from you, our policing family, through a policing consultation survey. The museum will be an exhibition space showcasing the history of law enforcement in Australia. The site will be next to the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. The museum will reflect Australia’s policing history locally, nationally and internationally. It will commemorate the service [...]