Good afternoon, fellow Rotarians and friends.

Last Sunday left many of us feeling saddened… and, if we’re honest, a little shaken.

We saw scenes in our own city - rocks thrown at police, horses struck, officers injured - and it hurt. It hurt because that’s not the Melbourne we know. That’s not who we are. As Victorian Police Commander Wayne Cheesman said, “It was a bad day for Victoria Police, and a bad day for Melbourne.” “Melbourne has had a gutful”.

These events remind us how fragile peace can be - and how essential it is that we nurture it.

Today, we reflect on Rotary’s deep and lasting partnership with Victoria Police - a partnership grounded in our shared mission to serve the community and build peace.

In 2010, Charles Allen became the first Victoria Police officer to be a Rotary Peace Fellow at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. His journey galvanised an enduring connection between Rotary and Victoria Police, inspiring a generation of officers to explore peacebuilding and leadership beyond policing.

This partnership extends beyond the Peace Fellowship. Through the Victorian Police Leaders Mentoring Program, we together shape ethical, compassionate leaders within the police force; through Rotary’s Road Safety Education, Rotarians work side by side with police and educators to keep young drivers safe and informed; and through our club’s Rotary SAFE Families, we recently partnered with Victoria Police at the Gurdwara Sahib in Hoppers Crossing, to build trust and safety within the Indian community - encouraging the reporting of crime and family violence, and promoting the recruitment of Police and Protective Service Officers within cultural communities.

These initiatives show Rotary and Victoria Police at their best - building peace, promoting safety, and strengthening the fabric of our communities, one relationship at a time.

These are the quiet, practical things that make a community strong - people working together, doing their bit, side by side. That’s the spirit of Rotary. That’s the spirit of Victoria Police. And that’s the spirit that’ll keep Melbourne safe, fair, and united for generations to come.

For good food, good fellowship and the opportunity to serve, we give thanks.

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