As an Association, we consistently evaluate the purpose and value of the Old Boys' organisation. Several years ago, we implemented a comprehensive strategic plan to guide the Association's direction for the next decade. In our efforts to align with member needs, we solicited feedback from the Old Boy community. The response was overwhelmingly focused on five key areas: enhancing Old Boy events with a structured calendar, fostering greater collaboration with the College, providing support for Old Boys in need, creating more opportunities for involvement and improving communication channels. These priorities can be summarized as strengthening connection, increasing engagement and preserving legacy.

Over the past eight years, we have witnessed remarkable progress in Old Boy engagement. Our comprehensive calendar of events now includes the highly anticipated Reunion Weekend and Back to Runcorn gatherings, as examples. We have established SLOBACare, a dedicated initiative to support Old Boys in need. The Woody Cup, our flagship event, continues to grow and will celebrate its 10th anniversary next year. Additionally, we have launched SLConX in conjunction with the Careers Department, facilitating valuable connections between Old Boys and current students through a series of career-focused events. Our social media presence has expanded significantly, now reaching over 3,500 Old Boys, fostering a stronger sense of community and enhancing communication.

Whilst we have made significant strides, there remains considerable potential for growth and improvement as we embark on a review of the Association's next cycle. Our focus will be on exploring innovative ways to evolve and enhance our current offerings, ensuring we continue to meet the ever-changing needs of our Old Boys community.

As part of our ongoing evolution, we are implementing several enhancements in 2026 to SLConX to further foster positive engagement within our Lauries community. Additionally, we will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Woody Cup by introducing an Honour Board and named Player of the Match medals across various sports. Changes to the Reunion Weekend to further enhance its value. Furthermore, the current committee is actively exploring avenues to enhance SLOBACare which will extend into 2026. These initiatives aim to celebrate our achievements and strengthen our connection to the Old Boy community.

This year, the Association embarked on a significant project to comprehensively document and honour all Old Boys who have served in the Armed Forces during various conflicts. This initiative aims to preserve our military heritage and pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of our alumni. Our initial review, focusing on World War II, has revealed an astounding number of Old Boys who served. In collaboration with the College, we are actively exploring meaningful ways to commemorate all those who served and to enhance our tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The continued success and vitality of our Association is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our Committee and the invaluable support of the College. I extend my sincere gratitude to the 2025 Committee for their outstanding efforts during the year. Furthermore, we would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Ben Lowrie, Helen Turner and the entire Lauries Community for their steadfast support and tireless commitment to our endeavours. Your collective contributions have been instrumental in our achievements and continue to be the cornerstone of the Association.

Peter Wendt (1988)

President, St Laurence's College Old Boys' Association

As many readers would know quite well by now, the Old Boys’ Foundation believes deeply in providing a financial hand-up to Lauries families who find themselves in financial difficulty. Each year, it provides a gift to the College arising out of its operations; this gift to be used to provide fee-relief bursaries to families in need so their sons can continue their Lauries Journey.

Due to the wonderful, continuing generosity of our donor community, the Foundation’s gift to the College this year was $135,000! As with every year, College Principal Ben Lowrie will provide the Trustees with a general summary of how the funds are used by the College to help families in need. In next year’s mid-year newsletter, you will be advised how this 2025 gift was used by the College to assist financially disadvantaged Lauries families in 2026. Since 2006, this brings the aggregate of the Foundation’s gifts to the College to the truly wonderful milestone figure of $1,000,000! Just think of how many families have been able to keep their sons at our great College as a result of these bursary funds! On their behalf, thank you very much for your continuing life-altering support.

As far as the 2025 Annual Appeal is concerned, it was again fantastic to see the ongoing generosity of the Foundation’s donors – existing and new. On top of this, the Foundation was also one of the beneficiaries of the annual College fundraising events. With the $135,000 gift to the College, the Annual Appeal and the other fundraising events, 2025 was another great year for the Foundation and for the families and their sons which it assists.

On a personal note, this is my last Old Boys' Newsletter contribution as Foundation Chairman. It has been my great privilege to be the Chairman these past six years, a role I have enjoyed immensely. It is now time to pass the baton along, so I will not be seeking re-election to the position in 2026. Instead, at next year’s February Board meeting, I will be nominating Andrew Mewing as a very worthy and capable successor. I will nonetheless stay on for a little while longer as a Trustee.

In conclusion, my fellow Old Boys, if you are already a Foundation donor, thank you and please continue your support. If you’re not yet a donor, please consider becoming one; it’s a great cause! By donating to the Foundation, you will be helping yet more financially disadvantaged boys get to complete their Lauries Journey and have the great start in life that comes with it.

Have a great Christmas!

Professor Allan Layton (1971)

Chairman, St Laurence’s Old Boys’ Foundation

In 2026, there is an array of exciting events on for Old Boys, including the consolidation of the Old Boys' Weekend into a Super Saturday. The Old Boys' Memorial Mass and Senior Old Boys' Luncheon will now be held on Saturday 29 August accompanied by the milestone reunions for the year including 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 Year Events.

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2025! Welcome to the next steps in your journey as Old Boys of Lauries!

St Laurence’s College marked its 110th anniversary with a special Old Boys’ Weekend, welcoming generations of Lauries men back to the College.

• Friday 29 August – Generations of Lauries 
  Current students hosted family members who are proud Old Boys, sharing stories and spirit across generations.
• Saturday 30 August – Reunions & Tours
  Alumni from milestone years returned for campus tours and reunions, reconnecting with classmates and celebrating their bond with the black and gold.
• Sunday 31 August – Memorial & Luncheon
  The community honoured those no longer with us at the Old Boys’ Memorial Mass, followed by a Senior Old Boys’ Luncheon reflecting on legacy and tradition.
• Tuesday 2 September – Old Boys’ Assembly
  The College unveiled the new Facere et Docere honour board, recognising those who embody the motto “To do and to teach.” The Class of 1965 and past award recipients joined the celebration.

A highlight was the return of the original Laurie the Lion mascot, gifted by the Moffat family in honour of John Moffat’s lasting contribution to the College during the Old Boys' Assembly.

Photos from these events can be found on the Old Boys' website HERE.

The College extends sincere thanks to all who attended and helped make the weekend a memorable tribute to Lauries’ rich history.

Those celebrating their milestone reunions in 2026 will experience a new Super Saturday model with all milestone reunions held on the one day as well as the Old Boys' Memorial Mass and Senior Old Boys' Luncheon. All festivities will take place on Saturday 29 August - stay tuned for further updates throughout  2026!

CLASS OF 1958

In August, the Class of 1958 met for lunch to celebrate again their wonderful years at St Laurence’s College.

Thank you to Ray Overland for providing the photo!

CLASS OF 1970

THE CLASS OF 1970 SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISING LUNCHEON, PINEAPPLE HOTEL
MONDAY 27 OCTOBER 2025.

After Several long reunion lunches, celebrating 55 years of memories of SLC and celebrating surviving all those years, the class of 1970 decided to return the favour and raise some funds towards a scholarship for a financially disadvantaged boy who would normally not have the opportunity to experience a Christian Brothers Edmund Rice education at SLC.

Spokesperson, John A Collins said, “inspired by a speech at the recent SLOBS, Chapel Service and Lunch at SLC, we (1970 cohort) decided to try and give a boy, decided by the College, the incredible opportunity and wonderful experience that we had during our formative years attending SLC.”

The 1970 cohort, average between 32 to 45, SLOBS attend and catch up with old classmates, twice a year with boys coming from all over Australia to attend. This year, John Joseph Collins attended, who now lives in New Jersey, USA and hasn’t caught up with old classmates since the 40-year reunion. He was joined by many others from interstate, including Billy Beggs and John Henry.

With a target of $5,000 for the scholarship, the Class of 1970 exceeded this through the generosity of their peers.  We now throw the challenge down to other SLOB year groups to match or better the Class of 1970 donation.

***IT ONLY TAKES A COUPLE OF LONG LUNCHES TO RAISE YOUR GOAL***

1970 Committee members: Matt Moloney, Jolly (Peter) Miller, Dennis Stuhmcke, Chris Reynolds and John A Collins.

Lauries Class of 2015 graduate Oliver Hetherington-Page has become a leading voice in the arts and disability advocacy. A proud autistic playwright, actor and producer, his work challenges stereotypes and celebrates neurodivergent stories. For his impact, Oliver has been awarded the St Laurence's College’s Young Alumni Award Winner for 2025.

Since completing his Fine Arts degree at QUT, Oliver has toured nationally, founded Australia’s first autistic choir, plus earned accolades including a Matilda Award. Beyond recognition, he values creating hope and visibility for others. With new projects debuting at the Undercover Artist Festival and ABC’s The Assembly, Oliver continues to build safe, creative spaces for autistic youth—proving his journey from student to community leader is truly worthy of centre-stage.

Further details on Oliver's achievements can be read in the Spring Edition of the Lauries Magazine available HERE.

Nominations for the 2026 Young Alumni Awards will open in April 2026. Further details including links to self-nominate or recommend a peer will be shared at that time.

Congratulations to College Captain, Luca Ellero, recipient of the 2025 Facere et Docere Award.
Sponsored by the Old Boys’ Association, this prestigious honour is bestowed upon a student who exemplifies the highest standards of leadership and integrity. The award recognises a role model who lives out the College’s guiding principles: dedicated service across all areas of College life, respect and courtesy, pride in presentation, active involvement, and unwavering support for others.

We extend our gratitude to Association Committee Member and Dean of Primary, Cameron Wigan, who had the privilege of presenting the trophy on the evening.

Hall of Fame Nominations now open

Every two years, the Old Boys’ Association invites nominations for the College Hall of Fame. This prestigious honour celebrates alumni who have made outstanding contributions and exemplify the values of the College.

In 2023, inductees included Dr Geoff Dickie (Class of 1961), Peter O'Meara KSG (Class of 1973) and Dr Michael Wagels (Class of 1992).

If you would like to nominate an Old Boy deserving of this recognition, please submit your nomination using the link below.

🔗 Nominate HERE
📜 View the current Hall of Fame list HERE

All nominations will be presented at the Annual General Meeting in February. The 2026 Committee will then recommend a shortlist to the College Review Panel. Please note, the College reserves the right not to accept nominations.

Nominations close Friday 9 January 2026

St Laurence’s College proudly celebrated its 110 year anniversary in 2025, marking more than a century of commitment to education, faith and community. Since its founding in 1915, the College has become one of Brisbane’s and Queensland’s largest single-sex schools and has helped shape contemporary gentlemen as they travel on their Lauries Journey.

Whether it be academic, sporting, artistic or community pursuits, the Lauries Journey has delivered generations of well-rounded individuals. In reaching this 110 year milestone, Lauries understands the importance of respecting our past, acknowledging the present and hoping for the future.

There have been a number of special occasions during 2025 celebrating the College’s 110 year anniversary including our Opening Year Mass, the College’s birthday, a special ANZAC Day service, the Generations of Lauries event and the Old Boys weekend.

While the College has changed so much in 110 years, it is pleasing to know that the notion of the pursuit of personal excellence, study, service and activity, that were foundational components of an Edmund Rice Education in our early life of the College, still remain visibly present in a modern Lauries education.

As we look towards the future, St Laurence’s College remains committed to fostering an environment where students can thrive. Students are encouraged to strive for their best and pursue personal excellence in all facets of College life. The College’s personalised approach, passionate and committed staff, state-of-the-art facilities and dynamic educational strategies ensure that each student can develop and find their Heart of Gold.

Underpinned by the Edmund Rice Touchstones; Gospel Spirituality, Justice and Solidarity, Inclusive Community and Liberating Education, Lauries Gentlemen honour the past and pave the way for the future through positive societal impact.

This year there were two nights but 3 sessions. The first was Emergency and Defence Services. Our Presenters for the evening were:

Our Presenters were;
Ethan Dooley - MD/ CEO 1800 Medics/ Retrieval Medics
Gerard Samios - Senior Fire Fighter with Queensland Fire & Rescue
Nick Shaw - 24 Years in the Australian Defence Force
Ian Leavers - At the time the Queensland Cross Border Commissioner

It is with sadness that Ian has since passed. Always a staunch support of both the College and the Old Boys. RIP Ian.

The second evening was a combined affair with Trades and STEM. This also proved to be very successful and allowed for a lot of additional mingling. 

Our presenters are:
TRADES
Rhett Foreman - Carpentry/ Commercial Project Manager
Cooper Zeller - Apprentice Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
Greg Murphy - Plumber/ Project Manager
Ryan Randall - Roofing/ Commercial Project Manager
STEM
Henry Lamb - PhD Candidate/ Research assistant
Dilsher Gill - MPhil Cancer Biology/ Medical Sales
Joe Casabella - IT Professional/ Digital & Data Transformation
Mark Jacobs - Deputy Director-General, Science Division, QLD Govt

Thanks again to all our wonderful presenters who took the time to share their experiences with the next generation of Old Boys. 

In 2026, we intend to mix up the program a little more and include "round table" sessions for the more bespoke industries and to include younger Old Boys to participate in attending the sessions. Next year also marks 5 years of this initiative with the College. 

SLOBACare and why it is important. Click here to watch the SLOBACare Video.

With the festive season upon us comes a time of reflection and thoughts of others that may need our help and how assistance can be provided. SLOBACare is still here and may be able to assist.

Each member of the College community embarks on their own Lauries Journey. During this time, a fraternity of mateship and friendship is established and nurtured. SLOBACare is a way to extend this past the classroom.

Just as the Old Boys' Association aims to provide ongoing fellowship and support to students, staff and members of the Association, SLOBACare seeks to extend these aims by providing a tangible means whereby old boys and their families and staff (both current and former) in need can reach out for assistance.

SLOBACare is an initiative of the St Laurence's College Old Boys' Association with the objective of a assisting old boys and their families or staff within the St Laurence's College past students' community who may be experiencing significant challenges in life. These challenges include, but are not limited to, loneliness, mental health, domestic violence, support for living at home or ultimately transition to aged care.

SLOBACARE operates as a referral service where we can initially refer you to Mater at Home. SLOBACARE does not provide any direct services to the Community.

The Mater at Home services include:

• Coordinate the assessment and delivery of aged care services at home
• Assisting with the transition to aged care
• Group classes to help with exercise and balance to help reduce the risk of falls
• Nutrition workshops, Mindfulness workshops and aquatic therapy groups
• NDIS Services
• A comprehensive range of allied health services including nursing, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, Physiotherapy and Social Work.

Please feel free to contact the Mater at Home team on 07 3163 1760 or via Email: materathome@mater.org.au to discuss your needs. Alternatively, you can contact the Old Boys Association via the College.

If your needs are not within the range of services offered by Mater at Home still feel welcome to contact them and they may be able to refer you to an appropriate service.

Perhaps you just feel the need to have someone to talk to. SLOBACARE has on a number of occasions coordinated catch ups with Committee Representatives for a chat or even a visit. If you feel this will help, just contact the College for a referral to the Committee.

Woody Cup IX - Old Boys Retain the Cup (Just!)

We are pleased to announce that the 9th edition of the Woody Cup concluded with an exceptionally close result. After the completion of all ten sporting events, the final score was tied at 5-5. In accordance with the competition rules, as the Old Boys were the defending champions, we have retained the Cup for another year. We extend our sincere appreciation to all participants for their contributions to this highly successful event. Your involvement has once again made the Woody Cup a remarkable and memorable occasion. 

Pictured above right - Old Boys Vice President John O'Brien (1998) accepting the Woody Cup for another year.

Woody Cup Medals

For each Woody Cup match, we are proud to recognise outstanding performance with the College Player of the Match award. We are excited to announce that, starting in 2026, several sports will feature medals named in honor of distinguished Old Boys who have made significant contributions to their respective disciplines. This initiative aims to celebrate our rich sporting heritage and inspire current participants to strive for excellence. The list (based on previous nominations from the Old Boy Community) will be presented at the AGM in February for validation.

Woody Cup Honour Board commissioned

Next year marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Woody Cup. To commemorate this occasion, we are delighted to announce that the Association, in collaboration with the College, has agreed to commission a commemorative honour board. This prestigious display will serve as a lasting tribute to the Cup's history and the value it brings to the College community. The Honour Board will be in the Sports Centre precinct. Further details on its commissioning to be provided in the new year.

Luke Willian (2014)

Luke was recently appointed Vice-Chair of the World Triathlon Athletics Committee.  This means Luke will represent Athletes around the world and have a seat/ voice as a Member of the World Triathlon Executive Board. 

In July, he was part of the Gold Medal winning Australian team who won the World Triathlon Mixed Relay Championship crown. Then he was also selected to represent the Australian Elite Men's Triathlon team and competed at the World Championships Final in Wollongong in October. As if the year could not get any better, he also got married. Congratulations Luke on a stellar year. 

Rowan Crothers OAM (2015)

It has also been another amazing year for Rowan.  National Swimming Champion in the Men's S10 50m and 100m Freestyle. The 7th time he was crowned 100m Champion. 

Rowan then competed at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore where he picked up 3 Gold Medals. Where he was crowned the Men's S10 50m and 100m Freestyle World Champion. His 3rd gold came in the Mixed 4x100 Freestyle Relay 34PT World Title. Rowan was also nominated for Paralympic Program Swimmer of the Year and recently picked up the South Australia Para Swimmer of the Year. Congrats!

Tyrell Thorne (2024)

Congratulations also to Tyrell who was selected for the World Athletics Relay Championships and the World Athletics Championships this year. 

 Tyrell specialises in the 400m and was part of the 4x400m Mixed Relay which picked up Silver at the World Athletics Relay Championships in Guangzhou. 

Tyrell was also selected for the World Athletics Championships and whilst he did not compete, it would have been an amazing experience. Hard to believe he only finished Senior last year.

All the best in 2026.

Tyan Prindable (2024)

Congratulations to Tyan who was recently picked up by the Collingwood Magpies in the AFL Draft. Originally with the Brisbane Lions Academy, he played a number of games in the VFL and then eventually his form warranted Allies selection. 

Finn Mackay (2024)

Further congratulations to Finn who was selected to play for Australia U18 against NZ Schools in the Rugby. Finn capped of an exceptional 2 match series by picking up a Player of the Match Award along the way. He is also now contracted to the Reds Academy. 

Joshua Hill (2017)

Congratulations to Josh who has now played several matches for the South African Rugby League Team and is now in great company as our 8th Old Boy to have played International Rugby League. Josh pictured on the right.

David van Zeeland (2017)

Congratulations to David who was selected to play for Japan A against Australia A in the Rugby. David has been plying his trade in Japan for many years now and just reward for all the hard work.

Will Jennings (2021) and Darcy Jackson (2021) were selected for the Queensland U23 Men's Volleyball Team.

Aria Award Winner, Conrad Sewell performed the National Anthem at the NRL Grand Final. 

Ryan Govan (2019) was part of the Heidelberg side which took on the Newcastle Jets in the the football at Australia Cup Final.

Jacob Brehmer (2021) finished second in the Men's 17-24 Age Group at the Queensland BMX Championships. He has also recently been competing in the US, gaining further valuable experience.

Preston O'Brien (2024) made his debut for the Queensland U19 Reds Rugby team. 

Dan Gray (2024) made his Cricket First Grade debut recently, alongside fellow Old Boy and Souths Captain, Lucky Peterson.

Onrii Dalgity (2022) has committed to the Walfdorf University in the US for the 25-26 Ice Hockey Season. Onrii has also been the Atlanta Madhatters Elite Captain. 

Over the past 12 months, the Association has diligently pursued the identification of Old Boys who served in World War II. Since our previous update, we have made significant progress in our research efforts (as noted in the graphic below). We are continuing to meticulously examine available records to validate as much information as possible, ensuring the accuracy and comprehensiveness of our findings.

We honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice in WWII. 

Charles Francis St Ledger
Reginald Harold Andrew Brandis
William Thomas Small
Vincent Edward Jarvis
Thomas Joseph Walsh
Reginald Ronald Witham DFC
James John McIlroy
Stanley Norman Rowell
Francis Colin Gordon
Kevin Gregory Fogarty
Bernard Charles Hall
John Alfred Adams
Grant Walter Kirby
Lesley Cornelius Walmsley
John Joseph Cox
John Manes Gleeson
John Mulcahy
Cornelius Joseph Skehan
Norman A Cumming
Cecil Francis Beitz
Gerard Francis Geraghty
John Donald Shannon
Henry Elms - KIA - 2/7/1915
Edward Arthur Green - KIA - 19/10/14
Charles Stewart Christie
William Edward Dunlop
John Michael David Ryan
Douglas William Witham

The Association, in collaboration with the College, is currently exploring options for a fitting memorial to commemorate all those who served, with special recognition for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We are committed to creating a meaningful tribute that honour's their dedication and bravery.

If you have any information on Old Boys who served in WWII please e-mail us slcoldboys@slc.qld.edu.au. We will also review other conflicts and peace keeping deployments once we have closed the WWII review. 

Old Boy Spotlight

The latest uncovered war casualty was Douglas William Witham. Douglas was born on the 25 August 1920 and grew up in Annerley. He attended Lauries from 1932-33 before moving to Terrace from 1934-36. He successfully completed the Queensland University Junior Exam in 1936. At the time of his enlistment, he was in his 3rd year apprenticeship as an automotive engineer. Cricket, Swimming and Tennis were amongst his interests.

Witham enlisted in the RAAF on 8 November 1940. on 13 April 1942 he was part of a bombing reconnaissance mission over Koepang, Indonesia. The aircraft came down in which the pilot and co-pilot both escaped. Unfortunately he and fellow Sergeant, Hebert Hearle were captured by the Japanese Naval Paratroop. He and Hearle were executed on 8 May 1942 as POW's. Witham was 21.  

The Runcorn Sports Precinct upgrade is bringing back a cherished Lauries icon – the white picket fence – and offering Old Boys a chance to leave their mark.

A Legacy Reinstated

For generations of Lauries men, the white picket fence around Field 1 has been more than a boundary – it’s been a symbol of pride, belonging and tradition. As part of the major Runcorn Sports Precinct upgrade, the College is reinstating this beloved feature, thanks to strong advocacy from Old Boys and the wider community.

Your Name on the Fence

In a unique initiative, families, Old Boys and supporters can sponsor a picket and personalise it with a plaque. Options include individual pickets ($250) or generational sets of five ($1,100), each with space for inscriptions such as family names or initials. All donations are tax-deductible through the Australian Sports Foundation with all funds raised directly supporting the precinct’s enhancements – from cricket nets and field rejuvenation to new track and field facilities.

More Than an Upgrade

This project is about more than infrastructure. It’s a chance to honour the past, invest in the future and create a visible legacy for the Lauries community. Every sponsored picket will stand as a tribute to the enduring connection between the College and its Old Boys, ensuring that future generations walk the grounds surrounded by reminders of those who came before.

For further information or to secure your picket, click HERE.

Congratulations to Archibald Simmons for being selected as College Captain in 2026. Archibald will be supported by Matiyas Al-Patti and Declan Hansel as Vice Captains next year. These gentlemen take over from the Class of 2025 College Leaders.

The 2026 leaders will be supported by the following gentlemen who have been elected into Prefect positions:

House Captains

• Callan – Joseph B.
• Duhig – Lucas A.
• Hogan – Will D.
• Kilian – Jed H.
• Nagle – Josh A.
• Rice – George A.
• Sion – Mitchell E.
• Treacy – Edward F.
• Waterford – Nash B.
• Xavier – Montrose H.

Prefects

Academic – Ryan M., Lachlan W., Paul N.
Engagement & Wellbeing – Cooper H., Benjamin T., Toby M.
Faith in Action – Lewis H., Samuel T., Jake L.
Solidarity & Culture – Joseph C., Joseph V., Dominic I.
Spirit and School Pride – William B., Digby C., Thomas V.

We wish the Captains, Prefects elect, and the entire Class of 2026 every success in the year ahead.

Enrolments at St Laurence's College are based on intakes in Years 5 and 7, with families invited to submit applications for students two years prior to their preferred entry.

Applications for entry in Year 7 2028 will open on Friday 30 January 2026. Further details on the process is available HERE. 

Old Boys' are welcome to submit an Expression of Interest at any time HERE. Remember, any Old Boy who submits an Expression of Interest for their 0-5 year old son will receive a pair of socks for them and their sons!

We endeavour to acknowledge all Old Boys and Former Staff who are no longer with us. To assist with this, please email slcoldboys@slc.qld.edu.au.

A tribute to Ian John Leavers APM, former Old Boys Committee member.

“They don’t care how much you know, they want to know how much you care.”

Leavo was born in Coventry, England on the 5 October 1968, he was the second child and first son of Nigel, an Industrial Chemist, and Mary, a schoolteacher. Leavo was a brother to Jane, Michelle and Simon.

After his family emigrated from the UK, they established first home was at Inala, from where Leave attended St Mark’s, then St Sebastian’s. In 1981, Leavo transferred to Lauries for Year 8. His time on College Hill was memorable, and he certainly made a reputation for himself, though not necessarily for his scholastic pursuits.

One such experience began when he was at home and practicing catching airborne peanuts with his mouth, on this day a wayward nut went straight into his lung, this required immediate hospital treatment and ongoing treatment once a week, on a Friday for several weeks. At the conclusion of the treatment Leavo thought the opportunity for a weekly RDO from school was too good to pass up, and it was some time before the College began to suspect that Leavo was running a scam. Though he was rescued by his schoolteacher mother, Mary, who backed his story up when the Deputy Principal rang to check on his bona fides.

Unbeknown to Mary, Leavo had secured himself a set of spare keys to her car, which she parked at the Corinda Railway Station daily whilst she went to work. Leavo and his mates would arrive at the station at about 3.30pm from school and take Mary’s car for a drive to many and varied locations, always ensuring the car was back in place by 4.27pm, when Mary’s train arrived. This scam worked well until Leavo’s efforts to cover his misdemeanours was thwarted when other vehicle parked in the then empty space and, on several occasions, Mary had to go searching for her car. The game was up, but Mary’s mystery was never solved.

In his own words “At SLC I was a ratbag, often in trouble, but my sporting ability helped me survive.”

In fact, Ian competed for Lauries in the 800m and 1500m track events, as well as Cross Country, an event in which he made the top ten ranked runners in Queensland. Leavo also became the Queensland Captain and Australian Champion sprint roller skating champion whilst a Lauries.

Though the Rugby codes were not a part of his stronger instincts, he was a natural soccer player. Leavo tried rugby at Lauries and League at Souths Graceville, because of his foot speed, he was always selected on the wing, and it was assumed he knew what he was doing...nope! In fact, Simon maintains that Leavo was the original Forest Gump, on the rare occasions that his teammates passed the ball to him he just ran, and he ran fast and started scoring tries, without much thought or indeed knowledge of tactics and options.

Leavo graduated from Year 12 in 1985, and his professional ambition was always directed at the Queensland Police Service, however, his academic performance put that on the backburner, instead he started a trade and then joined the Queensland Corrective Services. This experience augured well for him and with some further polishing, Leavo joined the QPS in 1989.

Simon believes that Ian didn’t see himself as a competent operator, and so he sought the broad counsel of his peers, knowing that his best learnings would come from listening to those around him. Listening became the core Modus Operandi of Leavo’s career.

Ian was one of the great listeners in Queensland public life.

The renowned retired Queensland Police Officer, John O’Gorman described Ian as the epitome of decency, tenacity, honour and integrity.

The tragic Weiambilla siege in 2022 led Ian to relentlessly drive the Attorney General and Australian Government to establish the National Firearms Register, not to crack down on law-abiding gun owners, but solely aimed at providing police officers with up to date, accurate firearm data to improve safety. This scheme began in July 2024 and will be fully operational in mid-2028.

John believes that Ian’s greatest achievement in his role as President of the Queensland Police Union and the Australian Police Federation was placing the “presumption legislation for first responders” on the state agenda. This legislation reverses the onus of proof for Post Traumatic Stress Injury, and the result is that a first responder is no longer required to prove their PTS was a result of their service. The aim is to avoid the re-traumatising of the sufferer during the administrative process of reviewing the claim.

This achievement was a first in Australia and only the third occasion worldwide in which the presumptive PTSD legislation was enabled.

John said of Ian “He was a genuine leader, one who’s achievements will be remembered and benefit many generations to come. I will miss my mate.”

The former Queensland Police Minister, Mark Ryan, spoke emotionally of his professional relationship with Ian, which developed into a personal mateship. “Ian was a fierce advocate who cared so deeply for others, even at a personal cost. He once said to me ‘If we don’t look after our own, who will?’”

Mark told the mourners that the Queensland Police Memorial in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens is a sacred space which honours those 151 police officers who have been killed on duty in Queensland. Mark is reminded of Ian whenever he walks past it, because Ian was the person who germinated the idea and saw it through to its commissioning.

Mark was most impressed by Ian’s determination to sit with family and colleagues of fallen and injured officers at all hours of the night, Ian felt it was his responsibility.

When reflecting upon Ian, Mark summed him up as “A man of honest conversation and a good laugh, good will and a kind heart.”

The former Leader of the National Party in Queensland, Lawrence Springboard told of his two-decade mateship with Leavo, which again was a relationship spawned from professional dealings. When Springborg was the Health Minister in the Newman Government, he was approached by Leavo and challenged to place a registered nurse in police watchhouses, the aim of which was to prevent deaths in custody.

Lawrence agreed with the plan and commenced a trial, and within two weeks a detainee’s life had been saved by one such RN, another legacy of Leavo’s practical problem solving.

Upon leaving the QPS, Leavo was appointed to the role of Cross Border Commissioner, the first appointee to the role. In that role, Lawrence stated that Leavo “Blew apart the bureaucratic sameness which strangles progressive thought. He was a true champion of the people.”

Finally, on a personal note, I would like to tell of a personal anecdote in which Ian performed well above and beyond the expectations of even the most dedicated servant of his people.

On 12 December 2022, the tragic incident at Wieambilla occurred and the very next day, Leavo was front and centre of the response for a week, helping families and colleagues, attending to almost hourly press conferences, and arranging the QPU response.

On Thursday the 15^th, I contacted Leavo whilst he was still in Tara and told him that Matthew Arnold’s Lauries cohort were gathering at the Story Bridge Hotel on Friday the 16^th at 4.00pm, without having to be asked, Leavo said “Mate, I’ll be there.” So, on Friday morning, after another press conference, Leavo set off to drive back to Brisbane and without rest he arrived at the Hotel at about 4.30pm, where he took the time to speak privately with Matt’s family and with his classmates.

It was an act of selflessness that I will never forget.

I will leave the final words to former Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson APM, “Queensland is truly a better place because of the life’s work of Ian John Leavers.”

John Dinnen (1978)

Obituary: Remembering the highly talented Gerard Lee

Gerard Lee was an Australian screenwriter, novelist and director best known for his contributions to Australian independent cinema and for his long-standing collaboration with Jane Campion.

I first met Gerard Lee in the late 1960's, when we were teenage cadet journalists. At that time, he was languishing in the sports department of Brisbane’s tabloid Telegraph newspaper while I was a sub-editor on sister paper The Courier-Mail. I ran into him again several years later on the University of Queensland campus where I was fiction editor at UQP. We were both keenly interested in short stories and quickly became good friends.

Between 1978 and 1993 I published five of his books at UQP: the story collections Pieces for a Glass Piano and Eating Dog; the novels True Love and how to get it and Troppo Man; and the screenplay of Sweetie, Jane Campion’s first feature film, which Gerard co-wrote with Jane. They’d met at the Australian Film Television and Radio School in Sydney and later collaborated on the award-winning BBC miniseries Top of the Lake.

Sweetie won Best Screenplay at the Australian Film Institute awards and a coveted Camera d’Or at Cannes. Gerard went on to write or co-write the screenplays for other films including My Mistress, starring Emmanuelle Beart, and the multi-award-winning Breath, adapted from Tim Winton’s novel. Most recently he was working on a screenplay for the Peter Carey novel Theft, and another project with writer-director Wayne Blair, set in Blair’s hometown of Rockhampton.

Gerard wrote and directed his own feature film, the comedy All Men Are Liars, which opened the Sydney Film Festival in 1995. Set in tropical Far North Queensland it features an all-female band, infiltrated by a teenage boy trying to make enough money to buy his mum a piano. It was a box-office success and received a best film nomination at the AFI awards.

Named for the Catholic saint of motherhood, Gerard Majella Lee was born in Melbourne in 1951 to devout parents Brian and Dorothy. He attended St Thomas the Apostle convent at Blackburn. One of his short stories describes a five-year-old boy’s first day at school when he falls head over heels in love with “the beautiful beatific Sister Francesca”.

By Colin Munro

Appeared in InDaily - indailysa.com.au 

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