Lindt Cafe siege – 10 years on: Premier Chris Minns, Prime Minister Anthony lead tributes
NSW Premier Chris Minns backed a national review into the trauma of first responders, which has been demanded by the hero police officer of the Lind Cafe siege on the 10th anniversary of the horror that unfolded.
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NSW Premier Chris Minns has backed a national review into the trauma of first responders following a push by the hero cop who shot dead a terrorist inside the Lindt Cafe, on the 10th anniversary of the siege.
The premier spoke to media outside NSW Parliament House on Monday, saying the state government “wouldn’t stand in the way of a national review”.
“I don’t want people in the state of NSW to think that we haven’t conducted our own extensive reviews,” he said.
“Not just into the circumstances of the police response, but also in the aftermath, so that we can learn from those mistakes that were made.”
It comes after the hero cop who shot dead terrorist Man Haron Monis to end the horrifying Lindt Cafe siege called for a national inquiry into first responder PTSD.
Ben Besant, who previously had been fighting to tell his story after a suppression order was placed on his name, has now gone public with his battle with the crippling mental health condition.
He did so in hope it would spark a national conversation and bring to a head the failures of organisations across the country in their dealings with first responders.
Mr Minns said both his own government and the previous Liberal government had worked closely with the hostages and families in the direct aftermath and years following the siege.
It included the permanent memorial which the government consulted with them directly.
The premier earlier told media today was a “poignant and sad day for many Sydneysiders”.
“This was obviously an evil act … by somebody who tried to do something terrible to Sydney,” Mr Minns said.
“Obviously two lives were lost in the process … Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson.”
Mr Minns said their families were “devastated by their loss”
“Not just the traumatic circumstances in which they were killed, but also the promise that was lost.”
The premier said those people had “their lives in front of them”, they had “enormous potential” and it was the “loss of that future” which would be traumatising.
He added that Sydneysiders were going about their day in the run up to Christmas which was “absolutely shattered by an evil individual”.
However, Mr Minns said it in reaction to that, it was important to remember the “almost spontaneous and near universal outpouring of good-willed solidarity and love” from the people of Sydney.
He also paid tribute to the first responders, particularly the NSW Police, who put their lives on the line.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was joined by Premier Chris Minns, Governor General Sam Mostyn and Katrina Dawson’s parents as they laid wreaths at the Martin Place memorial.
In a short address to the media, the prime minister said it was a “terrible” and “catastrophic” event which “traumatised the city”.
“It’s a time to remember (the hostages and their families) and to pay our respects to the first responders who responded so quickly and so bravely,” Mr Albanese said.
“(And) who remain … deeply, particularly affected by the events during something that we didn’t expect to see here in this great city.”
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