Opinion: 1628 days after her husband’s death, Susie Forte has the right to ask questions

Whichever way you look at it, the tragedy now is that Brett Forte’s grieving widow and the hero cop who tried to save him do not feel heard, writes Kate Kyriacou.

Luke Forte stood outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court building and counted the days since his brother’s murder.

“Fifty-three months, 232 weeks and 1628 day since I lost my brother,” he said, touching his hand to his heart as he said the slain officer’s name.

“It’s also been 1628 days that Susie has been unable to speak.”

Lawyers for the widow police officer, along with Brett’s police partner Cath Nielsen, made a series of serious allegations when the inquest into his death sat earlier this year.

Susie Forte was not called to give evidence in the inquest into her husband’s death. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Sen Const Nielsen, who smashed the windscreen of her police vehicle to pull her partner to safety while under fire, gave emotional testimony about her treatment.

The inquest heard claims the women had been bullied and ostracised for asking questions about whether Brett’s death was preventable.

Whichever way you look at it, the tragedy now is that a grieving widow and a hero cop do not feel heard.

Brett Forte was killed by Rick Maddison in 2017.

Susie has been a curious absence on the inquest’s witness list – despite her important involvement in the investigation itself.

Susie was the officer who investigated domestic violence allegations against paranoid gunman Ricky Maddison.

She, an investigator who specialised in domestic violence, was the person in contact with Maddison’s former partner.

She was intricately involved but was not called to give evidence.

Yesterday, she asked to be heard. Her 21-page, 9000 word victim impact statement was too much for the court to digest in one afternoon and she will now wait another week to learn whether she will be allowed to read its contents aloud.

A woman who lost her husband, who lost the father of her children, who must now find a way to live without him, has every right to be upset. She has the right to ask questions, however uncomfortable they may be.

“You can be a widow with three children in the most horrific circumstances, be bullied, intimidated and isolated, yet you still cant be afforded the right to speak as a victim,” Luke Forte said yesterday.

“I am not beyond fighting for the truth and for Susie to be heard.

“She is Brett’s voice. I am not done fighting for Brett.”

Originally published as Opinion: 1628 days after her husband’s death, Susie Forte has the right to ask questions