Retirement of Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll
AMA Queensland President Dr Maria Boulton has paid tribute to retiring Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll, saying she was committed to law reform and able to differentiate between legal and health issues.
AMA Queensland thanks Katarina Carroll for her leadership and service as Police Commissioner over the past five years.
“Police Commissioner Carroll’s commitment to law reform was outstanding,” AMA Queensland President Dr Maria Boulton said.
“In particular, we acknowledge her ability to differentiate between law and health issues in pursuing reforms to drug law.
“This week marks one year since the Queensland Government introduced legislation to expand the Police Drug Diversion Program for cannabis to include other drugs, meaning people found with small amounts of drugs for personal use would be given a warning or health intervention.
“I was proud to stand alongside Commissioner Carroll and other health and legal bodies at a press conference outside state parliament to welcome these changes.
“AMA Queensland had been calling for this reform since 2021, when we convened a roundtable of medical experts, legal professionals, law enforcement, community workers and people with lived experience of drug use.
“The overwhelming consensus was that drug use is a health issue requiring treatment, not criminalisation.
“We thank the outgoing commissioner for her advocacy and support for this change and wish her well in her future endeavours.”
