Official portrait of the 34th Governor of Western Australia the Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM
His Excellency The Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM, Governor of Western Australia.

Congratulations to the Governor for his appointment as a Companion of the Order of Australia

His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson APM, Governor of Western Australia, and former WA Police Commissioner has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the 2023 Australia Day Honours List for eminent service to public Administration through law enforcement roles, to reconciliation and as the 34th Governor appointed in Western Australia.

It is the highest award in the Order of Australia and recognises Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service or exceptional achievement.

The Governor has had a long and distinguished career in law enforcement having joined the Western Australia Police Force in 1976. He served in regional and metropolitan positions in WA, including 10 years as Deputy Commissioner before leaving WA for a national role in Canberra.

He spent three years (2014 to 2017) as CEO of the Australian Crime Commission, as well as Director of the Australian Institute of Criminology. He was the inaugural CEO of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.

He was appointed Commissioner of the Western Australian Police Force in 2017 serving until July 2022, and during this time oversaw significant change in the WA Police Force.

In 2018 the then Police Commissioner made history, formally apologising for the mistreatment of the state’s Aboriginal people at the hands of police. During the apology he promised that in his time as Police Commissioner he would continually take steps to heal historical wounds between police and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he took on the role of State Emergency Coordinator, before being appointed WA’s inaugural Vaccine Commander in August 2021 with responsibility for leading the state’s COVID-19 vaccine program.

In 2002 he was awarded the Australian Police Medal for distinguished service.

The Governor is joined by 75 other outstanding Western Australians who have been recognised in this year’s Australia Day Honours

Click here to read the full list.

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