Our son has lived through a journey of resilience and determination, overcoming the challenges posed by Retinoblastoma, an eye cancer that eventually led to the loss of his eye. Despite this adversity, he has nurtured a lifelong dream of serving as a police officer, a dream that now feels shattered as current Queensland Police Service (QPS) medical entry requirements mandate the need for vision in both eyes, thereby excluding individuals with monocular vision.

The medical standards adopted by QPS seem outdated when juxtaposed against recent advancements showing that individuals with monocular vision can perform various tasks and roles as competently as their binocular peers. Many professions, including certain fields of law enforcement around the world, have embraced competency-based assessments that take into account an individual's capabilities rather than strictly adhering to a binary medical standard.

Monocular vision does not inherently limit one's ability to serve with honour and integrity. Numerous studies have pointed out that individuals with this condition develop superior peripheral awareness and depth perception comparable to those with binocular vision. Disqualifying potential recruits solely based on monocular vision undermines the diversity and potential talent pool available to QPS. .

It is imperative that QPS reassess these medical standards, considering the well-documented evidence from research in occupational psychology and vision science. Many other jurisdictions have already successfully implemented competency-based evaluations that allow individuals with monocular vision to contribute meaningfully to public service without compromising safety or effectiveness.

Our ask is a simple yet profound one: that the QPS review and revise their medical entry standards to incorporate modern, evidence-based practices that reflect an understanding of individual capabilities. This would not just be a step towards a more inclusive workforce but also align QPS with contemporary practices being adopted globally.

Supporting this change can help ensure that deserving individuals, like our son, are not denied the opportunity to realise their dreams and serve the community. Your signature on this petition can propel this necessary change within the QPS, fostering a more inclusive and just recruitment policy.