Kamilaroi man Laurie Bateman is a third-generation sheep shearer. His talent for it was so strong that his Guinness World Record remains unbeaten.
But it was when Laurie began teaching shearing to struggling high school students after 26 years on the clippers that he discovered a passion for helping others. Laurie decided to become a police liaison officer so he could work more with the young people of his home district of Southwest Queensland.
Now Laurie is a sworn police officer and a constable with the Queensland Police Service (QPS). He works with at-risk children and local Aboriginal people to make a positive difference in the community.
As well as passing on what he learned in the shearing shed to local kids, Laurie was also responsible for helping QPS produce a cultural awareness booklet on protecting Aboriginal cultural sites and artifacts after he noticed cultural items being sold on auction sites.