In a moving recognition of extraordinary resilience and community leadership, Mechelle Turvey — the mother of 15-year-old Cassius Turvey, a Perth schoolboy murdered in a random, unprovoked attack in 2022 — has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) as part of the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours. The honour celebrates her dedicated service to Western Australia’s Indigenous communities, where she has transformed personal grief into systemic change for victims of crime.
The tragedy that reshaped Turvey’s life unfolded on an ordinary school afternoon, when Cassius and his friends were walking through Perth’s eastern suburbs. Unconnected to any prior conflict, the group was targeted, chased down and assaulted by a gang of older men. Cassius sustained life-threatening head injuries in the attack, and succumbed to his wounds 10 days later. After a high-profile investigation and trial, two men — 25-year-old Jack Brearley and 31-year-old Brodie Palmer — were convicted of his murder, bringing a close to the legal proceedings but opening a new chapter of advocacy for Turvey.
In the immediate aftermath of Cassius’s death, as vigils drawing thousands of attendees were held across Australia to honour the teen and protest racial violence, Turvey made a deliberate public call for calm, a choice that earned widespread respect for her steady leadership amid national outrage. Just months after losing her son, she accepted an advisory role with the Western Australia Police Force, tasked with helping frontline officers better understand the unique needs of Indigenous crime victims. She has since risen to the role of Aboriginal Affairs Assistant Director within the force, and founded the innovative Take 5 program, which trains officers to prioritize intentional engagement, active listening, and empathetic support for victims and their grieving families.
In an official statement celebrating Turvey’s OAM award, a Western Australia Police spokesperson highlighted her transformative impact on policing and community relations. “Her work has supported Aboriginal families through trauma, strengthened culturally safe practice, and promoted trust through listening and respectful engagement across the community,” the spokesperson said. “Her sustained contribution to safer and more inclusive practice, and her service to the Indigenous communities of Western Australia, make her highly deserving of recognition through the Order of Australia Medal.”
This latest national honour adds to a growing list of recognitions for Turvey’s community work. In 2024, she was named Western Australian of the Year and City of Swan Citizen of the Year, and in 2023 she received the title of Midland NAIDOC’s Female Elder of the Year. As of this report, Turvey has not released a public comment on her OAM appointment.