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International Siblings Day recognises the lifelong bond between brothers and sisters. A connection shaped by shared childhoods, memories, and experiences that often extends beyond words.For the families of missing persons, this bond continues even in the absence of answers. Siblings carry memories of who their brother or sister was growing up and who they became, how they were known within their family, and the role they continue to hold in their lives.As part of our 2025 National Missing Persons Week campaign “Forever Loved”, we received a letter written by Paul, the brother of missing person, Lorrin Whitehead. This letter offers a deeply personal perspective of Lorrin, one shaped by growing up together and by the enduring connection and hope that remains after a loved one goes missing.Through his words, the letter shares insights into the person that many of us have only known through a photograph. It reflects moments, memories, and characteristics that only a sibling can truly know, and offers a stark reminder that missing persons are so much more than a name on a register, or an image on a social tile, they are brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, parents, friends and so much more.To mark International Siblings Day, we are sharing the letter from Paul in full below.We acknowledge and thank the family of Lorrin Whitehead for sharing this letter and allowing for it to be shared again, which serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing and deeply personal impact of missing persons on those left behind.Letter from Paul: You are loved. Stay strong if you can. “I will be your voice until you are able to speak for yourself.” When you are, I will be standing there right beside you. Do I say Lorrin ‘is’ or Lorrin ‘was’?  This question has hung over every thought and every conversation I have had about Lorrin since her disappearance 12 years ago. For now, I choose to say Lorrin ‘was’ because she may have changed or have been made to change. She may not be alive. I simply don’t know.  I do know that bad things happen to normal people. Lorrin was normal.   Growing up, Lorrin was fun, warm and spirited and as an adult, was the same, true to herself.  She was happy and laughed a lot. She was bold, brave and loyal. She was also a bit of a dreamer. While by nature, a positive person, like all normal people, Lorrin was sometimes sad, angry and cried. She could be frightened. Particularly when she felt let down or betrayed by those she loved and trusted.  I know this because Lorrin is my sister. At the time she went missing, Lorrin was all those things. Dealing with the fallout of a difficult and acrimonious divorce meant that she was sad, angry and frightened as a normal person would be. As a single mum, she faced normal challenges of bringing up young and teenage children, and like all normal parents, could become irritated & frustrated. However, Lorrin was optimistic, looking forward to moving on from the divorce, had plans and dreams for her future including going back to study and at some point, to travel. She absolutely loved being a mum.  She was beginning to explore new relationships. She was happy. It is surreal to see her name and face on ‘missing persons posters’, the subject of media stories and police enquiries. Can this really be happening?  It is.  The possibility that Lorrin is suffering or has suffered, or has gone somewhere against her will and being powerless to stop or change that is humbling and devastating. I am angry.  I question whether I missed something she said. Could I have done anything to prevent her disappearance?  And now, when together as a family, enjoying and celebrating good times, the confronting reality is that she is not there. The guilt surfaces. Is it okay to laugh, smile and enjoy ourselves? It has to be. Life is for living. The impact on Lorrin’s loved ones is sad, particularly our parents who, despite their incredible resilience, feel her absence every minute of every day. They are old now. They deserve answers. There is sadness too in the thought of the unfulfilled potential of Lorrin’s life, her ambitions and her dreams. Since 2012, I’ve tried but failed to be her voice. I allowed myself to be ignored by those who preferred an easy answer, drowned out by those who have used her story and sought the limelight to promote themselves, and by those who want to confuse and hide the truth. As a result, opportunities have been missed; time and energy wasted looking in the wrong direction and people with information put off from coming forward.   Until now.            I believe that things are changing at last. I am being listened to. As are other different voices, those who really care for Lorrin. Through us, she is being heard. With this change comes hope. Hope that I can keep her story alive and ensure that it is told truthfully and accurately. Hope that people with information now feel confident and safe to come forward to further amplify Lorrin’s voice. Someone out there knows what happened.  They have information that will lead us to Lorrin and bring closure.  Lorrin’s case has generated a lot of attention and publicity. Some people might ask why this is? The truth is, I don’t know. She is no more or less important than others who have gone missing or suffered tragedy. Bad things happen to normal people. Their stories deserve to be heard as much as Lorrin’s. Finding Lorrin is important to me. I will be her voice until she is able to speak for herself. When she does, I will be standing there right beside her.You can view Lorrin’s profile here.If you have information that may assist police to locate Lorrin please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

The April 2026 missing persons poster is now available!Have you seen any of these people? Gay FultonVince PolicarpioHelen Evonne BarkerDean Barry EdwardsMargaret Anne BernieBenjamin Matthew SenequeTyrone Frederick MacQueenEdan HuntingtonDennis Bradford ColeLuke GourlayMark Jeffery HeffernanMarcia Ann RyanChristopher John ThornePatrick LiedkeGavin Moresby-WhiteWayne Bruce CampbellAccess all missing persons posters.

For most of us, the holiday period is a time of joy, full of laughter, familiar faces and treasured traditions, but for the loved ones of missing persons, Christmas can feel incomplete.In recognition of Christmas 2025, and to further reiterate to the community that there are real loved ones waiting and hoping as part of every missing persons case, the NMPCC shared wishes from the families of missing persons, accompanied by precious memories of holidays past. Through our campaign "All I want for Christmas is you", we featured four different missing Australians, Troy Woods, Kay Maree Corp, Cameron David Twiss, and John Thomas Norrish, whose families all want the same thing; to be together again.“All I want for Christmas is to hear your voice”Mum and dad of Troy Woods“All I want for Christmas is for you to remember the happy times and remember there are people who love you.”Mum, dad, brother and daughter of Kay Maree Corp“All we want for Christmas is for you to be here with us.”Dad, mum and brother of Cameron Twiss“All I want for Christmas is notification of what happened to John, so our family can get closure”Sister of John Thomas NorrishIf you are a family member of a missing person and are in need of assistance, please see our support services page.

The October 2025 missing persons poster is now available!Have you seen any of these people? David Abuoi Gabrielle Malak ArokLeslie Wayne KeatingKathleen RiethmullerBarry Podmore Michael Gregory CurnowTristan Lloyd GriffithsJamilla HumphreyBarry CalvertHeather MarksPaul Anthony BakerWarren Meyer Peter HodginsSteven John BaileyGraham Harold LinesDamian Partridge-BurderAdam Timothy JohnsonAccess all missing persons posters.

The AFP is bringing awareness to long-term missing people this National Missing Persons Week (NMPW). Throughout the week of 3-9 August, we will feature 8 missing Australians and the impact their absence has on their families. For further information on this year’s Forever Loved campaign, please click here. 

On Monday 23 June 2025, the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) attended the Radford College Networking & Career Expo to engage with senior students and raise awareness about our role in promoting education on the issues and impacts of missing persons. The NMPCC was joined by AFP Forensics, who provided students with an overview of their specialised capabilities.

Crime Stoppers WA launched a month-long campaign on Tuesday 3 June, to assist police with finding the location of or new information about any of the 364 long-term missing persons in Western Australia.Each long-term missing person has a life story or may have been working on a project that was abruptly interrupted.Help their families complete their story.Further information can be found on Crime Stoppers WA webpage https://www.crimestopperswa.com.au/long-term-missing-persons-help-complete-their-story/

International Missing Children’s Day (IMCD), observed globally on 25 May each year, is dedicated to celebrating children who have been safely reunited with their families, remembering those who have fallen victim to crime, and reinforcing ongoing global efforts to locate missing children.   Please visit our IMCD page for more information. 

The April 2025 missing persons poster is now available!Have you seen any of these people? Jean Vincent Diezmo Policarpio Samuel Fallshaw  Anne Marie Jeffery Clinton Kurt Lockyer Anna Rosa Liva Jeremiah Harold Rivers Sandrine Jourdan Jason Michael Oakley Madeline Jennings Brian Fulljames Siriyakorn Siriboon Daniel O’Meara Mark Anthony Barnes Helen Free John Forster John Swiety Access all missing persons posters.

The National Missing Persons Coordination Centre marked the Christmas 2024 holiday period by reaching out to the families of long-term missing persons for the #missingyouthischristmas campaign. This campaign raised awareness of the impacts for families whose loved one are missing, especially during the Christmas and New Year period. The families of four long-term missing persons, Daniel O’Meara, Jeffrey (Jeff) Mundy, Jason Mazurek and Luke Gourlay, provided heartfelt messages to let them know that they are always remembered, never to be forgotten, and will forever be loved and missed.  “Daniel, we all love you and miss you. Wishing you are safe and well and we hope and pray you come home soon. Love Mum, Dad, Tania and Bruce xox”- Family members of Daniel O’Meara “Dear Jeff, there’s not a day that goes by that we don’t all think about you and hope that one day, you’ll just walk through the front door. Merry Christmas son, Love Mum, Dad and all the kids. Never forgotten.”- Family member of Jeffrey Mundy “For the past 20+ years there’s been an empty seat at our table on special occasions. This is a constant reminder that our family continues to search for answers. We’ll never give up hope”. - Rebekah, sister of Jason Mazurek "Dear Luke, we miss you, we love you, the whole family misses you, please make contact”.- Suzanne, family member of Luke GourlayIf you are a family member of a missing person and are in need of assistance, please see our support services page.

Saturday 23 November 2024, the Missing Australia Network Working Group (MANWG) held their inaugural Symposium for Families of Missing Persons, hosted by Search Dogs Sydney. The National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) were invited to attend the event which brought together families and friends who share the profound experience of having a missing loved one. The newly established MANWG aims to create a representative body for the families and friends of missing persons to combine the resources of community support groups and volunteer search organisations, to assist families in their efforts to locate their missing loved one.The Symposium included a series of workshops to gather insights and perspectives to shape future initiatives of the MANWG and information sessions delivered by those with lived experience.The NMPCC would like to offer a heartfelt thank you to those who shared the story of their missing loved one and details of their own personal experiences of navigating investigative and coronial processes and dealing with ambiguous loss. 

From 6 to 8 November 2024, the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) and the Western Australia Police Force (WAPOL) co-hosted the Police Consultative Group on Missing Persons (PCGMP) meeting in Perth. The PCGMP provides a national platform to identify issues and trends specific to missing persons and ensures a consistent approach and response from police and search agencies across the country.  By bringing together all state, territory, and New Zealand missing persons units, the PCGMP develops, maintains, and reviews national policies and procedures related to missing persons in Australia. This collaborative effort ensures a unified and effective response to missing persons cases nationwide. The meeting explored various capabilities and new initiatives to assist with long-term missing persons investigations and unidentified human remains cases.