Invited to speak was Crime Stoppers director and CEO NSW Mr Peter Price OAM and founder and CEO of Bravehearts and official spokesperson for the Where’s William? Campaign Hetty Johnston OAM. 

Mr Price spoke on the importance and role of Crime Stoppers in supporting the work of police in the solving crimes. Mrs Johnston spoke on behalf of William’s family about Where’s William? Week to help raise awareness across the community that William is still missing. 

Following this, Bow & Arrow – Min Kwanten performed ‘Bring Him Home’. 

Dr David Gillespie gave two speeches at the event. The first was on the Where's William? campaign and the second a statement from William's mother and father. 

Dr David Gillespie on the Where's William? Campaign 

"There is nothing so heartbreaking than to lose a child but to have a child taken from the safety of his family while only a few feet away must be the greatest heartbreak of all," said Dr Gillespie. 

"While there is not a heart in Australia that has not been broken by the tragic news of little William’s disappeared when he was abducted from his Nana’s home in Kendall on 12 September 2014, the hearts of his mum and dad were shattered on that dark, dark day little more than one year ago.

"The NSW Police believe William could still be alive. That he could be anywhere and William’s family want to do everything in their power to support the wonderful work of the NSW Police and Strike Force Rosann in their search for little William.

On the 26 June 2015 (William’s 4th Birthday), William’s Mum and Dad working in partnership with Bravehearts Inc. and with the endorsement of NSW Police and Crime Stoppers launched the Where’s William? Campaign rolling it out on a national scale to appeal to everyone in all corners of Australia to help Police find their little boy. 

"The aim…? To blanket the community with images and messages of William’s disappearance to reach into homes of all Australian’s hoping to jog somebody’s memory or somebody’s conscience to the point where they feel compelled to come forward with information that could help police find William and bring him home to the arms of his Mum and Dad where he belongs.

"Where’s William? Week which runs from the 12 to 18 September was launched on the 12 month anniversary of William’s disappearance with the aim of concentrating awareness that William is still missing while at the same time promote child protection in every community across Australia.

"During Where’s William? Week all Australian’s are encouraged to raise awareness of William throughout the country by holding Tea 4 William Tyrrell events, displaying posters and flyers, wearing William’s campaign colours, red and blue and the Where’s William? Ribbons.

"The greater the support we have from communities to create awareness of William, the more people we can reach and the greater the chance we have of encouraging somebody to come forward with what we hope will be that vital piece of information that can help Police find William and bring him home where he belongs. Australia-wide, posters and flyers are on display in cafés, libraries, supermarkets and in offices.

"Television and radio networks around the country are airing the radio and television community service announcements. Every media outlet has been informed of the importance of using their outlet to inform people of the need to find William.

"Every mayor in all 564 Councils nationally were invited to share the campaign messages in their community. Every Member of Parliament throughout Australia has been invited to wear William’s Ribbon and support the campaign to raise awareness in their electorate.

"With Members of Parliament and Senators wearing William’s Ribbons today and at every opportunity we will be supporting the message that we must continue the search for this little boy. We must not give up on William for William’s sake and for the sake of his heartbroken family

"Somebody must know something about William’s disappearance and through the awareness created during Where’s William? Week it is William’s family’s heartfelt hope that the ‘somebody’ who knows something will come forward and help Police to find their little boy and bring him home where he belongs." 

Statement from William's mother and father

"Our lives changed forever on the morning of the September 12 2014, when somebody took our little boy from the safety of his family while playing in his Nana’s garden. The air was still. There wasn’t a sound. Not a bird. Not a voice. Not William’s voice when we called to him, ‘Where are you?’," said Dr Gillespie on behalf of William's parents. 

"There was nothing… The neighbours in Benaroon Drive came out to help us search. The Police came and brought more police to help us search. The SES, Surf Lifesaving volunteers and the people of Kendall all came to help us search. Our family and the families of many from the mid-north coast of NSW all came to help us search. Hundreds and hundreds of people, all came to help us search for our little boy… But they found nothing.

"Not a trace… From the moment we made the 000 call to Police, we’ve felt safe in the knowledge that they are doing and will continue to do everything in their power to find our boy. We feel safe with the knowledge that they care for William and care about his family, and we are completely confident that they are absolutely committed in their search for answers… In their search to find William and hopefully to bring him home to us.

"But, the search for our little boy doesn’t stop with the police. It doesn’t people of Kendall. It doesn’t stop with all those wonderful volunteers who put their lives on hold to trek through rugged bushland, search in and under houses, who searched the dams and creek beds looking for our little boy.

"No… the search doesn’t stop there. Police believe that William could be alive. That he could be anywhere and so one year after he was taken from us, the search for our William has broadened and continues on a national scale in every community, large and small by people of all ages and from all walks of life.

"Today, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to every Australian who helps us to continue our search for William in particular, all members of the Parliament of Australia who join us in the search for William by sharing his image and our message across the country and by wearing the Where’s William? Campaign ribbon to tell all Australia our boy is still missing, that we need everyone to keep looking for him to help find him and bring him home.

"From the moment we realised William was taken, the grief we felt was indescribable. We couldn’t understand how the sun could still shine. How there could be laughter in the world while our little boy was not with us. We didn’t know how we could go on not knowing where he was or what has happened to him, but with the love and support from family and friends, and even complete strangers who have stood beside us walking step by step with us in our search, and with the support of the media who have taken our message into the homes of every Australian, ‘Somebody saw something. Somebody knows something. Somebody can help bring William home.’

"We have been able to maintain hope that we will have a solution… that William might be returned to us where he belongs. We appeal to all Australians to keep looking for our little boy and if you see a child you think might be William please, please contact Crime Stoppers immediately.

"We appeal to anyone… anyone who may know something about what has happened to William to come forward and tell Police what you know. We know that somebody out there has the answer. Somebody knows. We hope that the person or persons who know what happened to William will come forward and help police to find our little boy and bring him home."