❓ Opposition MP Katsambanis questions the Minister for Police about a broken election promise of a pay rise for police officers, given rising cost of living. The Minister deflects, highlighting increased police numbers, equipment provision, and criticising the previous government's record on police funding and regional housing costs.
AnsweredQoN 276Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE OFFICERS —
WAGES
276. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Police:
Given the minister's broken
election promise back in 2017 of a 1.5 per cent pay rise for our hardworking
police officers coupled with the government's increases to their cost
of living, can the minister guarantee that police officers will be better off,
not worse off, in the forthcoming wage negotiations?
WAGES
276. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Police:
Given the minister's broken
election promise back in 2017 of a 1.5 per cent pay rise for our hardworking
police officers coupled with the government's increases to their cost
of living, can the minister guarantee that police officers will be better off,
not worse off, in the forthcoming wage negotiations?
AnswerView source ↗
There is no question that police
officers are much better off under us. Firstly, the former government did not
even make a promise to increase the size of the police force. We have increased
the numbers of police officers.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : We are
providing them with the protective equipment that members opposite did not
provide them with. We have established a Methamphetamine Action Plan Taskforce
with 120 personnel. A full complement of 25 officers in a regional enforcement
unit will be targeting this Easter regional roads within 400 kilometres of
Perth.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my
left!
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Members
opposite might not like the answer but the truth hurts sometimes.
Regional roads within 400 kilometres
of Perth will be targeted because members opposite did nothing on that front.
The hypocrisy of those opposite knows no bounds. They put in place a $30 a week
rent increase in all the Government Regional Officers' Housing in
regional Western Australia. It was $30 a week —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, I want to hear the answer.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : It was $1 500
a year that members opposite added on —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The more time
you take up interjecting, the fewer questions you will get today.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Members
opposite should have a look at the pre-election document they put out in 2015.
The police budget was slashed. Not a single extra officer was promised. There
was no money on budget for body cameras or protective vests, and there was the
hidden slug of all the out years—every out year for the following three
years —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Hillarys and member for North West Central, I call you to order.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : In every
out year for the following three years, regional police officers would be
punished by a rent increase of $30 a week. Members opposite presented us with a
set of books, flopped them down and said there was $40 billion worth of debt
and it was heading north. Then they said, ''By the way, we want you to
keep blowing the books.''
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : If we had
taken a leaf out of their book, we would be heading towards $50 billion worth
of debt by now. We are not doing that. We are being a responsible government.
We support our police officers and they are much better off than they ever
would have been had the Liberal–National government been re-elected.
officers are much better off under us. Firstly, the former government did not
even make a promise to increase the size of the police force. We have increased
the numbers of police officers.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : We are
providing them with the protective equipment that members opposite did not
provide them with. We have established a Methamphetamine Action Plan Taskforce
with 120 personnel. A full complement of 25 officers in a regional enforcement
unit will be targeting this Easter regional roads within 400 kilometres of
Perth.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my
left!
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Members
opposite might not like the answer but the truth hurts sometimes.
Regional roads within 400 kilometres
of Perth will be targeted because members opposite did nothing on that front.
The hypocrisy of those opposite knows no bounds. They put in place a $30 a week
rent increase in all the Government Regional Officers' Housing in
regional Western Australia. It was $30 a week —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, I want to hear the answer.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : It was $1 500
a year that members opposite added on —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The more time
you take up interjecting, the fewer questions you will get today.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Members
opposite should have a look at the pre-election document they put out in 2015.
The police budget was slashed. Not a single extra officer was promised. There
was no money on budget for body cameras or protective vests, and there was the
hidden slug of all the out years—every out year for the following three
years —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Hillarys and member for North West Central, I call you to order.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : In every
out year for the following three years, regional police officers would be
punished by a rent increase of $30 a week. Members opposite presented us with a
set of books, flopped them down and said there was $40 billion worth of debt
and it was heading north. Then they said, ''By the way, we want you to
keep blowing the books.''
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : If we had
taken a leaf out of their book, we would be heading towards $50 billion worth
of debt by now. We are not doing that. We are being a responsible government.
We support our police officers and they are much better off than they ever
would have been had the Liberal–National government been re-elected.
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