❓ Opposition Leader Mark McGowan questions the Premier regarding the Attorney General's comments on police pay and its potential impact on the government's promise to increase police numbers. The Premier defends police salaries in WA compared to other states and acknowledges the need for fiscal restraint.
AnsweredQoN 46Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE OFFICERS — WAGES — ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S COMMENTS
46. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
Before I ask my question on this very hot day, I acknowledge
the member for Cockburn and wish him all the best for his birthday today. It is
great to share your birthday with you in this place.
I refer to the Attorney General's comments on our
valued police officers that, and I quote —
''If you don't feel you're being remunerated
enough, and you don't feel like you're being valued enough,
everyone's got an entitlement to look elsewhere.''
(1) Does the
Premier support the Attorney General that the police who want to negotiate a
better pay deal should look elsewhere?
(2) How will
police taking the Attorney General's advice and leaving for other work
affect the government meeting its election promise of 550 additional police
officers?
GENERAL'S COMMENTS
46. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
Before I ask my question on this very hot day, I acknowledge
the member for Cockburn and wish him all the best for his birthday today. It is
great to share your birthday with you in this place.
I refer to the Attorney General's comments on our
valued police officers that, and I quote —
''If you don't feel you're being remunerated
enough, and you don't feel like you're being valued enough,
everyone's got an entitlement to look elsewhere.''
(1) Does the
Premier support the Attorney General that the police who want to negotiate a
better pay deal should look elsewhere?
(2) How will
police taking the Attorney General's advice and leaving for other work
affect the government meeting its election promise of 550 additional police
officers?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I have the attitude that members of
Parliament and ministers can make comment —
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany!
Mr
J.R. Quigley : Even if it is insulting the police?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It is not insulting the police.
There is higher mobility and
obviously we want police to be well trained, be fit for the job, be well
rewarded and have long careers. The truth is that it is a tough job and there
is a high turnover. I will place on the record that a new constable in Western
Australia starts on an annual salary of $66 960—almost $67 000. Let us
look at another state. The equivalent in Victoria is $57 000. Our police
officers are the highest paid in Australia by a significant amount. If we look
at the various categories, we have the highest paid constables, highest paid
senior constables, highest paid sergeants, second-highest paid senior sergeants
and highest paid inspectors. If we go through all the categories, police
officers in Western Australia are respected —
Ms M.M. Quirk : The
Premier is comparing apples with pears.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No. I can go through every category. I will give the member a
copy of this to view. In every category—except one for which we are
second—Western Australian police officers are the highest paid by a
significant margin when compared with police officers in every other state and
territory. Equally, nurses and teachers in this state are the highest paid in
Australia. This is all the result of decisions made by the Liberal–National
government.
Mr P.B. Watson :
But now you cannot pay for them.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The way members opposite treated public servants is nothing to be proud of.
There are negotiations coming up, and in previous wage rounds there have been
significant increases, but I think everyone in Western Australia, whether they
are in the public or private sector, understands that this is a period of
belt-tightening. We are seeing large numbers of jobs being lost, not so much in
Western Australia, but across Australia. These are difficult times. No-one,
whether they work in government or the private sector, should have an
expectation of a significant wage increase. If wages maintain their real value,
that would be a good outcome—and that is what we are trying to do.
Parliament and ministers can make comment —
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany!
Mr
J.R. Quigley : Even if it is insulting the police?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It is not insulting the police.
There is higher mobility and
obviously we want police to be well trained, be fit for the job, be well
rewarded and have long careers. The truth is that it is a tough job and there
is a high turnover. I will place on the record that a new constable in Western
Australia starts on an annual salary of $66 960—almost $67 000. Let us
look at another state. The equivalent in Victoria is $57 000. Our police
officers are the highest paid in Australia by a significant amount. If we look
at the various categories, we have the highest paid constables, highest paid
senior constables, highest paid sergeants, second-highest paid senior sergeants
and highest paid inspectors. If we go through all the categories, police
officers in Western Australia are respected —
Ms M.M. Quirk : The
Premier is comparing apples with pears.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No. I can go through every category. I will give the member a
copy of this to view. In every category—except one for which we are
second—Western Australian police officers are the highest paid by a
significant margin when compared with police officers in every other state and
territory. Equally, nurses and teachers in this state are the highest paid in
Australia. This is all the result of decisions made by the Liberal–National
government.
Mr P.B. Watson :
But now you cannot pay for them.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The way members opposite treated public servants is nothing to be proud of.
There are negotiations coming up, and in previous wage rounds there have been
significant increases, but I think everyone in Western Australia, whether they
are in the public or private sector, understands that this is a period of
belt-tightening. We are seeing large numbers of jobs being lost, not so much in
Western Australia, but across Australia. These are difficult times. No-one,
whether they work in government or the private sector, should have an
expectation of a significant wage increase. If wages maintain their real value,
that would be a good outcome—and that is what we are trying to do.
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