❓ Mr. Zempilas questions the Premier's absence from a police union conference and the government's handling of police public holiday entitlements. The Premier defends the government's record, citing existing compensation and ongoing considerations.
AnsweredQoN 666Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Police—Public holiday entitlements
666. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Premier:
I note the Premier's
abrupt withdrawal from next week's Western Australian Police Union annual
conference at which police officer entitlements were to be raised with him. Why
is it that his government has not addressed the inequitable public holiday
arrangements for police officers?
666. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Premier:
I note the Premier's
abrupt withdrawal from next week's Western Australian Police Union annual
conference at which police officer entitlements were to be raised with him. Why
is it that his government has not addressed the inequitable public holiday
arrangements for police officers?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for the question. It comes on a day when we are debating the very bill that will
provide further entitlements to police. I commend the Minister for Police and
the acting minister for bringing in that legislation. Police officers receive six
days of additional annual leave to compensate them for working on public
holidays. Public holidays are treated as normal working days for police,
meaning that they do not receive a specific loading when they work on a public
holiday. An employer must request employees to work on a public holiday; an
employee may refuse that request to work on a public holiday on reasonable
grounds. The Western Australian Police Union has advised its members to submit
refusals to work on public holidays without regard for what might be considered
reasonable.
The union did not
prioritise public holiday entitlements in the last round of bargaining for a
new industrial agreement. We are considering our position and have asked the
Western Australia Police Force to cost options to address the issue.
We absolutely
admire, respect and thank the men and women in blue who do a tough job on
behalf of the whole community in keeping us safe. That is why we have done a
range of things to make sure that they feel valued in that role, such as
bringing in workers compensation—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: We
have created a workers compensation scheme for police and today, in this very
chamber, we are debating a further expansion of that compensation to cover
post-traumatic stress disorder. No government has done more to make sure that
our police feel valued on the front line. We will continue to work with the WA
Police Union to make sure that that remains the case.
for the question. It comes on a day when we are debating the very bill that will
provide further entitlements to police. I commend the Minister for Police and
the acting minister for bringing in that legislation. Police officers receive six
days of additional annual leave to compensate them for working on public
holidays. Public holidays are treated as normal working days for police,
meaning that they do not receive a specific loading when they work on a public
holiday. An employer must request employees to work on a public holiday; an
employee may refuse that request to work on a public holiday on reasonable
grounds. The Western Australian Police Union has advised its members to submit
refusals to work on public holidays without regard for what might be considered
reasonable.
The union did not
prioritise public holiday entitlements in the last round of bargaining for a
new industrial agreement. We are considering our position and have asked the
Western Australia Police Force to cost options to address the issue.
We absolutely
admire, respect and thank the men and women in blue who do a tough job on
behalf of the whole community in keeping us safe. That is why we have done a
range of things to make sure that they feel valued in that role, such as
bringing in workers compensation—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: We
have created a workers compensation scheme for police and today, in this very
chamber, we are debating a further expansion of that compensation to cover
post-traumatic stress disorder. No government has done more to make sure that
our police feel valued on the front line. We will continue to work with the WA
Police Union to make sure that that remains the case.
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