❓ Mrs. Roberts questions the Minister for Police about locality allowances and long-term police vacancies in various WA towns. The Minister acknowledges the issue and ongoing discussions with the commissioner, but faces criticism for perceived inaction.
AnsweredQoN 556Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
pOLICE —
LOCALITY ALLOWANCES AND VACANCIES
556. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Minister for Police:
I ask a supplementary question. Does the minister have
anything useful to say about the union's locality allowances
submission, and the one, or more, vacancies at Laverton, Norseman, Gnowangerup,
Katanning, Kojonup, Mt Barker, Bunbury, Ravensthorpe, Bridgetown, Australind,
Collie, Manjimup, Moora, Northam and Kellerberrin?
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Treasurer, and Minister for Regional Development, it is not
your question. I want to hear the supplementary from the member for Midland. I
formally call you both to order for the first time today.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
Does the minister have anything useful to say about the many long-term, current
vacancies at Laverton, Norseman, Gnowangerup, Katanning, Kojonup, Mt Barker,
Bunbury, Ravensthorpe, Bridgetown, Australind, Collie, Manjimup, Moora, Northam
and Kellerberrin, and a whole list of other stations, or should the union not
waste its time talking to the minister and talk directly to either the Premier
or the commissioner?
LOCALITY ALLOWANCES AND VACANCIES
556. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Minister for Police:
I ask a supplementary question. Does the minister have
anything useful to say about the union's locality allowances
submission, and the one, or more, vacancies at Laverton, Norseman, Gnowangerup,
Katanning, Kojonup, Mt Barker, Bunbury, Ravensthorpe, Bridgetown, Australind,
Collie, Manjimup, Moora, Northam and Kellerberrin?
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Treasurer, and Minister for Regional Development, it is not
your question. I want to hear the supplementary from the member for Midland. I
formally call you both to order for the first time today.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
Does the minister have anything useful to say about the many long-term, current
vacancies at Laverton, Norseman, Gnowangerup, Katanning, Kojonup, Mt Barker,
Bunbury, Ravensthorpe, Bridgetown, Australind, Collie, Manjimup, Moora, Northam
and Kellerberrin, and a whole list of other stations, or should the union not
waste its time talking to the minister and talk directly to either the Premier
or the commissioner?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her somewhat extensive supplementary
question.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
It's a very long list and it's not even complete!
Several members interjected.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Vacancy management is one of those areas that can from time to time be
problematic. Officers will apply for a transfer, and the commissioner will
advertise for a transfer for people to fill those vacancies. It is a moveable
feast. Officers move in and out of stations all the time as their period of
tenure finishes.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : These are long-term vacancies! Do you understand the issue?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland!
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
It is an ongoing discussion that I have with the commissioner. It is an issue
that I have raised with the commissioner many times. As I mentioned previously,
I have been to Australind and Katanning, and I have spoken to members and
district superintendents in the south west and great southern, and they are
managing their vacancies to my satisfaction. But obviously long-term vacancies
are one of the discussions that we have had with respect to attraction and
retention options and that we are arriving at a position on with the
commissioner to put to the police.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : What have you done? Nothing!
Mrs L.M. Harvey : Rubbish! You do not know what you are
talking about!
The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order for the first time today.
Minister for Police, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr M.P. Murray : Take a Bex and have a lie down!
The SPEAKER : Yes, member for Collie–Preston, I take your advice. Before I
take your advice, I call you to order for the first time today. Member for
Murray–Wellington, you have not escaped either. I formally call you to
order for the first time today.
question.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
It's a very long list and it's not even complete!
Several members interjected.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Vacancy management is one of those areas that can from time to time be
problematic. Officers will apply for a transfer, and the commissioner will
advertise for a transfer for people to fill those vacancies. It is a moveable
feast. Officers move in and out of stations all the time as their period of
tenure finishes.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : These are long-term vacancies! Do you understand the issue?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland!
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
It is an ongoing discussion that I have with the commissioner. It is an issue
that I have raised with the commissioner many times. As I mentioned previously,
I have been to Australind and Katanning, and I have spoken to members and
district superintendents in the south west and great southern, and they are
managing their vacancies to my satisfaction. But obviously long-term vacancies
are one of the discussions that we have had with respect to attraction and
retention options and that we are arriving at a position on with the
commissioner to put to the police.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : What have you done? Nothing!
Mrs L.M. Harvey : Rubbish! You do not know what you are
talking about!
The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order for the first time today.
Minister for Police, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr M.P. Murray : Take a Bex and have a lie down!
The SPEAKER : Yes, member for Collie–Preston, I take your advice. Before I
take your advice, I call you to order for the first time today. Member for
Murray–Wellington, you have not escaped either. I formally call you to
order for the first time today.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.