❓ Mr. Miles asks about improvements to protect WA police officers assaulted during duty. The Minister details the Mandatory Testing (Infectious Diseases) Act 2014 and its positive impact, along with other supportive measures.
AnsweredQoN 51Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE OFFICER ASSAULTS — MANDATORY TESTING
(INFECTIOUS DISEASES) ACT
51. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Police:
Before I ask my question, on behalf
of the member for Perth, I would like to acknowledge in the Speaker's
gallery Marie Slyth from the West Perth Cleaver Street precinct.
Can the minister please inform the
house of the improvements that have been implemented to support and protect
Western Australian police officers who are spat on, bitten or otherwise
assaulted during the course of their duty?
(INFECTIOUS DISEASES) ACT
51. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Police:
Before I ask my question, on behalf
of the member for Perth, I would like to acknowledge in the Speaker's
gallery Marie Slyth from the West Perth Cleaver Street precinct.
Can the minister please inform the
house of the improvements that have been implemented to support and protect
Western Australian police officers who are spat on, bitten or otherwise
assaulted during the course of their duty?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Wanneroo for the question and, indeed,
for his strong advocacy for this new piece of legislation. It was a key
election commitment at the 2013 election. My Mandatory Testing (Infectious
Diseases) Act 2014 received royal assent on 3 November 2014 and came into force
on 1 January this year. The fulfilment of this commitment in legislation
reflects this government's dedication and strong support of our police
officers and takes into consideration their welfare, safety and health, given
the job that we ask them to do in our community. Prior to this legislation
coming into force, when police officers were bitten or spat upon and came into
contact with bodily fluids, they had to wait a very long period to be cleared
of any possible transmission of blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis C,
hepatitis B et cetera. That caused a considerable strain on those police
officers, as they had to endure that period during which the virus would
incubate before they could understand whether they had contracted a
transmissible disease. We took the step to introduce this legislation. Since 1 January,
there have been three incidents in which offenders have been compelled under
this legislation to provide a blood sample to determine the potential
transmission of some of these diseases. Importantly, this blood was obtained
without incident.
I am very pleased to report that
this legislation is working effectively and as we expected it to. I also
reaffirm this government's commitment to looking after the welfare of
our police officers in keeping with our mandatory sentencing for those people
who assault police officers, as well as the legislation we brought to this
place to ensure that police officers who are injured in the line of work and
subsequently leave the service of WA Police will continue to have their medical
welfare looked after by having their medical benefits continue after their
termination from WA Police.
for his strong advocacy for this new piece of legislation. It was a key
election commitment at the 2013 election. My Mandatory Testing (Infectious
Diseases) Act 2014 received royal assent on 3 November 2014 and came into force
on 1 January this year. The fulfilment of this commitment in legislation
reflects this government's dedication and strong support of our police
officers and takes into consideration their welfare, safety and health, given
the job that we ask them to do in our community. Prior to this legislation
coming into force, when police officers were bitten or spat upon and came into
contact with bodily fluids, they had to wait a very long period to be cleared
of any possible transmission of blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis C,
hepatitis B et cetera. That caused a considerable strain on those police
officers, as they had to endure that period during which the virus would
incubate before they could understand whether they had contracted a
transmissible disease. We took the step to introduce this legislation. Since 1 January,
there have been three incidents in which offenders have been compelled under
this legislation to provide a blood sample to determine the potential
transmission of some of these diseases. Importantly, this blood was obtained
without incident.
I am very pleased to report that
this legislation is working effectively and as we expected it to. I also
reaffirm this government's commitment to looking after the welfare of
our police officers in keeping with our mandatory sentencing for those people
who assault police officers, as well as the legislation we brought to this
place to ensure that police officers who are injured in the line of work and
subsequently leave the service of WA Police will continue to have their medical
welfare looked after by having their medical benefits continue after their
termination from WA Police.
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