Opposition questions the Premier about police wages and conditions, specifically a 32-hour rest period and alleged wage cuts. The Premier deflects, blaming the previous government's debt.

AnsweredQoN 670Legislative Assembly
Asked
27 August 2019
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

POLICE — WAGES
AND CONDITIONS
670. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Premier:
I refer to a recent media release
from the WA Police Union claiming that it would be forced into arbitration by
the McGowan government over a paltry 32-hour rest period for police officers.
Can the Premier please advise the house why he refuses to acknowledge that
police officers need a rest from the front line by denying their calls for
additional annual leave and effectively cutting annual police wages by $25
million a year?

AnswerView source ↗

The
former Leader of the Opposition, the member for Riverton, is on record as
supporting the government's wages policy.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Does the
Liberal Party —
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER : Treasurer, did
you see me on my feet? I call you to order.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Our wages
policy is fair and equitable.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Riverton, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The only thing
I would say is that we froze the pay of politicians, judges and CEOs to set an
appropriate example.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER : Treasurer, I call
you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is a four-year
freeze for people in those positions to set an example for the rest of the
public sector workforce. The government's wages policy is in place to
deal with the forty thousand million dollars of Liberal–National debt—that
is why it is there. When members opposite ask these questions, they should be
reflecting—I can see that the member is not listening. He is looking at
his supplementary question—I can see that.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr W.J.
JOHNSTON : The member for Bateman just used an unparliamentary term
and I ask you to get him to withdraw.
The SPEAKER : Did you, member
for Bateman?
Mr D.C. Nalder : I withdraw.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN : When members
opposite ask these questions, they should reflect on the fact that they left
$40 billion of public sector debt for this government to deal with. Obviously,
we cannot do everything we would like to do, and so when members opposite have
their meetings with the police union, or the MUA as it may be, perhaps they should
say to them that they are sorry for the debt they left to this state.

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