❓ The Minister for Police outlines the McGowan Labor government's police compensation scheme for medically retired officers, highlighting increased budget, additional officers, and improved protections and payments.
AnsweredQoN 981Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — MEDICALLY RETIRED OFFICERS —
REDRESS SCHEME
981. Mr
S.A. MILLMAN to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the work undertaken by
the McGowan Labor government to keep Western Australia safe and strong through
its unprecedented support for our hardworking police officers. Can the minister
outline to the house what the McGowan Labor government's historic
police compensation scheme will mean for medically retired police officers
across Western Australia?
REDRESS SCHEME
981. Mr
S.A. MILLMAN to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the work undertaken by
the McGowan Labor government to keep Western Australia safe and strong through
its unprecedented support for our hardworking police officers. Can the minister
outline to the house what the McGowan Labor government's historic
police compensation scheme will mean for medically retired police officers
across Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Mount Lawley
for that question and for his very strong support of our police officers and,
indeed, of all workers and their protections in the workplace. I am delighted
with the commitment that the McGowan Labor government has made to police in
this state. We have increased the size of the police budget. We have relegated
to history the cuts that were made by the former Liberal government and we have
increased the size of our police budget by about $750 million. This is huge; it
is significant. We are committed to keeping our community safe. As part of that, we have to support our police to do
that job to keep our communities safe. We have committed to an unprecedented
1 100 additional officers, with 150 of those delivered first off. The 150
officers we committed to only in April have already been engaged. The further
800 police officers committed to in the recent
police budget are already programmed. The first 200 of those will be engaged in
this financial year—that is , before
30 June this year—and 200 a year thereafter. I am also pleased that we
have provided them with the protections that they need to do their job—personal
issue stab-proof vests.
Nothing has pleased me more than my
original commitment, when we covered police officers with occupational health
and safety legislation after years of them not having that, than to now to be
able to offer compensation when officers leave the job. We had a three-part plan.
A couple of years ago, we delivered $16 million for the police redress scheme
that offered payments up to $150 000 to those who had been poorly treated in
the past. We offered them that redress. In addition, last year I moved through
the Parliament amendments to section 8 of the Police Act so that we no longer
retire those police officers under the same undignified process that we retire
officers who have a cloud of corruption
hanging over them. Now, the final piece, which was universally welcomed and
applauded at the recent police union conference, is that we will provide
police compensation, and we will do it through the Police Act. We will provide this end-of-service payment in addition to
keeping all current in-service and post-service entitlements. That is
the key point that was never offered by any former government. Every former
government wanted to take something away
from existing police conditions; we are not doing that. We will provide for
termination payments that will be capped, generally at around $236 000,
but potentially up to $413 000; there will be a payment for vocational support and retraining of potentially over $16 000; we
will maintain the current in-service and post-service entitlements for work and non–work related illness
and injury; and leave payments for medical expenses provided to officers
will not be included in the calculation for an exit payment. Officers also
preserve their option to seek an ex gratia payment, or act of grace payment.
This is an amazing step forward. It is something that police officers in this
state have deserved.
We ask those officers to run towards
danger, to protect us, to protect the community, to turn out to road crashes,
and to go to horrific scenes where people have been murdered and where other violent
acts have occurred. We, in turn, need to support them. I have never been
prouder of the McGowan government than when the Premier stood at the recent
police union conference and made the commitment that if a McGowan government is
re-elected early next year, that will be a priority for us.
for that question and for his very strong support of our police officers and,
indeed, of all workers and their protections in the workplace. I am delighted
with the commitment that the McGowan Labor government has made to police in
this state. We have increased the size of the police budget. We have relegated
to history the cuts that were made by the former Liberal government and we have
increased the size of our police budget by about $750 million. This is huge; it
is significant. We are committed to keeping our community safe. As part of that, we have to support our police to do
that job to keep our communities safe. We have committed to an unprecedented
1 100 additional officers, with 150 of those delivered first off. The 150
officers we committed to only in April have already been engaged. The further
800 police officers committed to in the recent
police budget are already programmed. The first 200 of those will be engaged in
this financial year—that is , before
30 June this year—and 200 a year thereafter. I am also pleased that we
have provided them with the protections that they need to do their job—personal
issue stab-proof vests.
Nothing has pleased me more than my
original commitment, when we covered police officers with occupational health
and safety legislation after years of them not having that, than to now to be
able to offer compensation when officers leave the job. We had a three-part plan.
A couple of years ago, we delivered $16 million for the police redress scheme
that offered payments up to $150 000 to those who had been poorly treated in
the past. We offered them that redress. In addition, last year I moved through
the Parliament amendments to section 8 of the Police Act so that we no longer
retire those police officers under the same undignified process that we retire
officers who have a cloud of corruption
hanging over them. Now, the final piece, which was universally welcomed and
applauded at the recent police union conference, is that we will provide
police compensation, and we will do it through the Police Act. We will provide this end-of-service payment in addition to
keeping all current in-service and post-service entitlements. That is
the key point that was never offered by any former government. Every former
government wanted to take something away
from existing police conditions; we are not doing that. We will provide for
termination payments that will be capped, generally at around $236 000,
but potentially up to $413 000; there will be a payment for vocational support and retraining of potentially over $16 000; we
will maintain the current in-service and post-service entitlements for work and non–work related illness
and injury; and leave payments for medical expenses provided to officers
will not be included in the calculation for an exit payment. Officers also
preserve their option to seek an ex gratia payment, or act of grace payment.
This is an amazing step forward. It is something that police officers in this
state have deserved.
We ask those officers to run towards
danger, to protect us, to protect the community, to turn out to road crashes,
and to go to horrific scenes where people have been murdered and where other violent
acts have occurred. We, in turn, need to support them. I have never been
prouder of the McGowan government than when the Premier stood at the recent
police union conference and made the commitment that if a McGowan government is
re-elected early next year, that will be a priority for us.
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