❓ Mrs. Roberts questions the Minister for Police about the lack of safe storage for police accoutrements at courts, citing terror threats. The Minister responds that the decision rests with the judiciary, not the government, and negotiations are ongoing.
AnsweredQoN 977Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE —
COURT ACCOUTREMENTS
977. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
I refer to the heightened terror
threat to our police as referenced in The
Weekend Australian as a front-page article and the fact that the WA Police
Union wrote to the minister in January this year about the wearing of
accoutrements in court precincts. I also note that this issue has been
continuously raised with the minister since January.
(1) Why does
the minister and her government continue to leave police vulnerable while
travelling to and from court, despite the raised terror alert level?
(2) Why has
the government not over the last year at the very least provided for the safe
storage of accoutrements at our courts so that hundreds of police every week
are not left vulnerable as they travel to and from court?
COURT ACCOUTREMENTS
977. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
I refer to the heightened terror
threat to our police as referenced in The
Weekend Australian as a front-page article and the fact that the WA Police
Union wrote to the minister in January this year about the wearing of
accoutrements in court precincts. I also note that this issue has been
continuously raised with the minister since January.
(1) Why does
the minister and her government continue to leave police vulnerable while
travelling to and from court, despite the raised terror alert level?
(2) Why has
the government not over the last year at the very least provided for the safe
storage of accoutrements at our courts so that hundreds of police every week
are not left vulnerable as they travel to and from court?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
The member has asked this question in this house previously, and I thought I
had explained what was happening with respect to the negotiations WA Police are
having with the heads of jurisdiction in the judiciary around the wearing of
accoutrements in court. It is not a decision of the government. The magistrates
and judges are in control of their courts, and they are the people we need to
convince of the need and requirement for police officers to wear their accoutrements
in court or, indeed, for the provision of storage facilities for accoutrements
in court precincts.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Since January I have facilitated a meeting between the
Commissioner of Police and His Honour Chief Justice Wayne Martin. There has
been a dialogue running since that time between the Chief Justice, the police
union, WA Police and the government. We have not landed on a successful
resolution at this time, but I understand that they are negotiating in good
faith and I expect that we are going to come to an acceptable resolution in the
near future.
The member has asked this question in this house previously, and I thought I
had explained what was happening with respect to the negotiations WA Police are
having with the heads of jurisdiction in the judiciary around the wearing of
accoutrements in court. It is not a decision of the government. The magistrates
and judges are in control of their courts, and they are the people we need to
convince of the need and requirement for police officers to wear their accoutrements
in court or, indeed, for the provision of storage facilities for accoutrements
in court precincts.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Since January I have facilitated a meeting between the
Commissioner of Police and His Honour Chief Justice Wayne Martin. There has
been a dialogue running since that time between the Chief Justice, the police
union, WA Police and the government. We have not landed on a successful
resolution at this time, but I understand that they are negotiating in good
faith and I expect that we are going to come to an acceptable resolution in the
near future.
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