❓ The Minister details incentives implemented by the government to attract police officers to regional and remote WA, highlighting financial allowances, reduced working hours, and rent-free accommodation. The response contrasts the current government's actions with the previous government's inaction.
AnsweredQoN 1172Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Finding police officers to serve in regional and remote locations has often been difficult. How is the Government attracting police officers to serve in the bush? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. He has demonstrated a record of supporting police officers and promoting community safety and security. The member has hit the nail on the head by asking what we are doing as a Government to attract police officers and their families to serve in rural and regional Western Australia. Unfortunately, members opposite did not see it that way. They did not see any problem with shanghaiing people or sending people involuntarily to towns. Since we have come to government, we have put in place a range of incentives to attract police officers to country areas. During the election campaign we promised an additional $8 million in country incentives over four years to attract officers to hard-to-fill and hardship locations in rural and regional Western Australia. We have delivered on that commitment. It has resulted in 573 police officers at 73 locations receiving an allowance of either $3 000 or $1 500 each year. Police officers in 22 locations, including Kalgoorlie, Kambalda, Menzies, Norseman and Mullewa, where I note the member for Geraldton was on Monday to discuss issues with police officers, receive an additional $3 000 per annum. Officers serving in a further 51 towns, including Carnarvon, Collie, Donnybrook, Geraldton and Meekatharra, receive an extra $1 500 each year. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Coolgardie, delivering more operational policing hours to those communities. The latest enterprise bargaining agreement offer by the Government will further increase country incentives. It is worth an additional $1.3 million over the life of the agreement and includes rent-free accommodation for 80 police officers serving in 39 communities, including Cue, Leinster, Mingenew, Ravensthorpe and Yalgoo. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Mt Magnet. I will table a complete list of towns for which we are delivering country incentives to our police officers. In 2001 the Gallop Government delivered an additional $8 million package in country incentives. In 2003 we are delivering an additional $1.3 million in country incentives. In total, that is a $9.3 million package to attract the best and brightest police officers to serve in regional and remote Western Australia. That $9.3 million commitment clearly sets us apart from members opposite who, in their eight years in government, did nothing to improve the conditions for country police officers. I table the list of those towns. [See paper No 1604.]
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. He has demonstrated a record of supporting police officers and promoting community safety and security. The member has hit the nail on the head by asking what we are doing as a Government to attract police officers and their families to serve in rural and regional Western Australia. Unfortunately, members opposite did not see it that way. They did not see any problem with shanghaiing people or sending people involuntarily to towns. Since we have come to government, we have put in place a range of incentives to attract police officers to country areas. During the election campaign we promised an additional $8 million in country incentives over four years to attract officers to hard-to-fill and hardship locations in rural and regional Western Australia. We have delivered on that commitment. It has resulted in 573 police officers at 73 locations receiving an allowance of either $3 000 or $1 500 each year. Police officers in 22 locations, including Kalgoorlie, Kambalda, Menzies, Norseman and Mullewa, where I note the member for Geraldton was on Monday to discuss issues with police officers, receive an additional $3 000 per annum. Officers serving in a further 51 towns, including Carnarvon, Collie, Donnybrook, Geraldton and Meekatharra, receive an extra $1 500 each year. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Coolgardie, delivering more operational policing hours to those communities. The latest enterprise bargaining agreement offer by the Government will further increase country incentives. It is worth an additional $1.3 million over the life of the agreement and includes rent-free accommodation for 80 police officers serving in 39 communities, including Cue, Leinster, Mingenew, Ravensthorpe and Yalgoo. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Mt Magnet. I will table a complete list of towns for which we are delivering country incentives to our police officers. In 2001 the Gallop Government delivered an additional $8 million package in country incentives. In 2003 we are delivering an additional $1.3 million in country incentives. In total, that is a $9.3 million package to attract the best and brightest police officers to serve in regional and remote Western Australia. That $9.3 million commitment clearly sets us apart from members opposite who, in their eight years in government, did nothing to improve the conditions for country police officers. I table the list of those towns. [See paper No 1604.]
I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. He has demonstrated a record of supporting police officers and promoting community safety and security. The member has hit the nail on the head by asking what we are doing as a Government to attract police officers and their families to serve in rural and regional Western Australia. Unfortunately, members opposite did not see it that way. They did not see any problem with shanghaiing people or sending people involuntarily to towns. Since we have come to government, we have put in place a range of incentives to attract police officers to country areas. During the election campaign we promised an additional $8 million in country incentives over four years to attract officers to hard-to-fill and hardship locations in rural and regional Western Australia. We have delivered on that commitment. It has resulted in 573 police officers at 73 locations receiving an allowance of either $3 000 or $1 500 each year. Police officers in 22 locations, including Kalgoorlie, Kambalda, Menzies, Norseman and Mullewa, where I note the member for Geraldton was on Monday to discuss issues with police officers, receive an additional $3 000 per annum. Officers serving in a further 51 towns, including Carnarvon, Collie, Donnybrook, Geraldton and Meekatharra, receive an extra $1 500 each year. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Coolgardie, delivering more operational policing hours to those communities. The latest enterprise bargaining agreement offer by the Government will further increase country incentives. It is worth an additional $1.3 million over the life of the agreement and includes rent-free accommodation for 80 police officers serving in 39 communities, including Cue, Leinster, Mingenew, Ravensthorpe and Yalgoo. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Mt Magnet. I will table a complete list of towns for which we are delivering country incentives to our police officers. In 2001 the Gallop Government delivered an additional $8 million package in country incentives. In 2003 we are delivering an additional $1.3 million in country incentives. In total, that is a $9.3 million package to attract the best and brightest police officers to serve in regional and remote Western Australia. That $9.3 million commitment clearly sets us apart from members opposite who, in their eight years in government, did nothing to improve the conditions for country police officers. I table the list of those towns. [See paper No 1604.]
Since we have come to government, we have put in place a range of incentives to attract police officers to country areas. During the election campaign we promised an additional $8 million in country incentives over four years to attract officers to hard-to-fill and hardship locations in rural and regional Western Australia. We have delivered on that commitment. It has resulted in 573 police officers at 73 locations receiving an allowance of either $3 000 or $1 500 each year. Police officers in 22 locations, including Kalgoorlie, Kambalda, Menzies, Norseman and Mullewa, where I note the member for Geraldton was on Monday to discuss issues with police officers, receive an additional $3 000 per annum. Officers serving in a further 51 towns, including Carnarvon, Collie, Donnybrook, Geraldton and Meekatharra, receive an extra $1 500 each year. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Coolgardie, delivering more operational policing hours to those communities. The latest enterprise bargaining agreement offer by the Government will further increase country incentives. It is worth an additional $1.3 million over the life of the agreement and includes rent-free accommodation for 80 police officers serving in 39 communities, including Cue, Leinster, Mingenew, Ravensthorpe and Yalgoo. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Mt Magnet. I will table a complete list of towns for which we are delivering country incentives to our police officers. In 2001 the Gallop Government delivered an additional $8 million package in country incentives. In 2003 we are delivering an additional $1.3 million in country incentives. In total, that is a $9.3 million package to attract the best and brightest police officers to serve in regional and remote Western Australia. That $9.3 million commitment clearly sets us apart from members opposite who, in their eight years in government, did nothing to improve the conditions for country police officers. I table the list of those towns. [See paper No 1604.]
In 2001 the Gallop Government delivered an additional $8 million package in country incentives. In 2003 we are delivering an additional $1.3 million in country incentives. In total, that is a $9.3 million package to attract the best and brightest police officers to serve in regional and remote Western Australia. That $9.3 million commitment clearly sets us apart from members opposite who, in their eight years in government, did nothing to improve the conditions for country police officers. I table the list of those towns. [See paper No 1604.]
[See paper No 1604.]
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. He has demonstrated a record of supporting police officers and promoting community safety and security. The member has hit the nail on the head by asking what we are doing as a Government to attract police officers and their families to serve in rural and regional Western Australia. Unfortunately, members opposite did not see it that way. They did not see any problem with shanghaiing people or sending people involuntarily to towns. Since we have come to government, we have put in place a range of incentives to attract police officers to country areas. During the election campaign we promised an additional $8 million in country incentives over four years to attract officers to hard-to-fill and hardship locations in rural and regional Western Australia. We have delivered on that commitment. It has resulted in 573 police officers at 73 locations receiving an allowance of either $3 000 or $1 500 each year. Police officers in 22 locations, including Kalgoorlie, Kambalda, Menzies, Norseman and Mullewa, where I note the member for Geraldton was on Monday to discuss issues with police officers, receive an additional $3 000 per annum. Officers serving in a further 51 towns, including Carnarvon, Collie, Donnybrook, Geraldton and Meekatharra, receive an extra $1 500 each year. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Coolgardie, delivering more operational policing hours to those communities. The latest enterprise bargaining agreement offer by the Government will further increase country incentives. It is worth an additional $1.3 million over the life of the agreement and includes rent-free accommodation for 80 police officers serving in 39 communities, including Cue, Leinster, Mingenew, Ravensthorpe and Yalgoo. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Mt Magnet. I will table a complete list of towns for which we are delivering country incentives to our police officers. In 2001 the Gallop Government delivered an additional $8 million package in country incentives. In 2003 we are delivering an additional $1.3 million in country incentives. In total, that is a $9.3 million package to attract the best and brightest police officers to serve in regional and remote Western Australia. That $9.3 million commitment clearly sets us apart from members opposite who, in their eight years in government, did nothing to improve the conditions for country police officers. I table the list of those towns. [See paper No 1604.]
I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. He has demonstrated a record of supporting police officers and promoting community safety and security. The member has hit the nail on the head by asking what we are doing as a Government to attract police officers and their families to serve in rural and regional Western Australia. Unfortunately, members opposite did not see it that way. They did not see any problem with shanghaiing people or sending people involuntarily to towns. Since we have come to government, we have put in place a range of incentives to attract police officers to country areas. During the election campaign we promised an additional $8 million in country incentives over four years to attract officers to hard-to-fill and hardship locations in rural and regional Western Australia. We have delivered on that commitment. It has resulted in 573 police officers at 73 locations receiving an allowance of either $3 000 or $1 500 each year. Police officers in 22 locations, including Kalgoorlie, Kambalda, Menzies, Norseman and Mullewa, where I note the member for Geraldton was on Monday to discuss issues with police officers, receive an additional $3 000 per annum. Officers serving in a further 51 towns, including Carnarvon, Collie, Donnybrook, Geraldton and Meekatharra, receive an extra $1 500 each year. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Coolgardie, delivering more operational policing hours to those communities. The latest enterprise bargaining agreement offer by the Government will further increase country incentives. It is worth an additional $1.3 million over the life of the agreement and includes rent-free accommodation for 80 police officers serving in 39 communities, including Cue, Leinster, Mingenew, Ravensthorpe and Yalgoo. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Mt Magnet. I will table a complete list of towns for which we are delivering country incentives to our police officers. In 2001 the Gallop Government delivered an additional $8 million package in country incentives. In 2003 we are delivering an additional $1.3 million in country incentives. In total, that is a $9.3 million package to attract the best and brightest police officers to serve in regional and remote Western Australia. That $9.3 million commitment clearly sets us apart from members opposite who, in their eight years in government, did nothing to improve the conditions for country police officers. I table the list of those towns. [See paper No 1604.]
Since we have come to government, we have put in place a range of incentives to attract police officers to country areas. During the election campaign we promised an additional $8 million in country incentives over four years to attract officers to hard-to-fill and hardship locations in rural and regional Western Australia. We have delivered on that commitment. It has resulted in 573 police officers at 73 locations receiving an allowance of either $3 000 or $1 500 each year. Police officers in 22 locations, including Kalgoorlie, Kambalda, Menzies, Norseman and Mullewa, where I note the member for Geraldton was on Monday to discuss issues with police officers, receive an additional $3 000 per annum. Officers serving in a further 51 towns, including Carnarvon, Collie, Donnybrook, Geraldton and Meekatharra, receive an extra $1 500 each year. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Coolgardie, delivering more operational policing hours to those communities. The latest enterprise bargaining agreement offer by the Government will further increase country incentives. It is worth an additional $1.3 million over the life of the agreement and includes rent-free accommodation for 80 police officers serving in 39 communities, including Cue, Leinster, Mingenew, Ravensthorpe and Yalgoo. We have also extended the 44-hour week to Mt Magnet. I will table a complete list of towns for which we are delivering country incentives to our police officers. In 2001 the Gallop Government delivered an additional $8 million package in country incentives. In 2003 we are delivering an additional $1.3 million in country incentives. In total, that is a $9.3 million package to attract the best and brightest police officers to serve in regional and remote Western Australia. That $9.3 million commitment clearly sets us apart from members opposite who, in their eight years in government, did nothing to improve the conditions for country police officers. I table the list of those towns. [See paper No 1604.]
In 2001 the Gallop Government delivered an additional $8 million package in country incentives. In 2003 we are delivering an additional $1.3 million in country incentives. In total, that is a $9.3 million package to attract the best and brightest police officers to serve in regional and remote Western Australia. That $9.3 million commitment clearly sets us apart from members opposite who, in their eight years in government, did nothing to improve the conditions for country police officers. I table the list of those towns. [See paper No 1604.]
[See paper No 1604.]
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