POLICE — STATE
WAGES POLICY
606. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Leader of the House:
I
refer to comments made by Minister Johnston in announcing the state wages
policy on 12 May 2017, and I quote —
The new public sector wages policy
reflects the reality of WA's economic circumstances, with real wages
actually going backwards in the private sector.
I also refer to the 2019–20
budget, which forecast Perth's consumer price index trending to 2.5 per
cent and the wage price index growth trending to 3.25 per cent across the
forward estimates.
(1) Does the
Leader of the House recognise, in light of these facts, that the 1.08 per cent
offer today to police officers with the rank of senior constable is actually a pay
cut?
(2) Given that
the state government has announced an operating surplus in 2019–20,
will the government abandon the current state wages policy and develop a new
one that better recognises the risks taken and the contribution to community
safety of our police force?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
Can I just confirm that that is a question
without notice about a matter outside my portfolio?
Hon Martin Aldridge: You're
the leader of the government.
Hon SUE ELLERY: I am not in a
position to provide the member with an answer to that question at all; that is
outside the standing orders. However, I certainly can say that this government's
management of the finances involved some really hard decisions being made,
including around wages. As a consequence of that, negotiations with the Police
Union, representing hardworking police, will be carried out under the auspices
of the relevant minister, who is not me.