POLICE — WAGES
956. Hon PETER COLLIER to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I refer the minister to Nadia
Mitsopoulos's question to the Commissioner of Police on ABC radio this
morning in relation to penalty rates for police officers who work night shifts.
She asked —
Do you reckon they need to be paid
more then?
The commissioner's response
was —
For those shifts, absolutely.
Does the minister agree with the
commissioner that police officers deserve higher penalty rates for working
night shifts; and, if not, why not?
The PRESIDENT: Before I give
the call to the Minister for Emergency Services, I am fairy sure that question
is seeking an opinion, but I will ask the minister whether he is able to
provide an answer.
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I
will provide the answer provided to me by the Minister for Police. I thank the
honourable member for the question.
Under the government's
wages offer, police will be paid a minimum pay rise of at least $60 a week, or
$3 120 per year for two years, or three per cent per annum for those earning
more than $104 000. On top of this, police will receive an up-front one-off
cost-of-living payment of $3 000 upon agreement, pro rata-ed for casual and
part time. Negotiations with the WA Police Union are ongoing and, in line with
the government wages policy, includes the ability to negotiate on conditions.