A message from the President cont'd
While our Association accepts there is scope for
some level of civilianisation in some of these areas, the
review does not provide any sound reasoning for the
number of positions to be civilianised or identify actual
positions. Our Association clearly articulated a process
for the consideration of any civilianisation process to the
authors of this report, which has largely been ignored.
Recent developments in Queensland under a
conservative state government are also of concern
where a new catch cry of “contestability” of government
service provision is being used to disguise the
privatisation of the public sector, including elements
of the Queensland Police service. If this development
becomes a national trend under state governments it is
a matter of real concern for our members.
Our front line operational members remain under
enormous pressure and O’Sullivan Mark II was an
opportunity lost.
At our 2012 conference I posed a number of fundamental
questions to the then opposition leader including:
• The proposed time frame for recruitment and
deployment of the extra 120 Police Officers,
• Where these Police Officers will be deployed,
• How this extra funding will “actually” be achieved,
• hat other flow on increases in equipment will be
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required and how will it be funded,
• ill steps be taken to ensure appropriate back office
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support is continued for operational Police Officers?
The reality is none of these questions have been
clearly answered and the austerity measures imposed on
our members are exacerbating the problems identified
by O’Sullivan.
The Chief Minister needs to develop a clear vision for
our Police Force in conjunction with police management
and our Association. It needs to be clearly stated what
government will do to support this joint vision.
Wages and entitlements
On 15 May 2013 a document entitled, the “Northern
Territory Government’s bargaining framework” was
provided to our Association. This policy is simply a
slightly amended version of the wages policy adopted
by the previous government.
Our Association rejects the assertion that the
framework document provides the basis for “good faith”
bargaining, as it has a predetermined outcome before
any actual negotiations have commenced.
Further, we also believe this policy will severely
restrict the capacity of the Commissioner of Police and
our Association to resolve police specific work place
challenges, particularly in urban and remote General
Duties areas. The policy approach is clearly a “one size
fits all” position and as such will cause unnecessary
industrial difficulties.
Our Association has recently surveyed our members
in relation to their expectations for the 2014 Consent
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NORTHERN TERRITORY POLICE NEWS
Agreement and that material has been further refined by
conference delegates at our workshop yesterday. Our
Association will be guided by our members as much as
this document and believe that good faith bargaining
is not achieved by the reliance upon an inflexible policy
position adopted some seven months prior to the
commencement of negotiations.
It remains our view that the unique industrial
position of our members - who each take an oath of
office - has been reflected by the establishment of the
Police Arbitral Tribunal and as such it is appropriate
for government to approach negotiations with our
Association in a manner that reflects the relative
industrial position of our members.
Housing
Our Association has highlighted members concerns
relating t o their Housing Entitlements. I am pleased
to advise members that the Chief Minister agreed last
week to continue the long standing precedent that our
housing entitlements shall be considered separately to
our general Consent Agreement (wage) negotiations.
The Chief Minister has agreed to establish a housing
working party on the same terms as the previous
government. We have written to the Commissioner in
relation to this working party and will advise members
accordingly of its progress.
As our delegates are aware our conditions of service
are regulated through the Police Arbitral Tribunal in
accordance with the Police Administration Act. This
unique tribunal recognises the unique, and in reality very
weak, industrial position of our members. The Police
Arbitral Tribunal ensures our members have a mechanism
to resolve industrial matters generally in a collaborative
way that ensures a good outcome for the community.
Recent attacks on trade unions in Queensland,
including the Queensland Police Union, are again of real
concern to our members if that policy position becomes
a trend under conservative governments and I urge the
Chief Minister to maintain our Tribunal as an example of
best practice police industrial relations.
As indicated our Association has also continued
to pursue changes in a number of areas that are of
importance for our members:• fair and equitable disciplinary system
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• worn Police Welfare Officers in major centres/
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chaplaincy
• Blood Sample legislation
As I informed conference last year “the Commissioner
identified the development of a fair and equitable
discipline system as a priority when he first addressed
this conference in 2010. The reality is that progress in
this area has been agonisingly slow”.
Since 2012 there has been no progress despite
continued attempts by our Association to move this
review along. This has included offering to provide real
dollars to get this thing done.
This remains a critical area for our members. The
process and decisions under the current adversarial
punitive based regime are having an enormous impact
on individual members, their families, and on morale of
the entire Police Force.
Further the Commissioner cannot guarantee the legal
protection of our members who participate in directed
interviews. This alone requires an immediate legislative
amendment and would have been resolved if the
discipline review had been complete.
I am pleased to advise members that the Chief
Minister has indicated the Commissioner of Police will
now progress this review.
This afternoon we will have important presentations
that are linked into member welfare from Retired Major
General John Cantwell who is living with post-traumatic
stress disorder on a daily basis and Doctor Trent
Watson who is a recognised industry expert on fatigue
management and its links to poor health in other areas
including mental health.
It is our commitment to our members that drives our
continued pursuit of sworn welfare officers working in
our jurisdiction. The lack of welfare officers coupled with
what we consider to be a diminished Chaplaincy service
since the departure of Major Peter Wright creates a
gaping hole in the capacity of the Police Force to look
after members. Our Association Staff and elected
officials simply do not have the capacity to catch all
members before they hit rock bottom and as John and
Trent will highlight once you are at the bottom the way
out is dark and difficult without appropriate support.
The Chief Ministers recent response in this area is
extremely disappointing and we will continue to strongly
pursue a policy change in this critical area.
The Northern Territory Police
Association belongs to all members
past, present and future.
Our Association welcomes the decision by the Chief
Minister to maintain a commitment of the previous
government to establish a working party to examine
pension arrangements for the families of members who
are killed in the execution of their duty. We look forward
to a positive outcome in this area.
Delegates will also recall that in 2012 I advised that
blood sample legislation was being developed with
bipartisan support to better protect members, and their
families, when our members are contaminated with blood
and other bodily fluids in the execution of their duty.
While we acknowledge the Chief Minister’s commitment
to progress this issue the process has been far too slow. It
really is a simple matter that should be fixed.
The theme of this year’s conference is 'Your Association
– Your History – Your future' this theme was selected
to reinforce our 2012 theme working together to protect
our future.
The Northern Territory Police Association belongs to
all members past, present and future. It is this underlying
principle which guides your Executive, elected officials
and staff in the daily operation of your Association.
As delegates will recall in 2012 your Association
conducted extensive internal research of you our
members to provide guidance for your elected officials
and staff. I wish to revisit four of these areas briefly:Improved communication particularly during Consent
Agreement negotiations:
• Your Association has undertaken an extensive
survey of members in the lead up to the 2014
wage negotiations. Yesterday conference delegates
undertook further workshops to assist in developing
a negotiating platform for February next year. Further
information sessions are planned between now and
the start of negotiations as well as ongoing sessions
during negotiations. I believe we will be well prepared
and informed as we move into these negotiations.
More information on both the day to day operations and
the strategic direction of our Association:
• You Association has continued to work in this area
releasing at this time last year a digital handbook
for all members. We also continue to develop
our communications platform which includes our
website, magazine, newsletters and data base. We
continue to undertake development work in this area
to endure members can access information in a way
that suits each individual.
A stronger focus on support for members with industrial
or other workplace difficulties:
• ur industrial and legal officer has dealt with
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36 Disciplinary matters since last August. This in
addition to the myriad of industrial and welfare
matters our staff deal with on a daily basis.
An improved induction and education process for both
regional officials and the Executive:
• ur Field officer Paul McCue is in the final
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development stages of a training package
for regional delegates. With the support of
Commissioner McRoberts we hope to be able to
deliver this package to regional officials following
regional elections in October this year.
• gain with the support of the Commissioner our
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Executive has been able to undertake high level
corporate governance training and we continue to
work on a mentoring program for Executive members
All of these steps are being taken to respond to
members concerns and to develop a stronger Association.
A strong Association is critical now and into the future for
as I highlighted at our 2012 conference “Clearly, whether
we like it or not, our next Consent Agreement, will be
negotiated in a tight fiscal environment. In our context we
must ensure that our salaries and entitlements deliver on
members reasonable expectations while accepting the
government’s fiscal position”.
In conclusion I encourage all members to actively
embrace our Association now and into the future to
ensure we collectively progress our interests and the
interests of the community. It is only through acting in
this way will we ensure we continue our proud history.
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