Police walked off the job in Bendigo today as part of an increasingly ugly pay dispute with the Allan Labor Government.
The Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad said the Allan Labor Government had pushed local police members to breaking point and they were now protesting in the Premier’s own backyard.
“With over 1000 vacancies in the police force, by walking off the job in Bendigo today they are sending a clear message to the Premier that they are overworked and understaffed,” Ms Broad said.
“The Allan Labor Government has failed to reach an agreement and is now walking away from the negotiation table and passing responsibility to Fair Work Australia.
“It’s not just time for a fair pay deal, it’s also time to change the laws to improve community safety and reduce the extra burden on police.
“I’ve spoken with police who are very frustrated. They do all the work required to keep the community safe and get offenders off the street, only for them to face court and have a magistrate let them off 24 hours later because the Allan Labor Government weakened bail laws.
“When it comes to bail laws, tobacco laws, and a rising number of city-based protests, the Allan Labor Government has failed to take the action.
“Police deserve respect and a fair deal for the valuable work they do, and I hope the Premier will listen and take action to resolve this ongoing dispute.
“When the Liberals and Nationals were in government between 2010 and 2014, we delivered nearly 2,000 frontline police and more than 1,000 PSOs.
“At that time the Victorian Nationals and Liberals, Victoria Police and The Police Association Victoria were all at the negotiating table to renew the EBA.
Most importantly, the Liberals and Nationals remained at the table until a negotiation was completed that was fair and agreed by all parties.”
Media Contact: Linda Barrow 0484 303 764, 4436 4777
