Simon Power National Party Law & Order Spokesman

27 October 2005

Police numbers guarantee wanted

National's Law and Order spokesman, Simon Power, wants the Police Minister to guarantee to the public that the number of officers working on public holidays won't be cut as a result of employment law changes.

He is commenting after the Employment Court said the police collective contract failed to comply with new laws covering public holidays, and that police are to demand time-and-a-half for public holidays, time off in lieu of hours worked or spent on standby, and back pay to April last year.

"Annette King needs to assure the public that there won't be fewer police on the beat or on standby on public holidays as a result of the extra cost involved, and that holiday trouble spots will be adequately staffed.

"She must also assure the public that backlogged cases won't suffer as a result of frontline police not working on public holidays.

"It is estimated that the extra cost will be $4 million. The Police Minister should be seeking that money from Labour Minister Ruth Dyson because it was the labour law changes that caused the problem.

"We must be assured that Vote Police won't be funding this $4 million. Why should the police and public safety suffer as a result of a Labour law change?

"They have known for 18 months that they would have to cover the cost of this law change to the tune of between $4 million and $5 million a year," Mr Power says.

ENDS

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