Roy Butler seeks review of remote status of police stations and staffing

DYLAN SMITH

State Member for Barwon Roy Butler has asked the NSW police minister to consider reviewing the remote and special remote status of police stations in the electorate.

Mr Butler tabled the query during question time in parliament and highlighted the need to increase staffing in those locations.

“I thank the minister for her visits to the Barwon police stations and her interest in ensuring we have adequate police staffing in those stations,” Mr Butler said.

Yasmin Catley, the NSW police minister, acknowledged Mr Butler’s question and said she had visited Wee Waa and met with staff last year.

“It is an excellent place,” Ms Catley said of Wee Waa.

“The staff members out there are terrific, as the member well knows. I support them entirely.

“I assure him that his concerns about special remote status was brought to my attention when I was at Wee Waa.

“I guarantee that I will certainly look at the scheme and make a decision to classify Wee Waa as remote rather than special remote.

“We know that it was reclassified, and that is what we are referring to here.

“For members who are not familiar with the special remote category, it gives police access to financial assistance to encourage them to work in very remote areas. Wee Waa is a remote area. That being said, it is a great town with a lot of spirit.”

Ms Catley recalled her visit to Wee Waa in detail, highlighting a meeting with well-known local Roxanne Whitton at Wee Waa Newsagency.

“On the member’s advice, I met the lady at the newsagency who has the bird who swears,” Ms Catley recalled.

In a light-hearted moment during what was otherwise a discussion on a serious issue in rural NSW, the speaker jokingly queried about the swearing bird.

“I do not mean to be frivolous. These things are important in this town,” Ms Catley said.

“She [Roxanne] is renowned and lovely, and it will stick with me forever.”

Returning to the issue at hand, Ms Catley said she would have NSW Police review their decision.

“We know that there are vacancies there and across the state,” she said.

“But I want the member to know that we are seeing some green shoots when it comes to the NSW Police workforce.

“We have seen more than a 70 per cent increase in applications. That is really significant progress.

“It is positive that people want to join the police.

“That is because they are so professional, well trained and, critically, well paid.

“Getting rid of the wages cap was a game changer.

“Paying police for their worth has really made such a difference.”

Ms Catley said the Minns Labor government’s decision to remove the wages cap has had an incredible impact on young people wanting to join the police or change their careers and become police officers.

“We also have the Professional Mobility Program in place,” she said.

“As members know, I unashamedly pinch cops from other states and from across the ditch.”