Tuesday 4 December 2012

LNP slash Central Queensland police funding

Media Release 

Shadow Police Minister and Member for Rockhampton Bill Byrne says the LNP Government has slashed the police overtime budget of the Central Region by $110,000 this financial year.
Mr Byrne said the Police Minister Jack Dempsey needed to explain the potential impacts of his reduced overtime budget outlined in his answer to Question on Notice 699.
“The Minister must explain if his reduced police overtime budget will mean fewer cops on the beat late at night at peak crime times,” Mr Byrne said.
“It would be typical of this dysfunctional LNP government that as we go into the busy Christmas and New Year’s season Central Queensland communities will see fewer police on the streets and there will be fewer arrests being made as a result.
“A reduced overtime budget could also result in police working unpaid overtime adding to increased levels of stress and fatigue in the service.
“With less overtime being paid it puts our police officers in an unenviable position because they may need to respond to incidents towards the end of their shifts but they won’t be paid for the time it will take to detain and process people through the watch house.
“During the busy party season this can only mean the Central Queensland streets will not be as safe this summer,” he said.
Mr Byrne said the Central Region police overtime budget had been slashed from $2.1 million in 2011-12 to $1.99 million in 2012-13.
Each district within the Central Region had also had its overtime budget slashed this financial year, including:
- Gladstone District from $509,000 down to $483,000
- Longreach District from $117,000 down to $110,000
- Mackay District from $683,000 down to $648,000
- Rockhampton District from $790,000 down to $749,000
“The LNP Government went to the election with a so-called ‘tough on crime’ stance but now it seems no-one is immune from their slash and burn mentality,” Mr Byrne said.

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