Bags of money to restore law and order?

John Silvester
November 15, 2006

FOR police, it would seem, Christmas comes once every four years as politicians fight for the law-and-order vote that can make the difference between government and opposition.

No one has forgotten that the man who lost the unloseable election in 1999, Jeff Kennett, did so after he lost the police who were angered by what they saw as poor treatment by the Liberals.

Certainly Steve Bracks knows that being seen as anything less than an enthusiastic police flag waver is a certain vote loser.

Since 2000 the police budget has increased by $600 million to about $1.6 billion. In two terms the Bracks Government has trained 1600 new police.

The Opposition has raised the bar when it comes to presents for police. They have already promised new or improved police stations at Mooroolbark, Ashburton, Somerville, Grovedale, Sandringham and Mortlake.

They have also defied convention on police resources (the domain of the independent Chief Commissioner) by promising an extra 76 police for Geelong and 25 for Ballarat — proving that if you are to be mugged, make sure it happens in a marginal seat. Yesterday, they also committed to increasing staff levels at Rowville to make it a 24-hour station.

Both parties are promising new and improved stations. The trouble is that police have to staff the stations and therefore cannot be on the road answering calls.

Shadow police minister Kim Wells has promised $1 million to equip all 350 police stations in Victoria with Taser stun-guns, leaving his opposite number, Minister Tim Holding, to lecture him on the issue of police independence. "The Chief Commissioner, not politicians, is best placed to decide what equipment, including weapons, that members require," he reportedly said.

Yet yesterday Premier Bracks promised a $215 million police package including an extra $10 million for police equipment — apparently a no-strings-attached gift from a grateful government. Politicians do not give money away for nothing. In fact the fund has been costed to provide Tasers for operational vehicals, powerful semi-automatics for street police as well as light-weight equipment vests.

The money has been allocated despite Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon's reluctance to arm rank-and-file police with semi-automatics and her refusal to authorise the widespread distribution of Tasers.

But the force within the force, the Police Association, wants better weapons and at this time in the election spin cycle it usually gets what it wants.

For a union that essentially cannot strike, the Police Association is a dangerous industrial enemy and secretary Paul Mullett a savvy political operator. Like a crocodile, he can remain immersed for long periods biding his time for the right moment to move. He has lobbied behind the scenes for the issue of automatic weapons to be put back on the political agenda.

The deal was done between the association and the Government with virtually no input from senior police. "We have been in extensive consultation for the last few weeks. Mr Bracks has shown he is prepared to roll up his sleeves and commit to a policy for not only community safety but police officer safety," Mr Mullett said yesterday.


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