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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2007-10-17 Daily Xml
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POLICE SELECTION

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:51): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Police questions about the police selection process for promotion.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: A recent industrial report contained in the Police Association's annual report for 2007 highlights that the association is concerned by the incidence of non-selection for promotional positions by selection advisory panels. The report explains that about 500 selections for promotional positions occurred in 2006, but 16.5 per cent of these were no-selection cases. Furthermore, in about 140 sergeant selections, the no-selection percentage increased to about 20.5 per cent. In many cases the selection panel has determined that none of the applicants are suitable. The Police Association holds concerns that under the current act those applicants who are aggrieved by this decision have no system in place to challenge the decision. The decisions evidently cannot be challenged in the Police Review Tribunal. As in any job, such a decision can affect career advancement, status, self-esteem and, of course, salary for the individual, and the association is calling for this current situation to be addressed. My questions are:

1. Has the minister discussed this topic with representatives of the Police Association or with the Police Commissioner?

2. Does the minister agree with the Police Association that the Police Act and regulations should be amended to allow for appeals against non-selection?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning) (14:52): The honourable member would be well aware because, unlike the shadow minister for police, he did attend the Police Association conference.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: The Hon. Terry Stevens does keep in regular touch. He was representing you. We know where our priorities lie. In relation to matters of police selection, obviously, as minister I have no role in relation to that, and it would be entirely improper if I as minister were to be in any way involved in the promotion and selection process for police officers. I think everyone in this council would understand that it would be quite inappropriate for ministers to be personally involved in that process. As I indicated yesterday, the Police Association is currently having its conference, which concludes today. As is normally the case, I have regular meetings with the Police Association, and there it raises issues with me, and I expect that it would raise any issues that came out of the conference. If it has concerns in relation to the selection process it will raise them with me, and in turn I will discuss those matters with the Police Commissioner. Of course, the act introduced by a former Liberal government and passed by this parliament quite properly puts the onus of administering the SA Police on the Commissioner for Police.

Of course, any directions given to the police in relation to matters quite properly have to be tabled in parliament. So, that is the way the ministerial relationship works with the police; it has been that way ever since the police legislation was first introduced—and it is quite appropriate that that should continue. I will certainly be discussing—and I regularly do have discussions—this matter with members of the Police Association. What I can tell the honourable member is that there have been ongoing discussions for some time between the Police Association and the Commissioner in relation to a number of issues that come under the Police Act. The latest advice I have is that there is certainly substantial agreement in relation to a number of areas where amendments could be made and, at the appropriate time, we will be bringing those forward, but that is a matter that will take its own time. As I have said, I am always happy to discuss issues with the Police Association. As a result of discussions, a number of changes to policy have been made and will continue to be made.

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