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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-05-12 Daily Xml
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POLICE RECRUITMENT

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON (14:48): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Police a question on the subject of police recruiting.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON: Readers of ThePolice Journal will know that it publishes the resignation letters of officers, and they will also know that resignation letters of officers recruited in the United Kingdom are all too common in those columns and quite graphic. The commissioner recently told a parliamentary committee that the attrition rate for UK recruits is 20 per cent, which is more than twice the rate for local recruits. Three recurring themes appear in the published resignation letters of UK recruits. First, most say they are resigning from SAPOL to go interstate or to the Australian Federal Police; secondly, most say they have enjoyed general life in South Australia; and, thirdly, many complain that their prior police experience was not recognised in South Australia. For example, I quote one letter as follows:

As a migrating UK officer I am disappointed that the skills and experience I gained in the UK were never utilised or even asked for.

Another officer writes:

The only disappointing factor for me is that SAPOL, being such a modern and progressive organisation, has not, after three years of recruiting from the UK, put in place a policy on the touchy subject of recognition of prior learning. If TAFE can recognise it in respect to professionally-related exams, why can't SAPOL? Many experienced officers who have previously worked within specialist areas in the UK have been recruited and left for this reason alone.

My questions to the minister are:

1. What has been the total costs spent by South Australia Police on its UK-recruiting drive, and how many officers have been recruited?

2. Does the minister agree with SAPOL's current policy in relation to the use of prior police experience?

3. Given the cost of overseas recruitment, will the government require SAPOL to disclose to potential recruits SAPOL's policy in relation to its use of their experience?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:51): In relation to the latter question, as a former minister for police, what I can say is that certainly that was made clear, perhaps not in the first round of recruitment but in all subsequent recruiting exercises in the United Kingdom. The situation in relation to the recognition of experience was made clear. Now, that is a difficult issue. Again, I know from my experience when I was the minister for police that that issue did come up regularly. Of course, different levels of training are required.

I believe that the training the South Australian police are given is as good as anywhere else in the world. I think that the level of our police is particularly high. It would be fair to say that generally it would be a higher level of qualification than would be required of most other police forces; so, it is probably not surprising that there should be some disappointment. The only other thing I would add from my experience is that, in relation to bringing police out here (apart from having someone go over to the UK to conduct interviews), most of the cost of getting to this country was borne by the officers themselves.

It is inevitable that, as with locally recruited police, some will go on to other occupations once they are here; and in many cases it is to the benefit of the state. I am aware of a number of police officers, both from the UK and elsewhere, who have secured jobs in key operations here; and I guess that is inevitable. I think that we can at least be pleased that we are getting a very good level of immigrant to this country. Of course, if 20 per cent are going, 80 per cent remain—

The Hon. R.D. Lawson: They're going to Queensland!

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Well, they may well do because Queensland, perhaps, has discovered that it can recruit them. It is also true that there are police officers from the UK who have moved here. Certainly, I know that this state has recruited police officers from other states, including Queensland. So, there is some mobility amongst police officers. It is inevitable that some officers who have the opportunity to come here may well take up opportunities elsewhere. I noticed the other day that the Commissioner indicated difficulties in the United Kingdom at the moment in terms of selling housing, which will have an impact on that recruiting. In relation to the specific questions, I will refer those to the Minister for Police.

I reiterate that, from my time as minister for police, we have been very well served by police officers. Even if they are here for only a few years, they have contributed significantly to policing in this state. For those who remain in Australia and South Australia, as many do, even if not in the police, they also make a significant contribution to our community.

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