Latest news with #QueenslandPoliceUnion
The Guardian
31-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Queensland police union chief calls state government pay offer ‘grossly inadequate' days after approving it
Queensland's police union chief has conceded a permanent pay increase he approved earlier this week is 'grossly inadequate' and 'insulting' as officers threaten industrial action and the Crisafulli government faces a protracted battle with key unions over pay deals. Under a preliminary deal announced this week, police would receive an 8% pay rise over three years, plus two $4,000 bonuses for general duties officers. The state and union had agreed to the offer in principle on Monday night, but it must go to members before it takes effect. In a press conference with the premier on Tuesday, the Queensland Police Union of Employees' general president, Shane Prior, described the agreement as the 'largest ever' and a product of tough negotiations. But there has been widespread backlash online – with some officers describing it as the 'worst ever'. One officer said they had 'seen better negotiations on Facebook Marketplace'. Officers are now flagging widespread industrial action. Sign up: AU Breaking News email In an email to members on Wednesday, Prior said he still believed the permanent pay offer was 'insulting'. 'At the negotiating table the government was completely inflexible with any departure with its wage policy,' he said. Prior clarified on Thursday that he believed the state wages policy of an 8% pay rise was 'grossly inadequate, and it was insulting,' but that he had negotiated an additional $163m in additional payments. Prior said he had 'got the very best deal possible from the government'. 'I always wanted to achieve a greater state wages policy, but there was simply not going to occur. We needed to adapt, and we did,' he said. The union asked for a 24% pay rise in its log of claim submitted on 1 July, an 8% rise each year for three years. The state government is now locked in negotiations with several public sector unions, after making a basic universal 8% opening offer. The Queensland Nurses' Union has been taking non-strike industrial action since June, while members of the Queensland Teachers' Union will walk off the job next week, striking for the first time since 2009. The QTU president, Cresta Richardson, said members would be among the worst-paid teachers in the country by the end of their EBA, after it received an offer of an 8% pay rise over three years. The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli has consistently told media that his government is negotiating in 'good faith'. In June he said strike action by nurses was 'the last thing we want, and I hope it's the last thing that the union wants as well'. The education minister, John-Paul Langbroek, said the state government wanted to make sure that Queensland teachers are well remunerated and respected, 'and that's something that we've made sure over 17 meetings, over five months'. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion Enterprise agreements with will soon run out for the broader public service. They elapsed for firefighters and some Transport and Main Roads workers last month, and will run out for Queensland Corrective Services officers, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce and others next month. 'I have every faith that we will be able to come to terms with the teachers and the nurses, indeed the doctors and the fireys after that,' Crisafulli said on Tuesday. 'We will work with any union who has the interests of the public service at heart, and we will do that in good faith'. Labor's police spokesperson, Glenn Butcher, said on Thursday that the police offer was a 'dud deal' and he expected many officers to vote it down. 'From what we're hearing on the ground today, it is not very positive news for this government in relation to this EBA,' he said. A number of other police unions around the country inked pay deals in the last year. Police will receive a pay rise of 19% over four years in NSW, 18% over four years in Victoria, 12.75% over three years in WA and 11.2% over three years for the AFP. 'This is one of the worst pay deals that's been given to police by any state. So that speaks volumes,' Butcher said. If rejected by police union members the deal will go to arbitration at the Industrial Relations Commission. 'I have every faith that once officers get on, have a look at the calculator, see what this agreement is going to deliver for you, I absolutely think that most of our officers will turn around and see that this is a very reasonable deal,' Prior said on Thursday.
9 News
29-07-2025
- Automotive
- 9 News
Millions of dollars of Queensland Police vehicles 'sit idle in depot'
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Millions of dollars of Queensland Police vehicles are claimed to have been sitting idle in car parks, waiting to be fitted with radios, lights, and branding by the organisation's Fleet Services department. 9News understands the vehicles have been unable to be rolled out to the frontline for up to four years. According Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior, there is $8 million worth of vehicles sitting in a depot. 9News understands the vehicles have been unable to be rolled out to the frontline for up to four years. (Nine) "Something needs to be done better because taxpayers' money is being spent on this," Prior said. "We are aware that Fleet Services have taken delivery of vehicles in 2021, not kitted out those vehicles and delivered them to the front line till 2025. "Those vehicles no longer have a warranty attached to it. "They've been sitting on flat tyres, which also is a significant workplace health and safety issue, but we've also heard reports of vermin making a home in the vehicles sitting there in the yard." Last week, 9News filmed a number of 2023 Land Cruisers with registration due to expire in October. According Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior, there is $8 million worth of vehicles sitting in a depot. (Nine) 9News has been told officers are driving cars that have clocked 250,000 kilometres, despite police policy dictating vehicles should be replaced once they have been driven 100,000 kilometres. "We've also got a prisoner van up in Caboolture that has over half a million kilometres on the clock," Prior said. Acting Commissioner Shane Chelepy said issues were raised in May and the "backlog has now been cleared". He said there's a "working group meeting weekly to manage the ongoing volume to ensure vehicles are delivered to the frontline as soon as practicable". CONTACT US
ABC News
11-06-2025
- ABC News
Union backs police after teen shot in Townsville beer garden
Police have launched an investigation after officers shot a 17-year-old girl in a hotel beer garden in north Queensland. Police were called to the West End Hotel in Townsville about 5:30pm yesterday after reports a female armed with a knife was making threats. Police allege the teenager threatened officers and they shot her in the abdomen. The girl had surgery overnight and was in a stable condition in Townsville University Hospital this morning. Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior said he had full confidence in the officers involved. "This was a confronting and life-threatening situation for police," he said. Mr Prior said an officer fired to protect their colleague's life. "They thought that that person was in mortal danger … and fired a single shot at the offender," he said. "I am completely convinced from what I know that the actions of police were justified. In fact, they showed significant bravery and compassion. "I am confident that the action police took prevented patrons at the hotel from being harmed or possibly murdered." Mr Prior said the officers had not been stood down. Police have confirmed the Ethical Standards Command is investigating the incident with oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said he felt "a huge degree of remorse for everyone involved". "I think it's important that that investigation is enabled to do its job and we should allow that to run its course," he said. "These things are never easy things for anyone involved." It is the second time police have shot a person in the city this year. Police shot a 23-year-old man who was reportedly suffering a mental health episode on January 28. Mr Prior said he was concerned there was not enough support available for people suffering mental health issues. "I would suggest Townsville has an issue when it comes to mental health and the level of care and perhaps substance abuse," he said. "I just hope investigators look at that. This has been a long standing issue in Townsville."
The Age
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Watchdog, public officials oppose bid to increase Qld police powers
The Crisafulli government is under pressure to allow an independent evaluation of Queensland's wanding laws before it gives police greater power to search people in public places. The LNP this month introduced legislative amendments that would make wanding, under Jack's Law, permanent, and remove various safeguards including the need for evidentiary and subjective tests before a location is authorised for searches. After parliament sent the amendments to a committee for consideration, several statutory authorities and other stakeholders criticised the LNP's bid to entrench and expand wanding powers without the independent evaluation recommended by a previous committee. Crime and Corruption Commission chairman Bruce Barbour – who has raised concern about an increase in complaints about police – told the committee the bill should include 'an independent, contemporary review of the expanded wanding trial' as was expected before late 2026. Victims Commissioner Beck O'Connor supported Jack's Law being made permanent, but also called for a review and the retention of existing safeguards. Loading 'Any erosion in public confidence and trust that police are exercising their powers fairly and in a non-discriminatory manner may also result in a decrease in reporting of other serious crime, which may ultimately impact upon the support received by those victims of crime,' she said. The Queensland Police Union not only supported the bill but called for it to go further. It said authorisation should not be required for wanding at major public places including South Bank, the Roma Street rail and parkland precinct, shopping centres and malls. Queensland Family and Child Commission chief Luke Twyford – who the government appointed to lead its review of the Blue Card system – called for a greater focus on prevention, rather than interventions that might lead to 'unintended consequences'.
Sydney Morning Herald
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Watchdog, public officials oppose bid to increase Qld police powers
The Crisafulli government is under pressure to allow an independent evaluation of Queensland's wanding laws before it gives police greater power to search people in public places. The LNP this month introduced legislative amendments that would make wanding, under Jack's Law, permanent, and remove various safeguards including the need for evidentiary and subjective tests before a location is authorised for searches. After parliament sent the amendments to a committee for consideration, several statutory authorities and other stakeholders criticised the LNP's bid to entrench and expand wanding powers without the independent evaluation recommended by a previous committee. Crime and Corruption Commission chairman Bruce Barbour – who has raised concern about an increase in complaints about police – told the committee the bill should include 'an independent, contemporary review of the expanded wanding trial' as was expected before late 2026. Victims Commissioner Beck O'Connor supported Jack's Law being made permanent, but also called for a review and the retention of existing safeguards. Loading 'Any erosion in public confidence and trust that police are exercising their powers fairly and in a non-discriminatory manner may also result in a decrease in reporting of other serious crime, which may ultimately impact upon the support received by those victims of crime,' she said. The Queensland Police Union not only supported the bill but called for it to go further. It said authorisation should not be required for wanding at major public places including South Bank, the Roma Street rail and parkland precinct, shopping centres and malls. Queensland Family and Child Commission chief Luke Twyford – who the government appointed to lead its review of the Blue Card system – called for a greater focus on prevention, rather than interventions that might lead to 'unintended consequences'.
