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Friday, 05 December 2008
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Police can't afford to live in the areas they protect

11/10/2008 9:30:00 AM.  | Kelly Fedor
The campaign for better pay for police is being stepped up with revelations many can't afford to live in the communities they protect.

45 of 141 officers working in North Sydney live in areas like Lake Macquarie and west of Penrith.

Shadow Police Minister Mike Gallacher says the NSW State Government needs to give officers a pay rise comparable to the 10 per cent they've given ferry engineers.

“Today is an opportunity for them to step up to the plate.”

“We are going ot be sitting down and negotiating and let me tell you we are prepared to go higher than the 2.5 that’s currently on the table.”

Macquarie National News

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COMMENTS

Saturday, 11 October 2008

There are no dobt thousands upon thousands of people, the greater majority of those in employment I suspect that reside quite some distance from where they work, it being a fact of life and has been for many decades with peak hour traffic as evidence and a wise government should in the first place show what wage inequities have been over a period of years, decades even to illustrate who has fared porrly or otherwise in the longer term and if there is justification for larger increases.

Posted by: Neville Simms, Sydney

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Saturday, 11 October 2008

What a load of crap this story is. There is no difference between the prices of everything in Sydney compared to the Central Coast or Wollongong. They probably lived outside Sydney before they joined up. Cops get transfered, just because they live in the same place all the time doesnt mean they cant live in Sydney. Sure they may have a stressful job, but there are plenty of people who dont earn that much, Im sure thats stressful too. If you dont like the wage, do something else, simple.

Posted by: Crap , more crap, Sydney

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Saturday, 11 October 2008

Crap, perhaps the ferry engineers on darling harbour would be better suited policing your suburb, seeing they get double the salary of a Sen Police Officer. They could afford to live anywhere in Sydney and it wouldnt matter to them.

Posted by: susan lawe, gippsland

Saturday, 11 October 2008

Susan, I doubt the ferry engineers could police my suburb, there is no water. It would be too hard to get here. But then again, when you ring the cops they never turn up anyway, Except within 100 metres of Krispy Kreme. Regarding ferry engineers, Im no expert but I believe you would need around 6 - 8 years of university as it is an 'engineers' position. What do the police do to get their 'diploma of policing', its a few months at the academey isnt it.

Posted by: Crap , more crap, Sydney

Saturday, 11 October 2008

Crap you arent thinking correctly ferry engineers are very different to engineers that have uni degrees. here are what ferry engineers need to be one: A current class I (Motor) certificate of competency or Class 1 Certificate of Recognition or Class II Certificate of Validity or Class II certificate of recognition as issued by the Australian Maritime Safety, Authority Possess a current First Aid Certificate, Demonstrated ability to swim 50 metres (as issued by local swimming pool), Aust Citz

Posted by: Belinda Hummie, New lambton

Sunday, 12 October 2008

Belinda, are you serious? Is that really all they need to be a ferry engineer? I presumed that they were proper uni educated engineers like "crap" did! RS - to become a NSW police officer at a minimum you must hold an Associate Degree in Policing Practice (2yr course condensed into 1). However, many officers that want a long term career, chose to obtain either a Bachelor of Justice Studies (policing) or Bachelor of Policing. Often the older police who didn't need these quals now return to uni.

Posted by: Concerned Liberal, Minto

Sunday, 12 October 2008

As an aside, we had a public forum recently where several former Premiers spoke. Mike Ahern, the Nat who had the gumption to implement Fitzgerald's recommendation, revealed that Commissioner Terry Lewis had a novel way of inducting Qld cops. If they failed the entrance exam, they were in, and if they passed it, they did not get in.

Posted by: darren carrow, brisbane

Sunday, 12 October 2008

yep concerned liberal, i looked it up on their site. you can check if you like. train drivers earn similar money some even more if they work driver only in WA. and they have even less schooling. they have on the job training though. I did a 3 week school before i became an assistant train driver and i was on $24 an hr. the rate varies across states but it has risen since i left drivers get a hell of a lot more

Posted by: Belinda Hummie, New lambton

Sunday, 12 October 2008

CL: A 2 year course condensed into 1 just says it all doesn't it - so highly qualified! I am fully aware and that is my point you don't need specifics just a course to pass!! it means anyone who passes gets in!OKAY! What's difficult about that? - most do pass and the reason why you have the type of police officers posted in the local stations speaking to you without any skills whatsoever just that a 2 year course condensed into 1!GREAT SUMATION!And for other quals if you want to keep going then it's all carried out whilst on the job - so what's hard about that - others have to do the studies outside and in their own time!

Posted by: RS ****, Sydney

 

Saturday, 11 October 2008

its the same with alot of jobs susan. not just police. firemen, ambulance officers. they all have to travel to their jobs in sydney because they cannot afford to live there. especially on the north shore and northern beaches area. i doubt the ferry engineers could live there. people choose to live in those areas. we have to live according to what we can afford. not beyond our means.

Posted by: Belinda Hummie, New lambton

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Saturday, 11 October 2008

I am sure Police officers know all about living within their means, maybe they chose to live somewhere in sydney before real estate went mad.What a pity everyone hasnt lived within their means, we may not be in the financial crisis we see on our stock market now. The shadow minister bought the point up in relation to the pay rise the Police are asking for, he wasnt saying they shouldnt travel, neither was I. Maybe the ferry engineers deserve a 10% pay rise, hell why bother giving the cops a rise

Posted by: susan lawe, gippsland

 

Saturday, 11 October 2008

I guess if police don't want to commute then they either have to get into share accommodation or else quit the job eh? Sydney has always been a place of iniquity. It's not like it started last week. They should get more pay, but will taxpayers sign up to pay more tax to give them raises? Not without a fight at the polls. Aren't we a sad and sorry lot. We whinge but we don't want to pay for anything society needs. MAKE TAX DEDUCTIONS ILLEGAL!

Posted by: Archie Bolds, Philip Bay

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Saturday, 11 October 2008

Sorry crap, it is a little more involved than that. In actual fact NSW has some of the most highly educated Officers in the country since your inquiry into police corruption. Are you really asking me to believe a FERRY engineer has to have a uni degree? I see you dislike cops crap, so ill leave it there.You have all missed the point anyway,it is about their pay rise, they didnt say anything about where they live... the shadow minister did, in asking the state govt to grant them their pay rise

Posted by: susan lawe, gippsland

 

Saturday, 11 October 2008

i know police know how to live with in their means susan, thats why they dont live on the northern beaches. that was my point. they need the pay rise, just like the ambos and firefighters etc. it just goes on and on.

Posted by: Belinda Hummie, New lambton

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Saturday, 11 October 2008

Susue, "Maybe the ferry engineers deserve a 10% pay rise, hell why bother giving the cops a rise" is a bit like "and a wise government should in the first place show what wage inequities have been over a period of years," and you have already answered yourself "Are you really asking me to believe a FERRY engineer has to have a uni degree?" and now aren't you just beating yourself up a bit with "I see you dislike cops crap" but, why not drag out some figures on how many cops have uni degrees.

Posted by: Neville Simms, Sydney

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Sunday, 12 October 2008

Neville...FERRY "engineers" dont have uni degree's...go look it up its easy.

Posted by: susan lawe, gippsland

 

Saturday, 11 October 2008

There are no specific skills you require to become a police officer - anyone can do it - their main issue is passing the fitness tests and once they are over some become fat and lazy so what of it - yes it's a risky job but so is an electricians(many have years of study to show for it and continue to upgrade their skills)! their lives too are put at risk every day and they've not paid any danger money for it either!

Posted by: RS ****, Sydney

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Saturday, 11 October 2008

A good argument can be mounted for the police to provide bachelor quarters for those on duty. I understand that the North side doesn't struggle for officers as much as Redfern or Macquarrie fields .. but I think it is a serious issue.

Posted by: Happy Fun Ball, Carramar/Sydney

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Sunday, 12 October 2008

how many ferry engineer's are there,how many police officer's are there,,thousands of police and a handfull of engineer's so i guess it's cheap to keep the ferry union happy eh.the engineer's would think nothing of stopping work and stranding thousands of commuters but the police would never stop work leaving thousands of people unprotected ,maybe its time they did.

Posted by: Dennis S, syd

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Sunday, 12 October 2008

Oh Happy Chappy, wouldn't you at least want to have them out and about, even if it is picking up take away junk food in police cars for their presence is still there even if their focus is somewhere else for guess where they might just be more often than not with bachelor quarters, and then should we have all employers doing that for all employees, and suppose we should just have the taxpayer pay should we but only when we have enough building industry workers surplus eh!

Posted by: Neville Simms, Sydney

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Sunday, 12 October 2008

RS...you should try graduating from your Goulbourn Police Academy...see how many of the required modules you pass in...then try getting your diploma at Charles Sturt while your a provisional constable....they are also required to upgrade their skills ....the old days of "anyone can do it" in the Police Force are gone...you might get a surprise, in fact the fitnes test is the easy part.

Posted by: susan lawe, gippsland

Sunday, 12 October 2008

CL< thank you for posting the facts, I did state the NSW Police are the highest educated Police Force in Aust....I didnt bother posting about the Masters etc, because I know I would have been called a liar or something similar....nice to see some have factual information rather than old biases.

Posted by: susan lawe, gippsland

Sunday, 12 October 2008

Susan:No surprises and you really should read what I wrote - there are no specifics-the basic cop and I mean basic-just like any profession or trade everyone has to have some tertiary or university qualification to get selected-it's what you do with those studies once in and mature age are also accepted!the professional line up is when it requires a lot more quals and many do that while already in the job-however you be the judge-the basic cop should at least have communication and people skills which is one of the requirements-unfortunately MANY DO NOT! as for the criminal element in this profession but that's another story isn't it and those who think they are above the law!They are still PUBLIC SERVANTS!very little good ones left these days especially in NSW!It is not difficult to get in that was my point!It would make it a lot easier if you understood how to use that "Reply Button" - perhaps a good indicator that you wouldn't be accepted into the police force - sorry Susan you did

Posted by: RS ****, Sydney

Sunday, 12 October 2008

RS..I use the reply button available to me. if it isnt always under your name, I apologise. You still seem to think the "basic" cop doesnt have to have any education to graduate Goulborn RS, I am afraid you are wrong, they undertake high level studies and are required to pass them before they graduate.Many fail to graduate, and choose to sit them again. No I am not in the Police Force, but your nastiness is noted. All i said was it isnt as easy as it used to be. Thank you for your nasty sarcasm

Posted by: susan lawe, gippsland

Sunday, 12 October 2008

I began my comments on this page with the NSW Govt's inaction on a pay increase for Police, trying to make the point that ferry engineers have been granted a 10% rise, why not give the cops theirs. Unfortunalty, I see am one of a small few who actually appreciate our Police and the work they do...all over the country. As in every proffession there are a the few bad ones.

Posted by: susan lawe, gippsland

Sunday, 12 October 2008

Susan: The button doesn't have to be under the person's name-it's in the same section as the comments made by many including you to follow the same line of debate in the same section - only one button there-when you see the police in shopping centres here in NSW advertising to join the force it doesn't take many to realise it's not hard to get in-remember everyone is open to an opinion-mine stands-it's not difficult to get into the police force that was my point and only point however it takes some people a little longer to realise that!Sorry Susan if you feel it was nastiness look at your last comment and then make that call!There is also the difference of studies involved to specific individuals how they can join the force-so it does make it easier for some also.Too often people here jump to conclusions too often without looking at the whole picture!They are there to to a job and that is to serve the public and if they deserve a pay rise then so be it but we can't go around saying on

Posted by: RS ****, sydney

 

Sunday, 12 October 2008

from the NSW Police site: To become a NSW police officer There are 5 different training & education options. The full time Assc Deg Policing Practice requires 30 contact hrs/wk for Sess1 & 40 contact hrs/wk for Sess2. after studying the 1st sess you could be eligible for employment as a Probationary Constable with a starting salary of $50,000 pa (2008), fulltime. other uni courses go for an average of 3 years but you can check the web site out for more info, the wages go up accordingly

Posted by: Belinda Hummie, New lambton

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Tuesday, 14 October 2008

RS,I do use the reply button.I understand your point RS, I agree.I do however believe a pay rise isnt to much to ask, considering the govt can afford a 10% pay rise for ferry engineers...that was the crux of my posts.I am aware most proffessions today need qualifications, and I am very aware of the time spent, and cost of said studies.Last year only 280 of 470 graduated Goulborn.The reason they are in centres advertising for people to join is because they are leaving the force in their droves.

Posted by: susan lawe, gippsland

 
 

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