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Police Amendment (Police Promotions) Bill 2013

I speak in support of the Police Amendment (Police Promotions) Bill 2013, which better enables the NSW Police Force to recognise and reward talented officers for senior promotion. Every day of the week in Hornsby I see the great work of the fine men and women who serve our community in the NSW Police Force.

I saw no greater example of their commitment to our community than their response to an incident over the Christmas holidays. All members were saddened by the tragic death of one of my constituents, Daniel Christie, who suffered a king hit on New Year's Eve. He was just going about his business doing what any citizen, particularly any young citizen, of this State should be entitled to do, that is, enjoy a night on the town without the fear that some thug will knock him down in a gratuitous, disgraceful and cowardly attack.

So often we see examples in Australia where the worst that can happen brings out the best in people. This was no more evident than in the case of Daniel, a beautiful young man cut down in the prime of his life. However, there was a tremendous community response and leading that response was the NSW Police Force, which was there every step of the way for Daniel's family. From the time that young Daniel was hit to the time his respirator was turned off the police were there, standing shoulder to shoulder with Daniel's family, who should have been doing anything but grieving for their beautiful son. I can attest firsthand to the amazing work of the NSW Police Force.

I take this opportunity to pay my respect and express my gratitude to the extraordinary work of Kuring-Gai Local Area Commander Jeff Philippi. It is with great regret that I learned in January that Jeff will no longer be serving our community as he has been moved to Mount Druitt Local Area Command, but our loss is Mount Druitt's gain. Jeff is a remarkable public servant and a remarkable human being. I wish him all the best in his new role at Mount Druitt. I know he will continue his service to the people of that community with the utmost distinction and professionalism that he has shown to my community.

Another outstanding public servant and policeman is the current acting Kuring-Gai Local Area Commander, Inspector Colin Lott, whom I first met when I was elected. As a green member of Parliament—I mean new, not Greens—it was wonderful to have someone of his experience, professionalism and compassion to help me understand the way the local area command works, interacts and supports the community. I place on record my deep gratitude to Col for his personal support and thank him on behalf of a grateful community, which has benefited greatly from this outstanding man's public service.

Talking about outstanding public service reminds me that the bill before the House ensures highly trained officers like Col and Jeff reach their potential and are promoted to the jobs best suited to their individual skills and abilities. I firmly believe that the reforms to this outdated promotions system will help improve the ability of the NSW Police Force to fill promotional positions while ensuring integrity, transparency and equity. I know that those who serve on the thin blue line are some of the most outstanding individuals in this State and country and all members know only too well the remarkable work they do. However, we want a promotions system that will help the NSW Police Force fill promotional positions while ensuring integrity, transparency and equity.

In 2006 legislation was established for a new promotions system for police officers, with the exception of constables and executive officers. The system was established because of well-documented problems with the previous promotions system where officers applied for and were promoted to specific positions. Under the present promotions model officers prove their readiness to promotion to a rank rather than a position. Reforms in this bill arose out of a review of the promotions system by the Hon. Lance Wright, QC, former President of the Industrial Relations Commission. The review was required by clause 137 of the Police Regulation 2008. The review found that the system was generally working and the central concepts of the promotions system should be retained. It also made a number of recommendations to improve the system. The Government accepted the majority of the recommendations from the review, although the Government has supported several alternative proposals.

The reforms arising from the review are implemented by this bill as well as through changes to the Police Regulation 2008 and through administrative changes being implemented by the NSW Police Force. The bill will give officers greater flexibility to be provisionally appointed to certain unfilled specialist positions with an interview or merit selection process. During this time the officer will be given time to perform at this new rank and after a minimum of two years will be given the opportunity for permanent appointment. This is a great opportunity for all those yet to hold the required qualifications for a new senior role.

Other advantages of the bill include an additional interview and selection committee process for superintendent positions to better enable the commissioner to select the right officer. Senior sergeant positions will be removed from the promotions system; an expression of interest process will be implemented to fill those positions. We should support a system that encourages outstanding individuals such as Superintendent Jeff Philippi to be promoted and to lead local area commands. That is why I support the bill. The bill will enable the commissioner to suspend or remove a person from the promotions list or promotions process on integrity grounds and to consider whether the integrity information was an issue previously considered.

The more significant changes to the Police Regulation 2008 will allow officers to be suspended from a promotions list for up to three months if they have put their hand up for a position and have been offered the position but subsequently refused the offer without reasonable grounds; increase required time at the rank of inspector and superintendent from two years to three years; and ensure officers have a more recent on-the-job management performance review score. I remind the House that clause 137 of the Police Regulation 2008 required a review of the police promotions system, which was introduced in 2006. That regulation stipulates that the current promotions system be endorsed with some changes. The Government has now made the necessary changes to improve the regulation that the police promotions system can better identify and fill managerial positions with the best qualified police officers.

As members, we should all strive to have the best qualified people appointed to those roles. I see every day in my community the outstanding work of the NSW Police Force and I take this opportunity to thank them for their remarkable service. Often the police are all that stands between us and those who seek to put us in harm's way. We must show our utmost respect to the police by giving them the powers and support they need to do their job and letting them know we are grateful for their wonderful service to our communities. I take this opportunity also to remind the House that under Premier Barry O'Farrell and the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Mike Gallacher, our police have been given that support through additional police powers to help with their role in our communities. I commend the Minister for Police and Emergency Services for standing up for police and supporting communities.

Dr Geoff Lee: And the Parliamentary Secretary.

Mr MATT KEAN: And the Parliamentary Secretary for Police and Emergency Services, who is at the table. The Government is committed to supporting and protecting police by giving them the powers they need to keep our communities safe. It is committed to ensuring that when families like the Christie family are put in harm's way they are given the support and protection that every citizen in New South Wales deserves.