Member for Goulburn, Wendy Tuckerman, has condemned the NSW Labor Government over intended cuts to frontline police positions in the Hume Police District, and the relocation of administrative civilian staff at the Goulburn Police Academy to Western Sydney.
Mrs Tuckerman has been informed that four police positions are set to be removed from the Hume Police District – one each in Yass and Young, and two from the Southern Highlands – to another district.
Mrs Tuckerman said. “Everyone knows that crime is on the rise, yet the NSW Labor Government is choosing to pinch officers from the Hume District to plug holes elsewhere. It’s daylight robbery.”
“I worked extremely hard last term to secure 12 additional positions, the $25 million investment into the new Goulburn Police Station, as well as the $60 million investment into the Police Academy. Our Police are already stretched to the limit – they need resources and reinforcements, not reductions.
Shadow Minister for Police Paul Toole said “The loss of police jobs from the Hume Police District and Goulburn Police Academy is disgraceful and unacceptable. These cuts put community safety at risk and show a complete disregard for the needs of the region.
“Our officers deserve support — not cuts. The NSW Labor Government is stripping resources from frontline policing, ripping jobs out of the regions and the Minister for Police is once again nowhere to be seen.”
In a further blow to the region, Mrs Tuckerman also revealed the Labor Government is planning to cut 20 or more civilian administration jobs from the Goulburn Police Academy, as a result of the contract being changed from Charles Sturt to the University of Western Sydney.
“The civilian staff are still locals and entrenched in our community, their kids go to school here, their partners work here.
Mrs Tuckerman said these decisions formed part of a broader trend under the Labor Government: to hollow out regional services.
“Once the votes are counted and cameras are off the true nature of the Labor Party is revealed.
“This is just the latest chapter in Labor’s relentless rationalisation of public service jobs to Sydney and the reduction of services across the anywhere that’s not Sydney, Newcastle or Wollongong.
“Whether it’s Police, Ambulance, Local Land Services, Health or Service NSW, I keep hearing of positions being quietly dissolved – this Government is stripping away vital services from our community.
Mrs Tuckerman is calling on the Minns Labor Government to immediately reverse the planned Hume Police Position reallocations and Police Academy Job reductions.
WENDY TUCKERMAN 