The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) welcomes the announcement by ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA of the appointment of Dr Marisa Paterson MLA as the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services and Minister Tara Cheyne MLA as the Attorney-General.
AFPA President Alex Caruana said that the appointment of Dr Paterson as the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services is well deserved and is looking forward to many discussions about ACT Policing and its members.
“Minister Paterson has a proven record of consultation and engagement, and I hope this continues with her elevation to a ministerial role. We have confidence that Minister Paterson will do a good job and bring new perspectives and ideas to the justice environment. Through Minister Paterson’s time on the backbench and her previous role on the Justice and Community Safety Committee, she will have a firm grounding and understanding of issues faced by ACT Policing, its members, and the community regarding policing.
“It will also be beneficial to have the same minister oversee both the police and corrections. Recidivism offending and restorative pathways require a lot of discussion and work, and having a single point of responsibility could help make the connections to improve outcomes for those in and coming out of detention while lowering recidivism offending.
“Minister Paterson will have a busy four years that will shape ACT Policing’s future. Some commitments made before the election, such as a new headquarters for ACT Policing and new police stations in the City and Molonglo Valley, need to be explored, developed and fulfilled. A decision needs to be made on the ACT Policing Watch House and its future, and there will always be ongoing discussions of police numbers while the ACT remains the lowest number of officers per 100,000 population in Australia,” Mr Caruana said.
The AFPA also supports the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence aligning with Minister Paterson’s portfolio responsibilities.
AFPA President Alex Caruana said that the role of Attorney-General is incredibly important and welcomes Minister Cheyne to the justice environment.
“The role of Attorney-General is challenging, and Minister Cheyne is more than capable in this position. We will look on with interest to see how compatible being the Minister for Human Rights and the Attorney-General is as some challenging decisions that involve law and human rights will need to be made.
“We look forward to engaging with the Attorney-General and her office. We still have concerns regarding bail and sentencing, and we would also like to explore new laws, such as firearm prohibition orders.” Mr Caruana said.
For comments:
AFPA Media and Government Relations Manager Troy Roberts – (02) 6285 1677 – troy.r@afpa.org.au
The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) welcomes the announcement by ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA of the appointment of Dr Marisa Paterson MLA as the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services and Minister Tara Cheyne MLA as the Attorney-General.
AFPA President Alex Caruana said that the appointment of Dr Paterson as the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services is well deserved and is looking forward to many discussions about ACT Policing and its members.
“Minister Paterson has a proven record of consultation and engagement, and I hope this continues with her elevation to a ministerial role. We have confidence that Minister Paterson will do a good job and bring new perspectives and ideas to the justice environment. Through Minister Paterson’s time on the backbench and her previous role on the Justice and Community Safety Committee, she will have a firm grounding and understanding of issues faced by ACT Policing, its members, and the community regarding policing.
“It will also be beneficial to have the same minister oversee both the police and corrections. Recidivism offending and restorative pathways require a lot of discussion and work, and having a single point of responsibility could help make the connections to improve outcomes for those in and coming out of detention while lowering recidivism offending.
“Minister Paterson will have a busy four years that will shape ACT Policing’s future. Some commitments made before the election, such as a new headquarters for ACT Policing and new police stations in the City and Molonglo Valley, need to be explored, developed and fulfilled. A decision needs to be made on the ACT Policing Watch House and its future, and there will always be ongoing discussions of police numbers while the ACT remains the lowest number of officers per 100,000 population in Australia,” Mr Caruana said.
The AFPA also supports the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence aligning with Minister Paterson’s portfolio responsibilities.
AFPA President Alex Caruana said that the role of Attorney-General is incredibly important and welcomes Minister Cheyne to the justice environment.
“The role of Attorney-General is challenging, and Minister Cheyne is more than capable in this position. We will look on with interest to see how compatible being the Minister for Human Rights and the Attorney-General is as some challenging decisions that involve law and human rights will need to be made.
“We look forward to engaging with the Attorney-General and her office. We still have concerns regarding bail and sentencing, and we would also like to explore new laws, such as firearm prohibition orders.” Mr Caruana said.
For comments:
AFPA Media and Government Relations Manager Troy Roberts – (02) 6285 1677 – troy.r@afpa.org.au
