The government and the NT Police executive need to take urgent action to protect police officers following a series of threatening incidents involving vehicles being used to ram police cars and driving directly at officers, the union representing NT Police officers said, adding they fear it is “only a matter of time before an officer is killed”.
The call comes as Chief Minister and Police Minister Lia Finocchiaro is on undefined leave, with her office repeatedly refusing to disclose when she is due back on the job.
In the Northern Territory, we have Australian Federal Police Officers who are based and work in the Northern Territory who are covered by the Fair Work Act (Cth) and their enterprise agreements are approved by and dealt with and lodged in the Fair Work Commission.
In the Northern Territory, we have Northern Territory Police Officers who are based and work in the Northern Territory who are not covered by the Fair Work Act (Cth) and their Northern Territory Police Force Consent Agreement is not lodged in the Fair Work Commission, but is lodged in the Northern Territory Police Arbitral Tribunal.
Is it not time to ensure that all Northern Territory Police Officers are covered by the Fair Work Act (Cth) and that their enterprise agreements are also approved by and dealt with and lodged in the Fair Work Commission.
Why is the NT Police Association not calling for the Northern Territory Parliament to abolish the Northern Territory Police Arbitral Tribunal so that Northern Territory Police Officers’ employment matters can also be dealt with the Fair Work Commission as is the case with Australian Federal Police Officers?