Media Release

22 May 2020

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Labor has called for the Berejiklian Government to guarantee it will not cut police pay after Police Minister David Elliot refused to commit to a scheduled salary rise.

Labor Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Adam Searle said: “NSW Police have been doing an extraordinary job under tough circumstances during the COVID-19 crisis.

“But despite giving the NSW Police Commissioner an $87,000 pay rise, the Berejiklian Government now refuses to rule out slashing the wages of 17,111 police officers.

“The Berejiklian Government needs to categorically rule out any cut to the wages of NSW police officers. David Elliott should be standing up for our police force, rather than looking the other way while their wages are attacked.”

Mr Elliott’s refusal follows reports the Berejiklian Government is considering cuts to the wages of thousands of hard working public servants, who have done difficult work in extraordinary circumstances to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to keep our communities going.

“Labor will not support any attack on the wages of nurses and midwives, healthcare workers like paramedics and cleaners, or police and teachers. These workers deserve a medal, not a pay cut” — Adam Searle MLC, Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations

Mr Elliott’s refusal to stand up for police officers’ wages came during the Upper House’s Public Accountability Committee hearing on the Berejiklian Government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.