DR ANNE ALY MP

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR COWAN

STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA

TUESDAY, 21 MARCH 2017

I rise today in defence of the hundreds of Australian Federal Police and their families who face a 35 per cent wage cut under this government. While I know that these dedicated men and women will not compromise their high standards of work in what they do in their every day in the face of these cuts, I also know that you cannot talk tough on issues of crime, security and terrorism while, at the same time, devaluing the very work that those on the front line do to keep our communities safe.

I have personally worked with the AFP and I know firsthand just how dedicated they are. I am particularly concerned by this government's blatant disregard for them and their blatant disregard for the well-being and the standards of living for the people who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. The Australian Federal Police are the people who keep us safe from drugs and from terrorism; yet, the government is prepared to cut their pay by $100 million—10 per cent of their budget in wages—while, at the same time, giving a $50 billion tax break to be big end of town.

This government says it has an economic plan, but so far all the Australian people have seen is a protracted campaign of cuts to standard of living and take-home pay, whether it is in the form of penalty rates or, in this case, outright cuts to wages.