Australian police and firefighters call for more support

BTN News
Thursday, 28 March 2024
Australia's front line airport firefighters and Australian Federal Police officers have slammed the abuse by public service bosses of a rigid bureaucratic employment policy designed for large departments, calling for common sense and voicing concerns for public safety. 

The show of unity comes as Australian airports struggle to meet international and domestic minimum safety standards for staff numbers, leaving firefighters fatigued and concerned for public safety. 

Negotiations between the Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) and AFP have been ongoing, but they say AFP appointees have sacrificed 'their minds and bodies' to protect Australia and its communities.  

It’s time for the government and AFP to recognise their hard-working employees, they say.
 
Wes Garrett, aviation secretary United Firefighters Union and Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana issued the following joint statement on behalf of firefighters and police officers.  
 
“First responders like firefighters and police tackle the most important and dangerous work in our society. 
 
“Our workplaces are the sites of catastrophic incidents and devastating events. In training and in high-risk critical incidents, firefighters will willingly run into burning aircraft to save life and minimise injury. Police officers risk their personal safety for public benefit, infiltrating and neutralising transnational organised crime networks. 
 
“These are high risk, highly specialised, security-sensitive jobs. The risk is owned by the firefighters and officers on the ground, their families and the public – not by mandarins behind desks signing off on ‘high risk scenarios’ at the flick of a pen.
 
“We want employment agreements that recognise this difference. Our safety – and public safety – depend on it."

Australian police and firefighters call for more support

BTN News
Thursday, 28 March 2024
Australia's front line airport firefighters and Australian Federal Police officers have slammed the abuse by public service bosses of a rigid bureaucratic employment policy designed for large departments, calling for common sense and voicing concerns for public safety. 

The show of unity comes as Australian airports struggle to meet international and domestic minimum safety standards for staff numbers, leaving firefighters fatigued and concerned for public safety. 

Negotiations between the Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) and AFP have been ongoing, but they say AFP appointees have sacrificed 'their minds and bodies' to protect Australia and its communities.  

It’s time for the government and AFP to recognise their hard-working employees, they say.
 
Wes Garrett, aviation secretary United Firefighters Union and Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana issued the following joint statement on behalf of firefighters and police officers.  
 
“First responders like firefighters and police tackle the most important and dangerous work in our society. 
 
“Our workplaces are the sites of catastrophic incidents and devastating events. In training and in high-risk critical incidents, firefighters will willingly run into burning aircraft to save life and minimise injury. Police officers risk their personal safety for public benefit, infiltrating and neutralising transnational organised crime networks. 
 
“These are high risk, highly specialised, security-sensitive jobs. The risk is owned by the firefighters and officers on the ground, their families and the public – not by mandarins behind desks signing off on ‘high risk scenarios’ at the flick of a pen.
 
“We want employment agreements that recognise this difference. Our safety – and public safety – depend on it."