The Rockliff-Ferguson Government is doing the bare minimum to
understand why so many of Tasmania’s frontline first responders are unable to
work, with the shocking number of police officers forced off the job revealed
today.
Police Minister Jacquie Petrusma has confirmed almost 10 per
cent of the entire Tasmanian police force is receiving workers compensation
after taking leave for either psychological or physical injury.
Additionally, 4.2 per cent of the total police workforce is
totally incapacitated.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Mrs Petrusma have a mountain of
evidence before them to show that Tasmania’s frontline responders are beyond
breaking point but they have failed to do the work to understand the reasons
why.
These are the frontline responders we ask to walk toward danger
and the Liberal Government need to be ensuring they are supported.
At the same time
as almost one tenth of the police force has been forced to take leave due to
the frontline pressure, the
Rockliff-Ferguson Government has done nothing to address pressures faced by
others, outlined in the resilience scan of Ambulance Tasmania staff undertaken
in 2021.
Three
years ago a Federal Senate Inquiry into the mental health of first responders
released 14 recommendations but only a few have been implemented by the
government.
It’s beyond time for Mrs Petrusma and Mr Rockliff to understand the important job first responders undertake and work to keep them safe.
| Michelle O’Byrne MP Shadow Police, Fire and Emergency Management Minister |
