Kellie Sloane
Leader of the Opposition
NSW Liberal Leader
SPEECH
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
I want to begin by first saying, thank you.
Thank you for your service to our communities – for the days that test you – physically and mentally – for your patience – and for the times – too often – when your job can feel like a grind.
And thank you too – to your families. For the concern they carry. For the unusual hours you work. For the unique pressures this places on you – and of course the risks.
As the Member of Parliament, representing Bondi, I saw firsthand the courage, professionalism and sacrifice of NSW Police up close last December.
I remember the panic of the scene, - the sheer scale of that attack ...
When I raced in my iPhone camera was rolling – I didn't realise I had the vision until days later - smashed windows - bullet casings .. people on the ground... and in the background – police racing in – guns drawn. Into an uncertain and uncontained scene. That iPhone footage now part of the evidence -
I saw officers administering first aid – before the ambulances had arrived. Containing the scene. Looking for further threats. Supporting their injured colleagues.
Honestly I don't know how your training could ever prepare you for being immersed in trauma of that scale.
No matter whether an officer has been in the job two days or twenty years, in a moment your training can be tested, but deeper than that your character can be called upon.
I want to take a moment to acknowledge, Constable Scott Dyson and Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert.
Jack and Scott were among the first to respond that day. They protected my community. They put their life on the line to save others. They did their duty.
For my local community, it is not the first time in recent memory we have been reminded of the character of NSW Police.
I think of Inspector Amy Scott, and her heroism at Bondi Junction.
And I also acknowledge her colleagues. Part of our local police family.
The stabbings at Bondi Junction and the terrorist attack at Bondi may stand as an enduring reminder to the NSW public of the character and courage of our police, but they are just part of the story.
I know from listening to officers around this state that the job you do has never been harder or filled with more complexity.
For every moment of heroism the public sees, there are countless hours of quiet service.
Doing the tasks that no one is going to thank you for, but without them our society would fall apart.
THE CHALLENGES FACING NSW POLICE
Let’s be honest, the job you do for the people of NSW has become more difficult, and we must be up front about the challenges officers are facing.
Last year, I had the opportunity to take part in the Behind the Blue Program, which gave me an opportunity to learn more about the work officers do every day. It is a credit to NSW Police that they run this program for leaders in our state.
I got to be involved in a variety of training scenarios, including taser and firearms training. Proud to say I was one of only two participants to take down my pretend attacker ...
it gave us all some insight into the split-second decisions you have to make.. Decisions you know you’ll be judged for...
But what was most important from that training was the evening I spent on patrol in Mount Druitt with two officers.
What was clear from speaking with them that night and having conversations with officers around the state is how more and more you are on the frontline acting as a bandaid for system shortfalls from other departments.
You’re expected to be mental health clinicians, youth workers, social workers – babysitters for corrections on hospital visits.
All while facing more criticism, more oversight and more paperwork.
We’ve seen that sort of criticism you cop once again earlier this year from professional protestors.
These people who stupidly think society would be safer without police, who hurl vile abuse or worse at our officers for doing their jobs.
Who love to lodge frivolous complaints, which takes up time and distracts officers.
It is not enough for us to cheer our police in heroic moments, we have to publicly support you when the voices of criticism come raining down.
You deserve leaders that stand with you in good and bad.
I want officers doing what they do best, not stuck behind a desk filling in paperwork.
I have heard too many stories of officers who come in on their day off just to get paperwork finished.
This is not acceptable. That is time away from your family, from your rest and from life.
I give a commitment to you today; it will be a focus of mine to work with you and the Police Association on how we better utilise technology to ease administrative workloads on officers.
I will never allow a situation where AI is replacing the jobs of frontline public servants in this state. But we must invest in opportunities to use it where it can ensure your focus remains on what matters, keeping people safe.
Another area that officers tell me has been a growing concern for a number of years is the number of mental health related incidents you are being tasked with responding to.
We know that in mental health situations that are nonviolent and where no weapon is involved the presence of police can be an escalating factor.
This is why NSW Police looked into the Right Care, Right Person model in the UK.
It is beyond time that we had a concrete response from the Government on this. Officers are plugging too many gaps in a mental health system that is in crisis... that is not your job.
It is not fair on officers that they are expected to attend more and more of these call outs, and it is not fair on people living with mental illnesses who are often agitated by a police presence.
Mental Health responses need to be health led not police led.
RECRUITMENT AND RETAINMENT
We also must focus on how we better recruit and retain officers.
Since 2019, frontline police numbers have fallen by 14% in NSW.
There are now just 176 police officers for every 100,000 people in New South Wales, down from 205 in 2019, despite the state’s population continuing to grow.
This only makes your job harder.
You are stretched further than ever before.
Officers have told me that too often it feels like one shift runs into another.
Many of you are burnt out.
You’ve seen too many of your colleagues leave the job. Good officers, taking years of experience with them.
We have to turn the ship around.
Not only to just rebuild the strength we have lost in recent years, but for too long NSW has lagged at the back of the pack when it comes to police numbers compared to other states.
That is not good enough.
We already know NSW has the best police force in the country, but we have to match that reality with strength of numbers.
A future NSW Liberal and Nationals Government will be serious about building a police workforce that is resourced for the challenges ahead.
A STRONG TEAM
Building a strong team to support you to tackle these challenges is something I have been focused on since becoming Opposition Leader.
It is why I made two key decisions early on.
Firstly, I decided to appoint, Anthony Roberts as Shadow Police Minister.
For any of you who know Robbo, you know that he is a no-nonsense politician.
He is the current longest serving member of the NSW Parliament.
An experienced senior Minister in Government, serving previously in Corrections and Counterterrorism.
He is a champion for you.
Secondly, I made the decision to approach former Deputy Police Commission, Mick Willing to join my team.
I believed that Mick had more to offer to public life.
He has spent his life serving the NSW community, including 32 years as a police officer.
Mick is a man of integrity, and I wanted him on my team, contributing to public policy in this state.
Over the coming months, my team and I will continue to listen to and work with the Police Association and officers throughout this state as we design the policies we will take to the election.
We ask a lot of the men and women of NSW Police who go to work every day to serve our state and keep us safe.
Kevin said you hear a lot of words of praise, and I have added to those words today.
So let me just say this in finishing.
As Opposition Leader, I will always back you, listen to you and work with you, but more than that, I am prepared to act on the things you need done to ensure NSW is the safest state in country.
To every officer here today, and to your families, thank you for your service.