Emergency services assaults in spotlight

Violence against emergency services workers will be the focus of a NSW Legislative Assembly Law and Safety Committee inquiry, Tweed MP Geoff Provest said.

Tweed MP Geoff Provest. Picture: Liana Turner

VIOLENCE against emergency services workers will be the focus of a NSW Legislative Assembly Law and Safety Committee inquiry, Tweed MP Geoff Provest said.

Mr Provest, who chairs the committee, said the inquiry would look into the extent of the violence that plagued emergency service workers across the state.

“I am deeply concerned at reports that a number of serious assaults have taken place against NSW emergency services personnel in the line of duty,” Mr Provest said.

“These people perform invaluable work keeping our community safe and deserve to be treated with the utmost respect.”

The inquiry will assess the effectiveness of current sentencing, possible reform and the adequacy of internal policies and procedures, training and public education campaigns to protect emergency workers from violence.

Mr Provest hit back at reports he had “done nothing” for the $20,000 wage he got for chairing the committee, which had not run an inquiry in a year under his watch.

He said there was “a lot of work behind the scenes” before the inquiry was officially announced.

The committee had completed an inquiry for four consecutive years until 2014.

Submissions to the inquiry can me made until July 22.