Victoria’s top cop Shane Patton to fight against better conditions for police in Federal Court

The fight for better pay and working conditions for police officers has been taken to the Federal Court where the chief commissioner will face off with the police union.

After months of strikes and industrial action over an ugly pay dispute between police and the government, Victoria’s top cop will face off with representatives of the rank and file in the Federal Court.

Lawyers for Chief Commissioner Shane Patton and the Police Federation of Australia appeared in the Federal Court on December 20 to agree on a date for the upcoming legal battle.

On Friday, Justice Shaun McElwaine said it was “easier (to be in court) than to continue playing email tag”.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton will take the Victoria Police pay dispute the Federal Court. Picture: David Caird

The court heard two days were put aside for the dispute in June next year.

Police officers across the state walked off the job throughout November, demanding a six per cent pay rise and better working conditions, with some officers saying their stations run at “under half” as a result of staff shortages.

The staged protests marked the first time Victoria Police officers had walked off the job in a quarter of a century.

The pay dispute comes amid a surge in vacancies across the police force.

The matter will return to the Federal Court on June 10 in 2025 and is set to last for two days.

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