Police Minister stokes crime fears in public service wage fight

POLICE Minister Michael Ferguson says work bans by the public sector union make Tasmania less safe and allows crooks to get off scot-free.

Police Minister Michael Ferguson. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

POLICE Minister Michael Ferguson says work bans by the public sector union make Tasmania less safe and allows crooks to get off scot-free.

The Minister has hit out at the “outrageous” action by members of the Community and Public Sector Union as part of their escalating pay dispute with the State Government.

The union has denied the safety of any Tasmanians will be affected by the industrial action.

Union members at Forensic Science Service Tasmania have been authorised to withhold from police forensic volume crime reports for minor offences, including theft, motor vehicle theft and burglary. The ban affects the DNA analysis that links offenders to the scene of property crimes.

Mr Ferguson said it could see up to 15 criminals unable to be pursued by police each week.

“Unions are going as far as preventing criminals from being caught to try and get more from taxpayers,” he said.

“It’s outrageous to think criminals are out there getting away with crimes because the union bosses are instructing Forensic Science Service Tasmania staff to not release DNA testing analysis which assists police to solve crimes.

“This is what the staff are employed to do.”

Mr Ferguson said the victims of crime would suffer the most from these “inappropriate union tactics”.

He said the Government’s offer of a 6 per cent pay rise over three years was fair and affordable for taxpayers.

“It allows us to invest in essential services and employ 250 more teachers and 1300 more health staff over the next six years,” he said.

CPSU general secretary Tom Lynch said specific data would still be available if requested by Tasmania Police.

For example, if there was a spate of break-ins that occurred in a particular area then police could request that data, he said.

“Our members go to work every day to serve Tasmanians and they will not be doing anything that puts the safety of Tasmanians at risk,” he said.

He said the Minister, by attacking union bosses, failed to understand members joined them willingly and suggested what actions would be effective before they were authorised by the union.

Mr Lynch said the industrial actions would continue until the Government starts bargaining in good faith and relents on its 2 per cent cap on wage increases.

He said the union’s action would create a backlog of data for Tasmania Police to process, but it was up to the Government as to what the size of the backlog would be.

The Government said the work ban had the “real potential” to increase crime rates across the state.