Mike Gallacher
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Shadow Minister for Police, Shadow Minister for the Hunter
Shadow Minister for Police Mike Gallacher today said the NSW Highway Patrol is so under resourced that it is struggling to meet its commitments to patrol NSW roads.
“The Iemma Labor Government has slashed Police resources to the point where NSW no longer has an adequate Highway Patrol,” Mr Gallacher said.
Documents obtained by the Liberal/Nationals Coalition reveal there are so few Highway Patrol Officers now available that it is increasingly impossible for these officers to protect motorists.
“Highway Patrol Officers right across NSW are being pulled from the road and are being forced to pick up the shortfall in General Duties,” Mr Gallacher said.
ReplyDelete“Tuggerah Lakes is a typical example of what is happening right across NSW and it is alarming to see fatalities occurring in areas without an adequate Highway Patrol presence,” Mr Gallacher said.
The Liberal/Nationals Coalition can reveal on:
• 20 February 2006: 1 fatality. There were only 2 Highway Patrol Officers on duty at the time of the accident.
• 4 March 2006: 1 fatality. There were only 2 Highway Patrol Officers on duty at the time of the accident.
• 8 March 2006: 2 fatalities. There were only 3 Highway Patrol Officers on duty at the time of the accident.
• 11 April 2006: 2 fatalities. There were only 4 Highway Patrol Officers were on duty at the time of the accident.
• 22 April 2006: 2 fatalities. There were only 3 Highway Patrol Officers were on duty at the time of the accident.
“The officers that work the Highway do a fantastic job but they are being let down by a Government that has failed to invest and care about Highway Patrol.
“The role that Highway Patrol plays in road safety, as well as first response to emergencies, is inherent to community safety and cannot be compromised in any way,” Mr Gallacher concluded.
This is ridiculous coming from Gallacher who is a former Police Union Official.
ReplyDeleteHe only cares about Police Officers, and not about the millions of NSW citizens that they are supposed to serve.
Apparently, in 2006, he could care for NSW people too.
ReplyDelete