SYKES SUPPORTS EMERGENCY SERVICES SUPER

Protection of the superannuation entitlements of Police, Ambulance Officers, fire fighters and SES staff was the key intent of Nationals Spokesperson for Police & Emergency Services, Bill Sykes, during debate on the issue in State Parliament this week.

Dr Sykes said, “Police and other emergency services workers were extremely concerned that their entitlements were at risk when the Victorian Government proposed to merge their Essential Services Superannuation Fund with the Government Superannuation Office, in the interests of improved administrative efficiency.

“They simply don’t trust the Bracks Government and so the Police, Ambulance, Fire Unions mounted an aggressive campaign to protect member’s superannuation entitlements.”

Dr Sykes continued, “I and my Nationals colleagues strongly supported the Police, CFA, Ambos and SES on this issue as we fully appreciate the highly stressful and dangerous nature of their work.

“Generous superannuation entitlements give them peace of mind that their family will be financially secure in the event of the death of an emergency service member.”

Dr Sykes said in Parliament, “Look at Police, who would be a copper? On a day-to-day basis they get caught up in domestic and other incidents that are often violent and are often fuelled by drugs and alcohol, and therefore the unpredictability of the people they are dealing with means it is just not possible to work out what is going to happen other than to know that at every moment their life is at risk. They deal with gangland thugs who see life as very cheap. There are no concerns about removing someone from this planet if it suits the objects of the gangland thugs. It does not matter if the occasional bit of collateral damage is done and an innocent bystander or two or a uniformed Policeman is taken out along the way.”

“Ambulance officers are also at the front line. Who would swap jobs with Ambos who are required to remove bodies in vehicles as a result of the horrific crashes that sometimes happen on our roads? There are bodies of young people, babies, friends and, unfortunately sometimes family members.

Dr Sykes concluded, “The Nationals are satisfied that the entitlements of our Police, Ambos, fire fighters and SES staff have been protected as a result of strong representation by their unions and the political support of The Nationals.

“I will keep an eye on the Government to make sure that they honour their commitments to our emergency services workers whose efforts are appreciated by all of us.”

Media contact: Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100 or 0427 624 989