The TWU have received stacks of calls from bus drivers and security officers about the Liberal Government's move to introduce heavy penalties for those convicted of assaulting police officers.

At the most recent meeting of the Public Transport Safety Committee we asked if bus drivers and security staff were to be included in this legislation. There had been a lot of publicity from the ambulance officers and nurses demanding that as public officers they should be treated the same.

Those members who called me argued that they should also be covered by the tougher provisions.

The chair of the PTSC stated that the W.A. Police were not the ones who could make changes to any legislation. But he certainly understood the outcry from those
concerned. He also stated that Bus Drivers and Security Staff were indeed still regarded as Public Officers for the purposes of prosecuting offenders who commit assaults etc.

However the new legislation was attempting to bring about MANDATORY SENTENCES for those who assault Police Officers.

So we are still Public Officers - but will not be covered by Mandatory Sentencing.

We will most certainly keep voicing strong opinions on this one.