Victorian police officers have threatened an indefinite suspension of on-the-spot traffic fines as the force escalates its long-running industrial action.
Police union boss Wayne Gatt told ABC Radio Melbourne that members of The Police Association Victoria (TPAV) would continue to pull over offending drivers but would only issue a penalty notice if it was to result in a licence suspension or disqualification.
“They are the serious sort of offences that would lead to road trauma,” Gatt, TPAV’s secretary, told the ABC on Friday.
He said the action was necessary because remained “very unchanged”.
“We’ll deny the government consolidated revenue in these low-level cases,” he said.
Gatt said, “How long is a piece of string?” when asked how long this element of industrial action could continue. He said the duration would be dictated by how Premier Jacinta Allan and Chief Police Commissioner Shane Patton respond.
“They are the ones that can come back to our members with a revised offer,” he said. “They ultimately control the ‘how long’ question.”
TPAV members are also set to drop voluntary work from next Wednesday.
That means they won’t patrol major and local community events, including the AFL Grand Final.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman told the Herald Sun newspaper on Wednesday there would be enough frontline police to keep the community safe amid the industrial dispute.
Police want a 24 per cent pay rise over the next four years and the introduction of 8.5 hour shifts.
They have already rejected an offer for a nine-day fortnight and a 16 per cent pay rise.
“We remain committed to good faith negotiations with the Police Association Victoria and independent bargaining representatives to secure an agreement that recognises the challenges of policing and is fair for police, protective services officers and the Victorian community,” the Victoria Police spokeswoman told the Herald Sun.
