February 2000 Volume 81 Number 2
"serving the protectors"
| February 2000 Volume 81 Number 2 "serving the protectors" |
|
| |
Police officers across Australia will be financially penalized by the Howard Government’s fringe benefits tax legislation. As reported in the Police Journal last month (Police to Suffer Under New Fringe Benefits Tax Legislation), police housing and unmarked vehicles are the areas of greatest concern to the Police Federation of Australia.
The PFA is committed to the achievement of an exemption for police, such as that won by Australian military personnel from the FBT on allowances paid for Defence Force housing.
I have written to Prime Minster Howard requesting a meeting, in which to explain police concerns and seek agreement on an exemption.
4 January 2000
The Hon John Howard MP
Prime Minister of Australia
Suite MG8
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Dear Prime MinisterRe: Consequences for police officers resulting from provisions of (Fringe Benefits Reporting) Act 1998
I write to seek a meeting with you to outline both the concerns we have, and the consequences we foresee resulting from the impact the provisions of the (Fringe Benefits Reporting) Act 1998 will have on policing throughout Australia.
The unfortunate consequences of this legislation will impact on police housing, relocation costs and use of unmarked police vehicles.
Individual police officers will suffer significant financial loss as a consequence of this legislation. This loss will occur as a result of a direction by their employer - the Commissioners’ of Police - to serve in regional areas of Australia and use unmarked police vehicles.
The introduction of the new provisions will create a significant disincentive for police to serve in regional Australia. This will impact negatively on regional communities.
Of further concern is that, due to the resultant personal financial loss, police will be reluctant to use unmarked vehicles for immediate after-hours response. This situation would obviously not be in the public interest.
A formal submission regarding this issue was handed to the Treasurer’s office on 24 November 1999.
The Police Federation of Australia represents all 42,000 sworn police officers in Australia. It is committed to protecting individual police officers from unfair and what appears to be unintended consequences of the FBT legislation on essential police facilities such as dedicated police housing and “duty-only” police vehicles.
I enclose a copy of our submission to Treasury of 24 November 1999 and press release of 22 November 1999 for your information.
The Police Federation seeks a meeting at your earliest convenience and urges your Government to give serious consideration to an exemption for police officers from the provisions of the Act in the circumstances outlined.
Yours faithfully
PETER ALEXANDER
President
Police Federation of Australia
|
||||||||||
|
The Police Journal Online is an
official publication of the Police Association of South Australia and is
published monthly. Editors of kindred publications can seek permission from the Editor to re-publish any Police Journal Online article. Copyright 1999 The Police Association of South Australia sustance |
