JUNE 2023
You can’t change the past, but you can change how you view it.
The fifth annual Run4Blue event was one to remember.
Our promise to members is that we will always do our best to deliver what you deserve.
THE MAGAZINE FOR THE
This year’s run4blue smashed goals and raised record numbers for WA Police Legacy.
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COVER Detective Sergeant Anthony Pymm. Photo: Jody D’Arcy. ABOVE Senior Constable Natalee Cunningham.
Academy Kristen Morrow
Air Wing John Gobbels
Armadale Gosnells Warren Dowbysch
Avon Jason Mora
Bunbury Australind Gareth Reed
Cannington Frank Anderson
Central Great Thomas Briscoe
Southern
Central Midlands Michael Paterson
Central West Coast Mick Gill
Commissioned Kim Travers
Officers
East Kimberley Rob Jonas-Green
Eastern Goldfields Fergus MacKinnon
Eastern Wheatbelt Adam Simmons
Financial Crimes Tash Lee
Fortescue Emily Gilbert
Fremantle Kylie Fleming
Gascoyne Chris Fox
Geraldton Pete Gerada
Great Southern Daniel Richmond
Intelligence Contact WAPU
Operations
Joondalup Jon Bailey
Leeuwin Naturaliste Lloyd Donohoe
Licensing David Taylor
Enforcement
Major Crime Greg Hart
Mandurah Harry Russell
Maylands Complex Todd White
Midland Mike Pearce
Midland Workshops Jeanette Maddison
Mirrabooka Adam Van Lierop
Multi Functional Andrew Henshaw
Police Facility MFPF (Vice President)
Murchison Max Walker
North Eastern Vacant
Goldfields
North Pilbara Vacant
Northern ROG Andrew Reid (Vice President)
PAO Property Lisa Little
Perth Bec Luetke-Brinkhaus
Perth Watch House Ryan Scott
Professional Stephen Perejmibida Standards (Vice President)
Prosecuting Sharon Cumbers
Rockingham Kwinana Dayna Rigoir
Serious & Ryan Barnes
Organised Crime (Vice President)
Sex Crimes Paul Smith
South East Eyre Vacant
Southern ROG Steve Kent
State Traffic Matt Hudson
Operations
Traffic Enforcement Lance Munckton
Group North
Traffic Enforcement Shane Wheeler
Group South
Upper Great Cheryl Bell
Southern
Water Police Craig Anderson
West Kimberley Cameron Outred
West Pilbara Sasa Dzaferovic
During many months, the Union has continued to press member’s claims for a new agreement. Whilst frustrated at the level of bureaucracy involved in the negotiation process, in conjunction with our public sector union brothers and sisters, pressure on the government caused them to adjust the diabolical wages policy that stood stagnant for five years. In fact, the government shifted their wages policy three times, unexpected but a welcome relief for all.
We have continued to negotiate with the agency and Government Sector Labour Relations. At the time of writing this, we are expecting a third offer from the Commissioner of Police. To say it has been a long process is an understatement.
If supported, this agreement being negotiated will expire in June 2024. When this process is concluded, we won’t be hesitating in commencing the work on the next agreement. The state election will not be far around the corner, so we will leverage this time to ensure policing gets a deserved piece of the pie.
I am pleased to confirm, resulting from extensive meetings with the Commissioner of Police, Mr Blanch and his Executive team, WA Police will commence paying on-call allowance based on their resourcing matrix, to our regional officers.
As we all know, on-call allowances are an entitlement within our current Industrial Agreement. However, WA Police have not previously been forthcoming in remunerating our officers for being available, instead relying on their goodwill when the community calls for our help.
I am pleased to confirm, resulting from extensive meetings with the Commissioner of Police, Mr Blanch and his Executive team, WA Police will commence paying on-call allowance based on their resourcing matrix, to our regional officers. This is an achievement that is well overdue and well earned by our people. It won’t satisfy everybody, but it is the start of what I expect to be expanded to more areas across the state.
At each of our Union Annual Conferences, a raft of motions are presented and carried with the intent of tackling the current agency tenure policy. Every year, those motions are presented to WA Police, and nothing progresses.
More recently, your union has been relentless in applying pressure to the agency to review the tenure policy. This has resulted in Mr Blanch and his team committing to dissecting it, seeking genuine feedback from our people, and implementing changes. It is a work in progress but for our people and we all know that changes won’t suit everyone. Let’s hope that it contributes to a reduction in attrition levels.
Recently, I have addressed several ongoing concerns our members are continuously facing on the frontline. Earlier this year I attended Parliament House and shared with Members of Parliament images of police car rammings, and the incident in Lake Clifton that left our member, First Class Constable Kaine Burgess with a fractured vertebra.
IN MY FIRST REPORT AS PRESIDENT, I can say the transition in the last 6 months has been very, very busy. I’m thankful we have an excellent team who punch well above their weight. I want to thank the staff at the office and our Board of Directors for their support thus far and I look forward to advocating for you, our members, and achieving the best results possible.
In 2022, 15 police officers had their car rammed by the driver of another car, and of those rammings, 11 suffered an injury. I don’t know whether mandatory sentencing laws are the cure, but I know that when those laws were introduced for assaulting a police officer in 2009, assaults fell by a third the following year.
In late January, Kaine suffered the injury when the driver of a Suzuki Vitara deliberately rammed the police vehicle of him and his partner whilst they were attending to a welfare job. The Union called on the State Government to make the act of ramming a police car a specific offence, attracting a mandatory term of imprisonment of three years, and ten years if the act involves a stolen car.
Following the incident, Kaine aged 34, has been on sick leave, unable to drive a car, and had to wear a full-body brace for months. Thankfully, Kaine is on the mend and will be back to full capacity soon, all going well. It highlights the dangers of policing, no matter the role, and needs to be recognised and acknowledged better by the government who rely on our members to protect the community.
In 2022, 15 police officers had their car rammed by the driver of another car, and of those rammings, 11 suffered an injury. I don’t know whether mandatory sentencing laws are the cure, but I know that when those laws were introduced for assaulting a police officer in 2009, assaults fell by a third the following year.
Mandatory sentencing clearly works and has a deterrent effect. We need ‘Kaine’s Law’.
I have addressed the dangers our officers face in evade police incidents in the media and with WA Police. Our officers are expected to stop offenders, whilst complying with a policy that can expose our people to criminal prosecution simply by doing their job.
With continued pressure on government and WA Police, the Commissioner of Police initiated an in-depth review of the agency’s Emergency Driving policy, and this is ongoing.
I continue to recommend that you not engage in evade police incidents, and although I understand every incident is considered on merit, I stand by my message that you are exposing yourself, depending on the circumstances, to possible criminal prosecution.
I continue to recommend that you not engage in evade police incidents, and although I understand every incident is considered on merit, I stand by my message that you are exposing yourself, depending on the circumstances, to possible criminal prosecution.
WAPU are yet to be briefed of the outcomes to this review, but when we do, we will run a close eye over it. Suffice to say, there may be more questions than answers. We all hope that the areas of concern are addressed, and you can feel protected by the legislation and policy when performing your duty.
In April, I wrote to Premier Mark McGowan and asked him to direct the Department of Justice to carry out a study into factors that contribute to assaults on police officers, allocate and deploy 50 police officers from the 950 program to youth liaison roles at PCYCs, and reinstate a school-based police officer program, which was removed in 2001.
I made this request after the WA Police Union released data showing that:
• 232 police officers were assaulted in the March quarter of 2023: up from 77 in the same quarter of 2017.
• 20 per cent of those officers were spat upon; 15 per cent suffered a contusion; and 13 per cent suffered an open wound; and
• Assaults are down by 71 per cent in the Great Southern region, but are up in all other regions, including by 1200 per cent in the Mid-West.
The spike in police officer assaults suggest that there is a rise in anti-authority attitudes in Western Australia. If left unaddressed, these attitudes can result in harmful, and potentially fatal outcomes.
School-based police officers are not just about tackling crime. They’re about building rapport and humanising officers in the eyes of young people. The Government must put the ‘P’ back into ‘PCYC’ and ensure that there is a regular and visible presence of police officers at these clubs. Otherwise, they’re just another – albeit well-functioning – community centre.
In April, the Union released a report on ramping at WA public hospitals, which outlined that;
• In 2021-22, police and prison cars made 9,241 presentations to emergency departments (“EDs”): only 24 per cent resulted in admission, and 50 per cent were seen on time.
• Median waiting time for commencement of clinical care was 40 minutes.
• Median stay was 5 hours and 22 minutes for patients later admitted to hospital, and 2 hours and 42 minutes for those not admitted; and
• Approximately 40 per cent of the presentations were mental health related.
While the number of presentations by police and prison cars have fallen, the median waiting time has increased, meaning that police officers are spending more time than ever before ‘ramping’ at hospitals.
Based on the median waiting time and number of presentations made by police and prison cars, the union estimates that in 2021-22, police officers spent a recordbreaking 6,141 hours waiting with patients for clinical care.
With the WA Police standard response time for Priority 1 and 2 calls being 12 minutes, that’s equivalent to 592 calls of that nature being answered every week.
It’s also more than double our estimate of 3,072 hours of ramp-up time eight years earlier in 2013-14.
The big elephant in the room is mental health. Any police officer will tell you that we’re spending more time than ever before undertaking welfare checks and conveying mental health patients to hospital. WA has the fastest-growing number of mental health presentations by all responders, increasing by 94.8 per cent from 19,809 in 2011-12 to 38,592 in 2020-21.
I commend the Commissioner of Police and his Executive team in taking a stand in this issue. WA Police have entered into agreements with the major emergency hospitals to reduce waiting times for police related admissions. I hope this is the start to an expansion across all metropolitan and regional hospitals so that our officers are back to performing their core function – policing.
The full report on ramping is available on the WAPU website.
In this edition, we farewell two staff members who have departed WAPU HQ recently.
In April, we said farewell to our Secretary Paul Hunt.
Paul has given more than 15 years of service to the union, and his presence from our office will be sorely missed. He was instrumental in many Industrial Agreement negotiation processes and provided a wealth of experience in Industrial Relations and federal related matters.
This edition will also mark the last time our Media and Communications Officer Jessica Cuthbert will be involved in the publication of Police News
Jess joined the Union in 2019 and her original 12-month contract turned into almost four years with the team. I want to thank Jess for her work for the Union, in particular the production of this magazine which has been a major part of the role as well as the planning of our successful events including the Annual Retirement Dinners and Annual Conferences.
I’m pleased to say that Jess won’t be going far, as she has chosen policing as her new career. Jess has commenced at the WA Police Academy in recruit school Green Squad 07/2023. We wish her well and will be keeping a close eye on her progress.
While we will certainly miss Paul and Jess, we have had new staff start with WAPU. Jasmine Loda-Batey takes over where Jess left off and our new Corporate Communication Manager will commence soon.
We have increased our operations capacity with a new position of Field/Work, Health & Safety Officer commencing soon.
Paul has given more than 15 years of service to the union, and his presence from our office will be sorely missed.
I want to thank Jess for her work for the Union, in particular the production of this magazine which has been a major part of the role …
BY JESSICA CUTHBERT
It is a continuous challenge living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and one Detective Sergeant Anthony Pymm has been suffering from, now not in silence, for the past few years.
Although he can look back on it now and gently laugh while sharing his story, it wasn’t long ago that he was terrorized by an undiagnosed and debilitating mental illness.
Anthony’s PTSD stemmed from a Moral Injury – the result of bullying, betrayal and general exposure from 23 years’ worth of policing. He was diagnosed in 2021 after his family encouraged him to seek help.
In my final story for Police News, I sat down with Anthony and his wife Monique to share his story in hopes it will help his fellow colleagues and encourage them to speak out.
Anthony’s transition into his career with the WA Police Force was a memorable and special one.
He joined at 20 years-old in October of 1999, following in the footsteps of his older brother. It was an exciting career change but a sad time for the family as his father had just been diagnosed with cancer.
During his training at the Academy, his father’s health deteriorated and unbeknownst to him at the time, the Academy staff had started inviting his parents to the grounds to watch him train and perform drills with his squad mates.
His dad had three wishes before he died; to see Anthony graduate from the Police Academy, to have a photo with his two sons in uniform and to celebrate Anthony’s 21st birthday.
At only three weeks out from his graduation, Anthony’s supervisors, superintendents and the Academy principal decided he had done enough to graduate early and arranged a surprise graduation at his home address, all so his father could witness the event.
At the home graduation, his father got his dying wish of seeing his youngest son graduate, his photo with both sons in uniform and as Anthony’s birthday was only days later the family celebrated the same evening.
Anthony told Police News, that only two days later he died.
“I will always be so grateful for WA Police for that whole experience and making that happen. They attended the funeral and let me have some of my squad mates to form a guard of honour,” he said.
“That was a sad but very special time – it exposed me to this greater understanding of the police brotherhood and the Blue Family.”
After graduation, Anthony worked in the Perth metropolitan area at Court Security, the booze bus and Fremantle Traffic.
He then moved into country service in Carnarvon, where he worked closely with detectives. That planted the seed for him to move back metro and apply to be a detective, his first posting being the South Metropolitan Tactical Investigations Group, followed by the Rockingham Detectives. Anthony was a member of the Police Basketball team and it was here where he met his wife, Monique.
After working at several metro and country stations, Anthony transferred to Major Crash in 2020
“A year after starting at Major Crash, that’s when I fell over,” he said.
“I didn’t know it at the time, but I had fallen over due to my PTSD.” ▷
Anthony’s roles over the years as a frontline officer had him attending and investigating horrific scenes.
“You do it all in this job, attending fatal crashes and collecting body parts off the road to attending the sudden death of a 3-yearold girl – which makes you think of your own young children at home,” he said.
It would be easy to assume that the exposure of these types of confronting scenes could spiral and lead to the cause of a police officers PTSD. However, while it contributed to Anthony’s diagnosis – the foundation of his was a moral injury from extensive bullying and betrayal from a previous work unit.
Anthony’s wife, Detective Senior Constable Monique Pymm said her husband’s behaviour and physical health started to decline out of the blue, with no indication he was struggling.
“At the start we thought he was sick with a physical illness so we were doing lots of testing to work out what it might be,” she said.
“His behaviour changed, he was experiencing dizziness and headaches – he had no energy and wasn’t being his usual self with the family. It’s like he couldn’t be bothered with us anymore.”
She said she knew her husband was unwell but just not in the way she expected.
It was only until family stepped in that they started to think that what was happening was a mental illness rather than physical.
“Our youngest was about 4 weeks old, Anthony was getting ready to go back to work and his shift in behaviour just worsened significantly. Family observed Anthony and picked up that something wasn’t right and started ringing around to find some help,” she said.
“Sometimes it just takes a person on the outside to look in and see something that others might miss. I was Anthony’s wife and I had no idea that something more serious was going on.”
“He didn’t want to do anything, didn’t want to help with the kids – I thought he was just disconnected from us. It didn’t even cross my mind that he was suffering from a mental illness. Looking back now I can see the signs but when I was living it, I had no idea.”
Anthony said he was grateful for family noticing and suggesting he speak with someone.
“I reached out to an Inspector that I trusted and 24 hours later I was sitting in front of psychiatrist, Dr Mathew Samuels at Hollywood Hospital and was diagnosed with PTSD,” he said.
He said when he heard the diagnosis for the first time, he felt angry, guilty and in denial.
“You think you’re fearless and then you feel as though you’ve failed but then on the drive home upon reflection, I just became grateful that I now had some answers as to why I had been feeling and acting this way,” he said.
Following the diagnosis, he now had answers and a plan for recovery – the four week Trauma Recovery and Growth Program, headed up by Douglas Brewer from the WA Centre for Trauma Treatment and Research.
“I started this career encased with the blue family support – what they did for me with my dad – and then to be on the complete other end was a shock, it was a completely new experience and super disappointing.”
The program Anthony participated in was alongside some of his other colleagues getting help for their own battles.
Fortunately, the support from both WA Police and their families to help Monique and their children, meant Anthony could stay at the residence for the entire program, allowing him to fully dedicate himself to his recovery.
Anthony completed the program and began his own recovery phase. He began exercising more, journaling, meditating, being more open with his wife and found a new love for reiki therapy and spiritual healing.
“I felt fantastic after the completing the program, but I knew I would still have to put in the work each and every day but at least I knew what I was living with. You have to be proactive and be open to trying new things and forming positive habits”, he said. “I journal and meditate every day now, but before I had PTSD, I would have laughed at the idea.”
“I can’t speak highly enough of the program and the health professionals there, it saved my life one hundred percent, and I am forever grateful that the program is available for my colleagues.”
He said a vital part of recovery was having support and being open and honest about his progress.
“Without people stepping in to help me, it would have been a completely different story, they were instrumental in me getting the help I needed and if it wasn’t for that I don’t know where I’d be.”
From Monique’s perspective, she said the program was run exceptionally well as they involved the officers’ family members.
“I attended some family nights with the doctors, where I was taught more about PTSD and learnt an understanding of what Anthony was going through and how his brain worked,” she said.
“It was so valuable getting a better understanding of how his brain could escalate something small into a bigger scenario and what those triggers may be. Without that education you would never know what to look for.”
Monique said it was a relief when her husband was diagnosed as he had been suffering for so long with no answers. She also said the shift in him after completing the program was astounding.
“It was like his whole persona changed and I had my husband back. He was more open, there was more communication, and we had some really tough conversations about what he was going through at the time but hadn’t admitted to anyone or himself,” she said.
“You hear of people getting PTSD all the time but at the end of the day it’s just a word to you until you actually live it. Everyone’s PTSD journey and diagnosis is so different, and everyone has a different story, symptoms and triggers.”
Monique said while the program had changed their lives, they knew it wasn’t an immediate fix and Anthony would still struggle for the rest of his life – but at least they now had the tools and education to manage it.
Whilst we won’t go into the details or the extent of Anthony and Monique’s bullying story and the hard time it created for them – it was the catalyst of his moral injury, mixed in with policing exposure that led to his PTSD.
“It was such a stressful time for us. The situation got that bad that the stress it had caused led to the loss of a baby” he said.
“I could see at the time it had affected Monique, so I contacted Health, Welfare and Safety and got her some help. I neglected myself and little did I know that my cup was slowly starting to fill”
Despite being warned not to, when they finally got the courage to report the bullying, they received little to no support from the agency.
“I started this career encased with the blue family support – what they did for me with my dad – and then to be on the complete other end was a shock, it was a completely new experience and super disappointing,” he said.
“I have talked to a lot of colleagues and bullying is huge and not something to be ignored. My illness could have been a completely different story if we were supported more,” he said.
While Anthony felt let down by the agency during this time, he did say that later after his mental health collapse and since reaching out for help with his PTSD – the agency had been incredibly supportive.
“Since I fell over, the support was there from the get-go –so I knew there was still this amazing side to the agency. I can’t fault Health, Welfare and Safety– they were great,” he said.
“I ran my own race and recovered in my own time. They helped with medical costs and got me through the Hollywood Program helping wherever they could, so we’ll always be so grateful for that.”
Anthony said it was an anxious time for him as essentially the agency held his career in their hands.
“I was fearful that they were going to try and push me out and I didn’t want to be medically retired. If I was ever going to leave the WA Police, I wanted it to be on my terms, he said. My goal was to become fully operational again and prove through my online blog and the talks I’ve done recently – that just because you have a mental illness – It shouldn’t jeopardise your career,” he said.
“Day one on the program they ask you want you want to get out of it and why you’re there. Apart from getting the tools to cope with my PTSD, I stood up and I said I want to be transparent, and I wanted to be a voice for WA Police and for all my colleagues who are suffering, to raise awareness,”
“I think I’ve achieved that.” ▷
“Without people stepping in to help me, it would have been a completely different story, they were instrumental in me getting the help I needed and if it wasn’t for that I don’t know where I’d be.”
When I asked Anthony what came next for him since finding his feet and learning to live with his diagnosis, he said it was simple; he loved his work as a police officer and now he would love to have the capacity to help his colleagues in the mental health sphere.
“In my mind I’m wanting to educate myself more so I can look at helping others through mentoring, or trauma recovery work. I still want to be a police officer even after what I went through, I’m not ready to just walk away. I still love what I do, I always have,” he said.
“What I enjoy now is mental health education. When I returned to Major Crash on a return to work program –I created a Wellness Journal for any officer who wanted one. I know what the staff here are exposed to and I know journaling helped me.”
“In my position as a Sergeant I can reach so many of my colleagues and be there as a mentor or someone to talk to. There’s always someone who is going to resonate with my story.”
He said more training, forums, education, structure and awareness was crucial for the WA Police Force.
Anthony said he would love to use his position and present talks about these issues at the Academy to new recruits or any forums.
He said getting the help he needed and participating in the trauma program saved his life.
“Without getting the help I needed – I can never predict what would have happened, but I was in a fucking dark place – things got really low. I wouldn’t say I had suicidal thoughts, but I would say it saved my marriage, it saved my relationship with my children, and it saved me from being a shell,” he said.
“I became a dad and a husband again. It gave me back
my emotions which were numb for so long. I’m grateful for the what the program has done for my marriage. We talk extremely open now and nothing is off the table.”
As part of his recovery, Anthony has taken up boxing and is trained by his good mate, former UFC fighter and awardwinning mental health advocate, Soa ‘The Hulk’ Palelei. Anthony said Soa and his team, made up of Corporate CEO’s and mental health practitioners, constantly support and encourage him.
“They provide me with a fun and safe community and a network to openly discuss mental health topics and issues,” he said.
Each year, Soa hosts a Corporate Boxing Event where they raise money for charities, with this years event scheduled for the 25 November 2023 at The Crown Towers.
Anthony said he has been training hard and still has a lot of work to do, but recently found out that he was going to be on the fight card.
“This is an amazing opportunity and something I am really looking forward to,” he said.
“In my position as a Sergeant I can reach so many of my colleagues and be there as a mentor or someone to talk to. There’s always someone who is going to resonate with my story.”
Anthony believes there is always an opportunity for continuous improvement within the agency, whether it be addressing bullying that occurs, mental health education or how supervisors can be equipped with tools and knowledge to recognise concerning behaviours in their officers.
“Having that support is crucial, in many cases you hear that someone’s illness hasn’t been picked up on and their partner has left them because they didn’t know how to cope with it or recognise that something more sinister was going on. I feel blessed, I owe my life to Monique for sticking around and now also educating herself on how to live with it,” he said.
Anthony said he never anticipated that one day he would be engaging in mental health services and encourages his colleagues to never shy away from speaking up.
“Look after yourself first and think of how you want your family to remember you by. Work can replace you tomorrow, but your family can’t,” he said.
Anthony said he would love to see a permanently employed psychologist embedded within several business units across the agency, such as Major Crash.
“We do have one allocated to us at Major Crash, but they often change and are only here every four to six weeks. A permanent one could build trust and rapport with officers which is crucial” he said.
He said his online blog on Facebook, presentation at the WA Police Union Annual Conference last year and sharing this story in the Police News magazine is only the beginning.
“I believe speaking at the Academy would have a huge impact and I am happy to put my hand up and be that person. I never thought I would be on stage at Annual Conference sharing my story so publicly, but I’ve now found a passion for helping and educating people,” he said.
“When doing my online blog, I thought if it helped one person, then that would be great, but now I’ve helped several. The more you talk about it the higher chance someone is out there thinking ‘oh I can resonate with this’ and then takes that step to have a conversation.”
You can’t forget the past, but you can change how you view it, and Detective Sergeant Anthony Pymm is making moves into breaking down the barriers of mental health among police officers.
He hopes his story can encourage others to speak up if they are experiencing their own struggles or learn how to observe behaviour changes amongst their colleagues.
He goal is that by having these conversations, mental health will become a bigger priority for WA Police. For now, Anthony is again fully operational and has been medication free for over a year. He is doing all he can to prove having a mental illness does not have to be a life sentence and that its okay not to be okay.
Who knows what the future holds for Anthony or which stage he might appear on next, but with a spring in his step and a sparkle in his eye…you know it’s going to be good.
You can follow Anthony’s journey on his Facebook Blog – Anth’s Trauma Recovery ■
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The WA Police Union work hard to secure a wide range of benefits for our members to ensure we’re doing our absolute best in providing quality and continued support.
WAPU’s Legal Team provides a high-quality service for members who need legal representation or advice on matters such as disciplinary action, management-initiated action, investigations, criminal injuries, personal injuries, and medical retirement.
Members are first required to apply for assistance by contacting WAPU HQ.
Legal assistance is determined by the Board of Directors.
WAPU is the sole negotiator to collectively bargain on behalf of members in the development of a replacement Agreement that reflects members’ contemporary values and conditions.
Officers who are not financial members of WAPU have no direct avenue or access to individually bargain or negotiate with WA Police and Government in relation to salary and conditions.
WAPU’s Industrial and Field Teams are also able to assist individual members with advice in relation to entitlements and workplace issues.
WAPU provides a free Will Service to members. This service is for ‘simple’ Wills only.
Every member is encouraged to ensure they have a Will. Without a valid Will the State Government can determine how your assets are distributed and could take a percentage of your assets. In addition, your estate could take up to six months to finalise, putting unnecessary financial pressure on loved ones.
Spousal Wills can be prepared for an additional fee.
A WAPU member receives a $100,000 death (only) cover insurance policy that’s payable whether you are on or off duty at the time of death. This cover extends 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
To make sure your chosen beneficiary receives the entire benefit under this policy, you must complete the beneficiary form and return it to WAPU HQ.
If your personal circumstances alter and you want to change the person who receives the benefit, it’s your sole responsibility to advise WAPU in writing of the change.
The Group Life Insurance Scheme is available to members up to the age of 65 years.
Four additional death benefit units, in increments of $50,000, are also available to members upon application. Each unit will incur a further fortnightly cost to you. Further details about these additional units can be obtained through WAPU HQ.
This personal life insurance cover (death only) is available to spouses/de facto partners of members and is applied on a sliding scale dependent on the age of the applicant.
Up to the age of 35 years, the cover is for $220,000. The amount of benefit reduces to $10,000 by age 60. The amount of cover will strictly be determined by the age of the individual at death.
An application form and details of the costs associated with this scheme can be obtained from WAPU HQ.
As part of your Union fees, PAO members are automatically covered by the WA Police Union Group Journey Personal Accident Policy while travelling to and from work, including any mealtime breaks taken during the day.
Cover includes insurance for death and capital cover, temporary total disablement and broken bones.
The Death Levy Fund pays specified amounts on the death of a member, the death of a member’s partner and his/her children under 18 years. Payments are made in accordance with the following table:
Death of Member $5,000 paid to member’s nominee
Death of Partner $10,000 paid on application from member
Child Under 18 Years $10,000 paid on application from member
The Death Levy Fund continues to pay $5,000 to the retired member’s nominee, as well as on the death of a retired member’s spouse.
All outgoings associated with this Fund are budgeted for as part of a member’s overall WAPU subscription. ▷
Some of our member benefits include the following.
The WA Police Union, in conjunction with Wesfarmers Kleenheat, offers members a Contract Price on the purchase on 45kg gas bottles right across the State. In addition to Regional WA members, some areas on the outskirts of Perth (still within the Metropolitan area) are also eligible to participate in this Scheme. This arrangement, initiated by WAPU, allows members to order these gas bottles from their local Kleenheat dealer, on the WA Police Union account, and save money in the process.
Prices for your area change monthly, but can be viewed online. To participate in this scheme, or for more information on how it works, contact WAPU on 9321 2155.
WAPU has worked to secure a range of benefits for our members. These discounted services include savings on accommodation, motoring, entertainment, retail, home improvement and travel. Full details are available in the members Section of our website, but we have highlighted some of our newer offers on this spread.
We’re always searching for new benefits for our members, so if you know a business or service which would be interested in helping, please contact admin@wapu.org.au
WAPU offers our members the exclusive use of 10 Holiday Homes at some of WA’s premier locations.
Our network of accommodation stretches over seven fantastic locations and represents some of the best and most affordable vacation housing available in the State.
Get away for a discount and explore WA’s beautiful coast.
Full details are available in the members Section of our website.
MEMBERSHIP, FINANCIAL & WELFARE ASSISTANCE
6,689 WAPU Members 118 retirements (+ 36 MRO) 81% occupancy of WAPU Holiday Homes 354 Members using the Kleenheat Gas Scheme and 403 Simple Will Kits sent to Members
MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS
7,161 newsletter subscribers
46 newsletters sent with a 84% newsletter open rate 100+ media releases/ statements Launched the Switch Off Duty campaign and website
64 Research reports
6 Member surveys
2 External presentations
2 Public inquiry submissions
1 Major research project
FIELD & OPERATIONS
LEGAL & INDUSTRIAL
120 Branch meetings
139 managerial interviews
15 defaulter parades
$678,716 legal services expenditure (21-22)
7 member matters before the Industrial Magistrates Court
155 people attended the April 2023 WAPU Retirement Dinner at Optus Stadium
TOP THREE WINS:
5 defaulter examinations 21 induction events at the Academy for Recruits and PAO’s 17 information sessions or training for Branch Officials or members Resumption of WAPU attendance at PODU panel meetings
Assisting members with recognition of prior policing (interstate)
GESB/Medically retiring members seminar
ON AVERAGE, FOR INDUSTRIAL RELATED MATTERS, THE INDUSTRIAL TEAM RECEIVED …
50 emails per month via admin email 2 emails per day via their personal accounts
100+ phone calls per month (average 5 per day)
Undertook negotiations for Police Officer and PAO Industrial Agreements
Re-joined Unions WA alliance in 2022
77 people attended the three-day 2022 Annual Conference at Parmelia Hilton Hotel, including 10 Directors, 42 Delegates, 17 Interstate Delegates and 8 Guest Speakers.
8 Police Recruit Graduations at the WA Police Academy and 5 rallies as part of our Unions WA alliance
Sponsored the Run4Blue and Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge events
Introduced in 1997 to help shoulder the burden of the cost of education, the WAPU scholarships help aid our member’s children pursue academic achievements that may not have otherwise been possible. In recent years, the WA Police Union has significantly increased the number of recipients of our annual scholarship as a means of improving our support to members.
This year’s senior scholarship recipients were Olivia Miller (Santa Maria College), Sienna Santoro (Penrhos College), and James Dark (Perth Modern School).
The winners from lower school were Mia Britton (Woodvale Secondary College), Georgia Western (Chisholm Catholic College), and Harry Clements (St Norbert College).
The excited students were presented their scholarships by President Paul Gale in March.
Sienna Santoro, whose mother is Inspector Kareene Santoro, said she loves studying dance, enjoying the various genres of style and said her aspirations were to study physiotherapy.
“I would like to study physiotherapy at university, as it would keep me learning about anatomy and muscles, which I enjoy. This scholarship will allow me to take opportunities that I wouldn’t otherwise get,” she said.
Mia Britton, daughter of Senior Constable Nadine Britton, and Georgia Western, daughter of Sergeant Chelsea Western, both aim to use their scholarship winnings to pursue sports-based careers.
Mia has a passion for football and intends to use her scholarship to represent WA in this year’s national tournament, after which she hopes to pursue the sport further.
“I aspire to play at a professional level then pursue a career in the medical field,” she said.
Georgia Western said her favourite hobby is Irish dancing and has dreams of touring with the Riverdance company as a lead dancer before turning her love for sports into a career.
“I would love to be a sports doctor and help athletes in preventing and treating injuries,” she said.
The WA Police Union congratulates all 2023 recipients and wishes them the best in their studies and future aspirations. ■
Applications for our 2024 scholarships will open later this year.
The WA Police Legacy Karratha to Broome Bike Ride has now reached its 30th year, with hundreds of thousands of dollars raised to assist WA Police Legacy over the years.
Event organiser, Senior Sergeant Mark Barratt said that despite the challenges of COVID and other hurdles over the years, it is a testament to the previous efforts of all involved to ensure the event has continued. All riders and support crew donate their time to participate, with some participants now having been involved in over 10 consecutive years.
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen a much larger participation from the Broome crew which is really pleasing” he said. Both Broome and Karratha now hold additional fund-raising functions like Soiree’s and cocktail functions as curtain raisers to the event. This further brings in community involvement and helps raise awareness for Legacy in the Pilbara and Kimberley.
Now retired from riding, Senior Sergeant Barratt said that completing the ride is an incredibly satisfying accomplishment for anyone wishing to challenge themselves both physically and mentally, but most of all being a part of the team and raising money for Legacy and understanding where the money goes makes it even more rewarding.
For further information contact Senior Sergeant Barratt at mark.barratt@police.wa.gov.au
A 843km, non-stop bike ride kicking off from Karratha on August 16th, 2023, through the Pilbara & Kimberley and undertaken by up to 50 riders and support crew.
STRICTLY LIMITED EXTRA SPOTS NOW AVAILABLE ON THE RIDERS LIST. Rider positions are not restricted to police officers, but to anyone wishing to step up for the challenge.KEVIN McDONALD Field Officer
RECENTLY THE WA POLICE UNION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MADE A VERY WELCOME DECISION to add a further Field Officer to our staff and in doing so, improve Field Officer services to members. The new position will have an added focus toward the occupational health and safety of our members, which is also timely, given the ever-increasing dangers of the police frontline workplace and, the new Work Health and Safety Act 2020 with its capacity to hold people conducting a business (the employer) to account.
Members don’t need to hear from me about the everworsening occupational health and safety environment that is their frontline workplace. They are confronted with it every day. There are many reasons for the heightened dangers including dealing with meth affected people –something that wasn’t around much in the first half of my career but has intensified over the last decade.
The undeniable proliferation and ready availability of meth has inflicted incalculable harm in the community, punctuated by increased social dysfunction, crime, and poor health outcomes for users themselves. This directly translates to an increased workload and an ever-changing frontline workplace. The list of adverse physical and psychological effects on meth users, faced by our members daily, is well documented.
Meth users can display signs of erratic, violent and unpredictable behaviour. Try talking sense to someone exhibiting those behaviours or, making split second decisions about arresting, detaining and if, or which, force option is appropriate.
When working on the frontline, police officers are exposed to the unpredictability and potential danger of an ever-growing cohort of meth-effected people in the community who are often irrational and noncommunicative. The challenges for police in effectively dealing with people exhibiting the effects of meth use are incredibly complex and difficult, inherently risky, add more pressure, diminish the safety of their workplace and in some respects, explain why so many police are resigning.
Assaults against police are escalating with 234 assaults for the first quarter of 2023 representing an increase of 75 assaults, when compared to the same period in 2022. With these pressures building and along with sky-rocketing attrition, it’s no coincidence that 3327 police officers accessed mental health services in 2022 which is four times the number who sought help in 2019.
Meth users can display signs of erratic, violent and unpredictable behaviour. Try talking sense to someone exhibiting those behaviours or, making split second decisions about arresting, detaining and if, or which, force option is appropriate.
So, who has responsibility for the occupational health and safety of police, in the face of the ever-escalating meth problem? The employer of course and what has the employer done to reduce the flow and availability of meth to mitigate this risk? Arguably not much.
Meth has been readily available and consumed in increasing quantities over the last fifteen years with WA intermittently crowned the meth capital of Australia – availability being one of the key indicators. Along with the government, WA Police management have the primary role in reducing the availability of meth to make community safer, as well as ensure as best as possible, the safe workplace of their own employees.
With these pressures building and along with sky-rocketing attrition, it’s no coincidence that 3327 police officers accessed mental health services in 2022 which is four times the number who sought help in 2019.
Reducing meth availability will reduce the number of users, reduce social dysfunction, reduce meth related crime, and ultimately reduce calls requiring police response. So, from a police occupational health and safety perspective, it’s important to examine how successfully the government and police executive have performed in the task of reducing the availability of meth.
To address the worsening meth and crime rates, the government promised to introduce an extra 950 officers into WA Police ranks. We all now know how that promise is faring as police resignations have hit stratospheric, never-before-seen numbers. In the last two years, WA Police have recruited 1,119 police officers and during that time, 859 have left the agency. If the government is going to meet its promised 950 extra police, at the current attrition rate WA Police will need to recruit another 3,000 police in the next fifteen months to achieve a net gain balance of 690. It’s not going to happen. Meanwhile the dangers and pressure on frontline police continues to build.
In addition to an increasingly unsafe workplace environment, there are other reasons going to the unrelenting rise in police resignations, and the resulting shortfall is compounding the problem. Vacancies have blown out, inquiry teams have been closed, rosters are being strangled, recalls to duty are the norm and transfers are either being held up or otherwise forced. The loss of experienced officers is affecting quality of service, professional development,
Through the recruitment of a specialist occupational health and safety Field Officer, the WA Police Union is committed to ensuring the health and safety of our members and equally committed to holding the employer to account.
supervision, and probationary constables are being thrown into the deep end without a lifejacket. Workplace safety is once again compromised. Further, errors of judgement happen, mistakes occur, and members find themselves caught up in the adversarial and oppressive process of the police disciplinary system.
The WA Police Union remains steadfast in its efforts to identify issues impacting on the safety of its members as they go about their task of protecting the public. Through the recruitment of a specialist occupational health and safety Field Officer, the WA Police Union is committed to ensuring the health and safety of our members and equally committed to holding the employer to account.
• Respite accommodation available by donation for ex and current emergency service personnel with PTSD (trained comfort/service dog friendly).
• 1x queen bedroom with en suite and bar fridge.
• 1x dorm share room with three single beds and en suite.
• Separate entries and parking off verandah at rear.
• Communal area on verandah with table, fridge, hot water urn and bbq.
• Close to river and ocean.
• 1x week available per client.
• All programs are run intermittently at the centre by donation.
• Friday 9.30am to 10.30am –community meditation class followed by tea, coffee and biscuits.
• Breath work to align mind, body and soul (individual or group classes as required).
• Hatha yoga – beginner classes TBA.
Bookings & enquiries: Heather welly5@westnet.com.au
“We had three remote Indigenous communities from WA (Burringurrah, Kalumburu and Blackstone) get involved and display fantastic spirit and participation.”
Run4Blue was conceptualised by Senior Constable Natalee Cunningham of the WA Police Force and Senior Constable Tammy Watson of the NT Police Force back in 2018 and held its first run the following year.
Now in its fifth year and a nationwide charity event that sprints throughout the month of May, Run4Blue asks participants to choose the kilometres they wish to run, walk, or wheel to raise money for Police Legacy groups and the families of fallen officers.
Of Run4Blue’s success, Senior Constable Natalee Cunningham said that the event continues to grow in popularity and attendance every year, with this year’s event attracting 977 participants, 145 of which were from WA, and plenty of new faces.
“Last year, Run4Blue made a presentation at the National Police Association Conference in Canberra and was given a large sponsorship donation. I thought long and hard about how best to spend this donation and decided to try to get remote Indigenous communities involved in this year’s event. We had three remote Indigenous communities from WA (Burringurrah, Kalumburu and Blackstone) get involved and display fantastic spirit and participation”, she said.
The Burringurrah school has noticed a significant improvement in children’s enthusiasm for physical activity and a strengthening of their relationships with Police because of Run4Blue. School principal Jasmine Harris has even asked if the children could continue running up the kilometres
after the event is done, citing the Run4Blue as a very rewarding and enriching experience.
The 2023 event was a massive success, smashing expectations and surprising even Natalee herself who never dreamed that Run4Blue would grow so big just five years on.
“When this year kicked off, we had donated a total of $430,000 nationally to Police Legacy and my 2023 goal was to tip over half a million dollars”, she said.
Her dream came true with WA raising $12,546 and the 2023 event bringing in an overall $133,344 – an impressive feat.
Natalee believes Run4Blue to be more than just a charity fundraiser, but a two-pronged event that allows participants to improve their physical health while contributing to a great cause.
“Everyone wins when they participate in Run4Blue”, she said.
Next year she has big plans to follow in the footsteps of the NSW Police Academy and introduce a day where all eight states are involved in a nationwide event, including fun activities like dodgeball and running races to get more members signed up and supporting Police Legacy.
“The work Police Legacy’s do is so vitally important and continuing to make financial contributions is critical for their ongoing success”, she said. ■
GREG STEWART GESB Key Account Manager for WA Police
GESB
super fund for the WA public sector, and if you started in the WA Police before 16 April 2007, you likely became a member of West State Super. Since then, West State Super has been closed to new members.
West State Super is a unique scheme with many benefits for members, so it’s worth learning how you can make the most of this account – and as GESB’s dedicated account manager for the WA Police, I’m here to help.
If you started working in the WA public sector before 16 April 2007, you will have a West State Super account unless you rolled your funds into another scheme or you already had a Gold State Super or Public Sector pension membership.
You can check which kind of account you have by looking at your latest member statement or logging in to Member Online. You can also call your Member Services Centre on 13 43 72.
West State Super provides benefits not available with many other funds. For example, it is an untaxed fund and members are able to make uncapped pre-tax contributions. You may even be entitled to a Minimum Benefit Guarantee.
In an untaxed fund, 100% of your contributions are invested as the tax isn’t taken out until you access your money. This means you will benefit from the whole dollar being invested, which may result in a slightly higher benefit over time.
Just remember, untaxed doesn’t mean ‘no tax’, so it can be useful to think of it as deferred tax.
Most funds have limits on the amount you can contribute each year, but West State Super has different rules. You can sacrifice up to 100% of your salary into your super account before tax, which can help you build your super savings, especially in the lead up to retirement. Salary sacrificing also reduces your taxable income, so you could pay less income tax.
While your before tax contributions to your West State Super account are uncapped, there is a cap on the amount in your account that the concessional tax rate of 15% can be applied to when you access your funds. The untaxed plan cap for the 2022/23 financial year is $1.65 million1.
It’s also important to remember that while concessional contributions to West State Super are not capped, they do count towards your cap if you are making contributions to a taxed scheme as well.
If your West State Super account had a balance before 1 July 2001, you will have a Minimum Benefit Guarantee. This means the benefit you receive will be paid at whichever amount is the higher of:
• Your account balance at 30 June 2001, plus subsequent contributions and investment earnings
• Your account balance at 30 June 2001, compounded annually at CPI plus 2%, less certain types of payments
Due to the rules of the West State Super scheme, there are some things that aren’t available for members, including:
• Claiming deductible personal contributions
• Low income super tax offset
• Catch up concessional contributions
• First Home Super Saver Scheme
1 For the 2022/23 financial year, indexed annually in line with Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings, in increments of $5,000 rounded down. The untaxed plan cap applies for each untaxed scheme you are a member of.
In a taxed fund, 15% tax is applied to employer and salary-sacrifice contributions when the money goes into your account, and a tax of up to 15% applies to investment earnings.
The best way to learn more is to join one of my West State Super for WA Police webinars. I will be able to answer your questions and explain the unique features of this scheme, how to make the most of your account and your options when leaving the WA public sector. Register at gesb.wa.gov.au/police.
Find out more at gesb.wa.gov.au or call your Member Services Centre on 13 43 72.
In an untaxed fund, like West State Super, tax is only applicable when your benefit is paid to you or transferred to a taxed fund.
West State Super is a unique scheme with many benefits for members, so it’s worth learning how you can make the most of this account.
Leading Australian law firm, Tindall Gask Bentley is the preferred legal services provider of the WA Police Union, offering 30 minutes of free initial advice and a 10% fee discount.
CRIMINAL AND DISCIPLINARY
• The Corruption and Crime Commission
FAMILY AND DIVORCE
• Courts of Inquiry
• Criminal and Disciplinary matters
To arrange a preliminary in-person or phone appointment contact WAPU HQ on (08) 9321 2155
Matrimonial, De Facto and Same-Sex Relationships
• Children’s issues
• Child Support matters
PERSONAL INJURY
• Motor accident injury compensation
• Workers compensation
WILLS AND ESTATES
• Wills and Testamentary Trusts
• Enduring Powers of Attorney
• Enduring Guardians
• Property settlements
• “Pre-nuptial” style agreements
• Public liability
• Superannuation claims (TPD)
• Advice to executors of deceased estates
• Obtaining Grants of Probate
• Estate disputes
Tindall Gask Bentley is a leading Australian law firm.
We’ve been helping people with injury, family and estate matters for more than 50 years.
With a culture of service and empathy, we are fiercely committed to our clients.
Renee Sapelli Ariane Owen Kate Major Renee Sapelli Kate Major Tim White Joanne Graham Luke Officer TIM WHITE Partner Tindall Gask Bentley
WHEN YOU ARE INVOLVED IN A motor vehicle accident (MVA) of any kind, your whole life can change in a moment.
As a current or retired police officer in Western Australia, if you have an injury that resulted from the driving of a motor vehicle, whether those injuries be physical or psychological, you may have a personal injury claim against the Insurance Commission of WA (ICWA).
MVA claims cover more than just accidents involving cars – they cover any ‘vehicles’ including bicycles, motorcycles, buses and trucks. Here are some examples of the circumstances that may result in you being injured in the course of your police duties, and entitled to an MVA claim:
• Being a passenger or driver in a car that is rammed or hit by another vehicle,
• Being a passenger in a car that collides with another vehicle, even if the vehicle you are in is at fault for the accident,
• Being a pedestrian and being hit by a vehicle,
• Trying to apprehend an offender in a vehicle and being injured in the process,
… there is limited compensation payable under a CIC. By lodging an MVA claim, you should be entitled to considerably greater compensation.
• Being involved in the pursuit of an offender by vehicle that does not involve a collision.
Compensation claims?
As you may know, if an offence is involved at the time your accident takes place, you are likely to be entitled to bring a Criminal Injuries Compensation (CIC) claim. This is certainly true – but there is limited compensation payable under a CIC. By lodging an MVA claim, you should be entitled to considerably greater compensation.
Here’s a brief outline of the initial steps involved in making a claim with the ICWA if you have an injury that resulted from the driving of a motor vehicle:
1. Report the crash and injury online with the ICWA
2. Seek medical advice and obtain a medical assessment as soon as possible after the accident. You will need the medical certificate from this assessment to lodge with your claim.
3. Engage a lawyer who is an expert in car accident claims in Western Australia, to give you the best possible chance of receiving the maximum compensation available to you. You should do this prior to lodging your claim.
Your entitlements will vary depending on the circumstances of your accident. All of the below will be taken into account when calculating the final amount of your claim:
1. Your pain and suffering (also known as ‘general damages’)
General damages are compensation for pain and suffering and other noneconomic losses that arise from injuries sustained as a consequence of your motor vehicle accident. The more severe your injuries and the impact on you in the long-term, the greater your claim for general damages.
2.
This is a calculation of wages you have lost from not being able to go to work, and your loss of future earning capacity if your future ability to work is reduced.
The past earnings portion of this is calculated for any period of time when you have been unable to, or only partly able to work from the time of your accident to the date of settlement of your claim.
Compensation for future economic loss takes into account the severity of your injuries and the impact those injuries may have on your earning capacity from the date of settlement for the remainder of your working life. A range of documentation is needed to prove future economic loss, including tax returns, medical evidence, letters from your employer and anything else that helps prove your reduced ability to work.
Past and future loss of superannuation can also be claimed.
3. Medical expenses
You can claim for any medical expenses already incurred as a result of your injury – and make a claim for any that you might incur in the future. It is important to keep receipts of all medical appointments, assessments, medicines and any medical equipment needed arising from your accident.
Continued on page 38
WITH INCREASING PRESSURE on hip pockets, scaling down your private health cover may have crossed your mind – but buyer be warned, that approach may only erode your value for money and return on investment. No one wants to be paying good money (even if it’s a bit less money) for cover that doesn’t give back in benefits when you need it.
So, consider this instead…
As a WAPU Member you’re eligible to join a health fund with a unique structure. Police Health has been designed with only 3 top-level product options tailored to the needs of first responders and their families. By only offering a choice of top-tier Extras, Hospital or Combined (and being the only fund in Australia to limit their offering in this way) they’re able to maintain a more balanced claiming profile – resulting in comprehensive cover at extremely competitive prices for members. And that’s where true value is found.
When you hold cover with such generous and comprehensive benefits, it’s not hard to recoup the cost of your premiums over the course of a year, whether through an ambulance call-out, or through family visits to the dentist, optometrist, psychologist, or physio – so you’re able to make your health a priority while benefiting your hip pocket long term.
Plus, they’re the only fund with a permanent Rollover Benefit as part of their Extras cover, giving you the ability to roll over unclaimed annual maximums from one calendar year to the next – so you don’t lose benefits if you don’t use them within 12 months*.
You also get the peace of mind of knowing you’re covered for the unforeseen, with ultimate choice around who treats you and where*. As public hospital waiting lists continue to blow-out, that’s got to be a weight off anyone’s mind.
While the not-for-profit fund is relatively unknown to the average consumer, it’s been around for nearly 90 years and consistently puts some of the big players to shame in industry research. For instance, it currently holds the title as the #1 Health Fund for ‘Quality’, ‘Rebates’, ‘Service’, and ‘Trust’ according to the most recent ‘Healthcare & Insurance Australia’ report by IPSOS1.
The fund has maintained a member satisfaction rating of 98% or above for the past 18 years running 2
And, as the only health fund guaranteeing a 0% premium increase this year against an industry average increase of 2.9% 3 , that member satisfaction score is likely to keep.
Of course, there’s a catch, or two…. 1. It’s a restricted access fund, meaning you need to meet eligibility criteria to join – whether through their Police Health brand,
or their Emergency Services Health brand. Specifically, you need to be a past or present worker or volunteer within Police, Fire, State Emergency, Water Response & Recovery, or Medical Response & Recovery (including anyone registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Close relations of anyone matching that criteria are also able to take out their own policies, and this extends to parents, siblings, adult children, and adult grandchildren.
2. If you currently hold a basic or mid-level of health insurance, it’s going to seem expensive on the surface because you’ll be comparing low level cover to top level. But don’t let that put you off. Do the maths. Unless you hold cover purely for the tax benefits, the value of the benefits may well outweigh the cost for you and your family in the long term.
As a final piece of good news, the process of switching insurers is easier than you might think, and any waiting periods already served through your current cover will switch with you.
If you’re new to health insurance the process is still easy but waiting periods will apply – so the sooner you act the better.
Continued on page 38
When you hold cover with such generous and comprehensive benefits, it’s not hard to recoup the cost of your premiums over the course of a year, … so you’re able to make your health a priority while benefiting your hip pocket long term.
APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ON THIS FORM. It can be emailed or posted to the Union office. Complete and return by Friday 21 July 2023 to: WA Police Union
639 Murray Street, West Perth WA 6005 Email: admin@wapu.org.au
Results to be advised by Friday 28 July 2023
Name (Please Print):
PD No:
Address (Home): Post Code:
Work (Unit/Section):
Email (Home):
Phone no. (Work):
(Mobile):
Only mark the holiday periods and locations you are prepared to accept in numerical order of preference. Note: Bookings are available from Saturday (2pm) to Saturday (10am) only.
APRIL
ALBANY
BUSSELTON VILLA 4
BUSSELTON VILLA 11
BUSSELTON VILLA 15
BUSSELTON VILLA 23
ESPERANCE
EXMOUTH
PORT DENISON
YALLINGUP
Continued from page 35
When calculating future medical treatment, you should consider any specialist equipment, consultations, prescription medicines and any potential surgery. It is also important to consider any rehabilitation costs that you may incur, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, return to work assistance, pain management programs, home or vehicle modifications. ICWA may ask for a rehabilitation assessment to be undertaken to help determine these costs.
4. Household support services
As a result of your injury, you may need temporary or permanent help around the home including tasks such as shopping, cleaning, gardening or help with personal care. The cost of this support, whether required short or long term, can be claimed.
Your lawyer should discuss these entitlements with you to keep you updated throughout your claim.
It is important to note that the ICWA will pay the majority of your legal costs if your claim is successful.
If you were to engage TGB Lawyers, we have a no win, no fee policy when it comes to personal injury claims, as we understand that you might be under increased financial stress due to the inability to work, medical expenses, and more, after an accident. We also will not charge you legal fees until your claim has been finalised. You therefore have to pay nothing from your own pocket until your claim has been resolved.
Give our expert Perth motor vehicle accident lawyers a call on (08) 9211 5800 and book your free, no-obligation claim assessment, or fill in your details here and we’ll quickly be in touch.
Continued from page 36
The right health cover really can be worth its weight in gold. Just ask Police colleagues Ash Huth and David Winter, who recently won Police Health’s annual referral competition:
“I first became a Police Health member around 18 years ago, and I’ve always been happy with the cover. Health insurance is a real priority for many police officers and their families — and it is for me. The quality of the cover and the service are particularly vital — and it’s also got to be good value for money.”
Ash Huth, QLD Police“I’d been with Medibank for over 30 years, most recently with their Silver combined cover, but I’d heard good things from a number of colleagues about the quality and value of Police Health’s insurance. Encouraged by Ash — who I worked with last year at the Police Service Academy — my wife Belinda and I decided to find out more. We were really impressed, not only by the value of Police Health’s Gold Combined cover, but also by the prompt, professional and friendly way in which the customer call centre handled our application. We’re delighted to be Police Health members.”
David Winter, QLD PoliceFor your own peace of mind, visit policehealth.com.au
* Waiting periods and other terms and conditions apply
1 IPSOS Healthcare & Insurance Australia Survey 2021; research conducted every 2 years
2 Discovery Research, Member Satisfaction
3 Department of Health & Aged Care
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April saw the addition of 52 new police officers join the frontline. Red Squad 10/2022 and White Squad 11/2022 graduated after 28 weeks of intensive training at the WA Police Academy in Joondalup. The graduation also included a march off for retired officers Inspector Wayne Dohmen, Sergeant Ronnie Pace, Senior Constable Brett Nicholson, and Senior Constable John Lines, who served a combined total of more than 160 years.
We wish the new constables well as they embark on their journeys.
