Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / NT Police Association President Paul McCue hopes morale of the force will improve when a new Police Commissioner is secured

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NT Police Association President Paul McCue hopes morale of the force will improve when a new Police Commissioner is secured · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Now, obviously we've been talking about the situation with the
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Northern Territory Government and mister Jamie Chalker. They'd issued a
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: statement over the weekend saying that Jamie Chalker has officially
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: retired from his position. It is weeks after it was
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: initially reported that he'd been asked to resign by the
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  Speaker 1: Northern Territory government. Now joining me on the line is
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  Speaker 1: well the outgoing Police Association President Paul Mchue. Good morning
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: to you.
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  Speaker 2: Paul, Morning Katie. How are you going?
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: Not too bad now? Paul? What are members telling you
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  Speaker 1: following the announcement about the commissioner or the former commissioner
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  Speaker 1: now over the weekend?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, obviously, you know, the announcement was made that Jamie
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: chalkers retired now as commissioner and the search begins, of
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: course for the very important replacement for that role. I mean,
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  Speaker 2: obviously it's been a challenging few years for policing generally,
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  Speaker 2: so obviously members of police are matters resolved. No one
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  Speaker 2: needed to see a public debate going on about the
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: Commissioner of Police, and I think they're just please that's
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: been resolved now and it's time to move forward and
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  Speaker 2: find a suitable replacement Paul.
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  Speaker 1: Towards the end of last year, though, we did see
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  Speaker 1: a survey which was conducted by the Northern Territory Police
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  Speaker 1: Association that showed that a large number, well the majority
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  Speaker 1: of those respondents no longer had confidence in the police commissioner.
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  Speaker 1: Do you think that this change is going to see
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  Speaker 1: a change in morale for the force?
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  Speaker 2: A look, you would think it will be a shot
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  Speaker 2: on the arm in terms of I guess, a short
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  Speaker 2: term boost morale. People obviously were the rank and file,
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  Speaker 2: the broader rank and file, certainly through evidence from those surveys,
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  Speaker 2: not just that one, but others, you know, made it
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  Speaker 2: clear they weren't happy with the direction that the Commissioner
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  Speaker 2: was taking the organization and they weren't happy with him
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  Speaker 2: for whatever reason. But you know, I think it's quite
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  Speaker 2: clear this will be I guess, a change that they've
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  Speaker 2: been looking for, and you know, ultimately they want to
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  Speaker 2: see a person come in, no matter who that is,
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  Speaker 2: that's going to obviously put them first, put them front
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  Speaker 2: and center of the challenges that they've been facing, and
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  Speaker 2: none more so than resourcing. So that's certainly certainly going
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  Speaker 2: to be the case. I'm sure we know.
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  Speaker 1: That Michael Murphy is currently acting in that role. He
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  Speaker 1: does seem to be a well respected, well respected police officer.
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  Speaker 1: Is he the right man for the job?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, I'm sure if he was selected, you know,
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  Speaker 2: there would be many of the members would be happy
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  Speaker 2: with that. Obviously, we worked with mister Murphy for many
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  Speaker 2: years and of course he's been deputy for a long time,
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  Speaker 2: acting Commissioner for many many periods, and we have a
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  Speaker 2: good working relationship with him. But of course he'll be
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  Speaker 2: one of many candidates. I'm sure both within the NT
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  Speaker 2: and nationally, I would suspect that are going to be
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  Speaker 2: interested in applying for this position. But we just want
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  Speaker 2: to see the right person selected. We want to see
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  Speaker 2: characteristics which put our rank and file front and center
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  Speaker 2: support and well being and make sure that you know,
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  Speaker 2: they need to be wrapped around. I've gone through some
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  Speaker 2: torrid times in the last few years, Katie, and it's
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: time we wrapped around them and made sure they had
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  Speaker 2: what they need to do their job.
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  Speaker 1: Honestly, I just think, thank goodness that the Northern Territory Police,
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  Speaker 1: at our rank and file, have continued to work their
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  Speaker 1: butts off over what have been incredibly difficult months last
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  Speaker 1: couple of years. You know, what type of person do
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  Speaker 1: you think that we actually need to take on that
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  Speaker 1: commissioner's role?
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  Speaker 2: Well, I think, I mean, obviously, sadly, we've seen national
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: coverage of the challenges facing our community around crime, and
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  Speaker 2: of course the police bear the brun of that, so
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  Speaker 2: I think it would be foolish to have someone apply
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  Speaker 2: that doesn't understand those challenges, doesn't I guess, have a
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  Speaker 2: full appreciation of what our police have been going through,
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  Speaker 2: you know, for the last two or three years, and
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  Speaker 2: of course what we're seeing play out and the public
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  Speaker 2: almost daily with the crime here in the Northern Territory
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  Speaker 2: across the whole territory. So you know, anyone that's going
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  Speaker 2: to apply for this position needs to make sure they're
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  Speaker 2: across those challenge, just make sure they've got a clear
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  Speaker 2: planning place and really understand the reasons we seem to
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  Speaker 2: be so short on police at the moment.
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  Speaker 1: Do we need a local I know the names of
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  Speaker 1: Michael Murphy and also Jeanette Kerr have been thrown around.
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  Speaker 2: I've got no doubt they may be one or two
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  Speaker 2: of many that might have a look at this position.
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  Speaker 2: I mean, obviously We've got a lot of strong candidates
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  Speaker 2: here in the Northern Territory, I'm sure, either either current
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  Speaker 2: or former police officers. But I'm also obviously speaking with
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  Speaker 2: my national counterparts on a regular basis. I know there's
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  Speaker 2: no doubt going to be some interest from other police
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  Speaker 2: forces as well, So you know, we look forward to
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  Speaker 2: seeing a strong pull of people apply.
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  Speaker 1: Well, do you reckon that the situation that we have
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  Speaker 1: seen within the last you know, the last year or so,
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  Speaker 1: in terms of that survey that had come out that
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  Speaker 1: showed that a large number of officers said that they
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: didn't have confidence in the executive, in the former commissioner,
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: and you know, and some of the other concerns that
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  Speaker 1: we've had. Do you think that they have had an
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  Speaker 1: impact on our police when it comes to dealing with
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  Speaker 1: the issues of crime, you know, i e. Having those
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  Speaker 1: concerns with the upper ranks.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, look, I've got no doubt. You know when you
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  Speaker 2: look at some of the statistics, you know, since late
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  Speaker 2: twenty nineteen or particularly around attrition rates which doubled. We're
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  Speaker 2: over ten percent and have been for some period of time.
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  Speaker 2: And many of those officers, Katie, really experienced people and
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  Speaker 2: have been here for many, many years, so you can't
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  Speaker 2: replace that experience overnight. That impact then flows onto our
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  Speaker 2: very junior members in many of the regional areas Alice Springs,
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  Speaker 2: Catherine and Tenant for example. And then of course you
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  Speaker 2: know that really I guess high turnover of membership and
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  Speaker 2: the feeling of a lack of numbers when you turn
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  Speaker 2: up to work every day in many areas, including remote
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  Speaker 2: and our regional areas, it really affects them around them.
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  Speaker 2: Morale we know has been quite low for a couple
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  Speaker 2: of years now, and of course that undoubtedly when you
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  Speaker 2: don't have enough people to do the job, affects the
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  Speaker 2: way that you can respond to the community needs. So
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  Speaker 2: we know the government committed to a review and I
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  Speaker 2: think any new commissioner comes in ought to make that
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  Speaker 2: a priority to know where our people are.
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree. I mean it's something that you and
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  Speaker 1: I have spoken about on so many occasions. And the
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  Speaker 1: reality is you and I have spoken on so many
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: occasions over the last few years. And Paul, today's actually
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: your last official day on the job.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, look, it is after over ten years here with
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  Speaker 2: the Police Association. Obviously the election CYC will come about.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: I've as you know, decided to stand down from the
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  Speaker 2: position of thoroughly enjoyed and being privileged to represent what
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  Speaker 2: I consider the bravest and most dedicated people I've ever
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  Speaker 2: come across. As you know, I've been through some enormous challenges,
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  Speaker 2: and you know, I couldn't have been prouder of the
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  Speaker 2: fact that they carried out their duties without fear or favor,
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: and I've been proud to represent them. But it is
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  Speaker 2: time for someone else to take the reins. And you know,
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  Speaker 2: it's my last official day today, but I leave knowing that,
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  Speaker 2: you know, we're in a good place where we're obviously
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  Speaker 2: in a position where we're going to have a new commissioner. Soon,
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  Speaker 2: we'll have a new president of the NTPA, and I
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  Speaker 2: think it's a good opportunity to reset and carry on
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  Speaker 2: the good work we've all been doing.
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  Speaker 1: Paul, You've you know, over the years, you've always made
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  Speaker 1: time for us, you have always responded to all of
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: our requests for you to come on here. But one
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  Speaker 1: thing that you have really done as well is stand
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  Speaker 1: up for our Northern Territory Police officers, which I'm sure
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  Speaker 1: that they are grateful for. I know that our listeners
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  Speaker 1: have really appreciated your openness and your honesty over the years,
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  Speaker 1: as have I. Mate, What is the process now for
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  Speaker 1: your replacement and where are things at?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, the election periods underway. We've got four strong candidates
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  Speaker 2: for my position. We've got obviously the executive positions open
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  Speaker 2: as well, So that period of voting closes towards the
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  Speaker 2: end of this month and then there'll be an announcement
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  Speaker 2: shortly after for whoever my replacement will be. So that
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: process is well underway. We've currently got our senior vice
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  Speaker 2: president working in here to keep the wheels turning, so
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  Speaker 2: to speak. But you know, obviously, you know, business as
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  Speaker 2: usual from our perspective, and we'll know the successor to
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: my position very soon.
• 8:29
  Speaker 1: What's next for you, Paul.
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  Speaker 2: I'll just have a bit of a break, Conny, probably
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  Speaker 2: have a catch a breath, and you know, obviously it's
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  Speaker 2: been a long ten years, but as I said, it's
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  Speaker 2: been an honor, and I'll thank you for the opportunities
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  Speaker 2: obviously to keep enabling us to have a voice to
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  Speaker 2: represent those very hard working police out there. And you know,
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  Speaker 2: I'll have a bit of a break now and obviously
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  Speaker 2: leave it to someone else to take the rains, which
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  Speaker 2: you know, which I think will be a good thing.
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: Well, Paul mcute, Like I said before, we really appreciate
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  Speaker 1: all the time, all the effort that you've given us
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  Speaker 1: over those ten years. You've been a regular fixture on
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  Speaker 1: the show and always bluntly honest. You know, whether people
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  Speaker 1: really liked what you were saying or they didn't. But
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  Speaker 1: one thing that you've always done is stood up for
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  Speaker 1: those that are the rank and file police officers that
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  Speaker 1: are part of the association. I'm sure that those members
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: are grateful for that, but we're very grateful for the
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  Speaker 1: time you've given us. So all the very best. Thank
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: you so much and hopefully we'll talk to you again soon.
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, Katie appreciate it. Have a great day.
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: Thank you,