[Greens-Media] (Sylvia Hale MLC) Greens Oppose Plan to Have Police Shadow MPs

[Christopher Holley]

Greens Oppose Plan to Have Police Shadow MPs

The plan to have special police constables shadow NSW MPs when they
attend meetings away from Parliament House (Daily Telegraph, 5/7/07 p.5)
is a waste of police resources and will interfere with MPs carrying out
their normal duties as elected representatives of the citizens of NSW,
according to NSW Greens MP Sylvia Hale.

“The Greens do not object to appropriate security for the precincts
of parliament house nor to police responding to specific threats against
or requests from any MP. We do object to being shadowed as we go about
our normal activities as elected representatives,” said Ms Hale.

“In my role as Greens spokesperson on Justice and Police matters I am
often approached by constituents who raise concerns about how they have
been treated by the police or the justice system. I have also been
approached in the past by whistleblowers from the public sector or
private industry. I am concerned that if I am being shadowed by a police
officer then these constituents would not feel that they could speak to
me in confidence,” said Ms Hale.

“Many members of parliament are already perceived to be too removed
from the day to day lives of their constituents. Anything that sets us
further apart from the community we are supposed to serve will only add
to the public’s poor opinion of MPs,” said Ms Hale.

“The amount of money going into these sort of excessive security
measures is becoming ridiculous when we have an urgent need for
increased spending on public transport, schools and hospitals.”

“In the absence of a specific reason for increased security measures
the money would be better spent improving services to the community,”
concluded Ms Hale. 

Media contact: Chris Holley (02) 9230 3030 / 0437 779 546