Police union to progress political discussion

The Western Australian Police Union has carried a motion that could pave the way for members to run for political office, following the lead of the Australian Nurses Federation’s WA branch.

The motion, put forward ahead of the union’s state conference this week, proposed discussion with members over the potential for police officers to run for state office.

“The Australian Nursing Federation are fielding candidates in the next state election in the upper house, with the specific intention to champion the cause of nurses regarding increased wages, greater nurse to patient staffing ratios and improved working conditions,” it said.

“WAPU must look at every avenue to improve members pay and conditions, which have been greatly eroded over the past six years.”

The WAPU revealed this afternoon that the motion was carried.

The motion’s success does not mean the WAPU will put forward a candidate at the 2025 election, but does facilitate further discussion between the union and its members around a political run.

The pitch proposed police officer candidates or “committed family members” could represent police interests at the 2025 state election.

Should a currently serving police officer win a seat, they would be required to stand down from their role on the police force before entering the parliament under state laws.

Similar discussion between the WA branch of the ANF and its members garnered significant support for an ANF-backed candidate, and the nurses union is now considering setting up a political party.

Speaking ahead of the vote on Monday morning, WAPU president Paul Gale said the motion was just one of 70 to be discussed over the course of the conference, but that the union’s core concerns were around addressing mental and financial wellbeing.

Mr Gale would not be drawn at the time on whether the union would be placed to fund a political campaign.

Meanwhile, a motion from the WAPU’s Geraldton branch calling on the union to disaffiliate with UnionsWA was lost.

The motion had argued that affiliation with the union jeopardised the union’s apolitical status.

The WAPU renounced its UnionsWA affiliation in 2010, but re-established ties in 2022 after the Public Sector Alliance was announced.