Landmark WA Police Compensation Given The Go Ahead

The McGowan government has introduced a historic legislation that will provide compensation to police officers across the state.

The WA Police Union is marking it as a major milestone, with compensation for officers who are "medically retired due to work-related injury or illness".

Police will still have all existing in-service and post-service entitlements as work cover, however the introduced bill will provide more security for the top authorities.

Aimed at providing exit payments of more than $230,000 for medically retired officers, the extra money will be offered for support training.

It's the first scheme of its kind in Australia, and the details per WA government's statement can be viewed below:

• a $16 million redress scheme with payments of up to $150,000 to acknowledge the circumstances and treatment of some former medically retired officers;
• reforms to the Police Act to ensure a separate and more dignified process for medical retirement; and
• introduction of legislation into Parliament for a Police compensation scheme. 

Premier McGowan said it's an important step in providing compensation for those who serve and protect.

"Every day, brave police officers put their lives on the line on behalf of the community of Western Australia.

"They deserve our support if they are injured or become ill and can no longer continue to serve as a police officer.

"For more than a century, there hasn't been a compensation scheme for WA's medically retired police officers. 

"I made a promise to the police officers of this state that my Government would fix that and today I'm proud we are introducing this historic legislation into the Parliament."

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