NSW: Guildelines needed on police in campaign material - Opp

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2001
NSW: Guildelines needed on police in campaign material - Opp

By Linda Silmalis

SYDNEY, Aug 22 AAP - The NSW opposition has demanded Police Commissioner Peter Ryan
clarify rules on officers being used in campaign material after police avoided being snapped
in a Liberal Party photo shoot.

State deputy Liberal leader Barry O'Farrell said he recently tried to get a photograph
of himself outside a local police station.

Police had immediately moved a police car to ensure it was not in the frame, he said.

Meanwhile, Labor Party brochures being circulated in the Auburn area, where a by-election
will be held on September 4, were full of photographs of police officers with NSW Premier
Bob Carr.

Local Labor candidate Barbara Perry was also pictured with uniformed police.

Mr O'Farrell denied the call to Commissioner Ryan was in response to his own incident
but said it demonstrated a need for the guidelines to be issued.

"At a time when crime is out of control in Auburn, we don't need precious police resources
being used as props in Labor Party literature," he told reporters.

"Taxpayers of this state aren't paying for the police service to appear in Labor Party
brochures and the premier ought to apologise.

"Clear guidelines need to be issued to prevent this occurring again."

In a letter to Mr Ryan, the opposition transport spokesman said Auburn residents were
angry police officers were used politically.

"In trying to save a local police station in my electorate, the other day when I attempted
to have a photograph taken outside my local police station, the police came out and moved
the police car because they didn't want any aspects of the police service in the photo,"

Mr O'Farrell said.

"The police service in this state should not be the centre of political debate.

"The police force in this state is not an ALP force. It's meant to serve the whole community."

A government spokesman said it was up to individual police officers if they wanted
to appear in election material.

The officers in the Labor Party brochures had signed special "photo release" forms
to be pictured in the Auburn brochures, he said.

Copies of the forms released today showed the officers' signatures on the forms, giving
permission to the ALP to use the photograph "by the ALP NSW branch for all advertising
purposes".

"It's a matter for Mr O'Farrell if no police officer wants to be photographed with
him," the spokesman said.

According to the opposition, crime is a key issue in Auburn with up to 800 car thefts
and 500 assaults recorded in the region last year.

AAP ls/rp/las/de

KEYWORD: AUBURN PHOTOS

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