I’ve heard a few rumours about unhappiness at PNHQ over the issue of who gets paid expenses to commute to roles at PNHQ and who doesn’t.

Apparently, some people are getting flights and accommodation paid for so they don’t have to live in Wellington, even though they applied for the job.

It would be interesting to extend that theory across the organisation. It might make the Police Association’s fight around motor vehicle allowances look rather minor.

The whole issue of who is allowed to work remotely or required to commute to what roles seems a bit of a lottery that is creating a feeling of favouritism, which is never a good look.

The new Police Minister seems to be becoming engaged with the role. I have good reports of his visits around the country, and he seems to have listened to members – hence the announcement of some law changes already.

You can’t complain when someone starts doing things, but it is amazing what a drop in the polls and a bit of public agitation can do to focus a minister on their portfolio.

I have to say, I got a nice surprise in the pay packet the other day with an extra $100 for a short-notice shift-change penalty. That’s the first time I have been grateful for the courts for being hopeless at organising themselves.

It could get interesting, given how often the courts muck cops around. There might be a bit more push-back from the Castle if the bill keeps going up.

I see that so-called “Bishop” Brian Tamaki was causing mayhem in Auckland again last month. I had to laugh when he labelled the people who complained about him as “self-entitled dickheads”. The old pot and kettle analogy immediately came to mind.

It is difficult to know just how you police a crowd like that. Mass arrests are very problematic, and probably what this crowd would like, but at some stage a few bikes need to be confiscated and a bit of the disruption should be put back on this crew.

I wonder if any of the minister’s new laws can be used on this lot?

This column is written by a frontline police member. It does not represent the views of policies of the Police Association.