Australian Federal Police Association (1982 - )

In July 1982 the Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) was established following a merger between the Commonwealth Police Officers' Association [CPOA] and the Federal Police Association [FPA]. The impetus for the AFPA was the proclamation of the Australian Federal Police Act on 15 June 1979 that established the Australian Federal Police [AFP]. The AFP was a merger of the Commonwealth police and the ACT police.

Following the establishment of the AFP the CPOA and the FPA initially operated as separate associations due to their ongoing differences concerning the type of industrial representation members of the newly formed AFP required. However, the amalgamation of the Commonwealth police and the ACT police resulted in executive members of both associations forming a working party to pursue the notion that there should be one police association for all members of the AFP.

In August 1982 the CPOA and FPA officially merged, and the Industrial Registrar gave the CPOA consent to alter its name to the Australian Federal Police Association [AFPA], stating that it was in the public interest to have one industrial association representing all AFP members. As a result, the AFPA became a registered association under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904 (as amended).

The AFPA now operates as a Branch of the Police Federation of Australia, and it is also affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions [ACTU]. The AFPA has sole autonomous political and industrial coverage for all personnel within the AFP.

See "online sources" for a pedigree chart of this entity.

 1942 - 1943 Defence Establishments Guards Association
       1943 - 1958 Peace Officer Guard Association
             1958 - 1982 Commonwealth Police Officers Association
                   1982 - Australian Federal Police Association

• 'Chart 11: Emergency Services Grouping', in Parties to the Award, 2002, http://www.atua.org.au/ptta/032.html. [ Details ]