The Western Australia Police Force is facing intense scrutiny and potential multi-million dollar losses for taxpayers following revelations of a costly lease agreement for a luxury private jet.
A Costly Decision in the Skies
An investigation has uncovered that WA Police entered into a lease for a Bombardier Challenger 604 private jet in late 2022. The deal, signed with a private company, committed the force to a five-year contract worth $2.1 million annually. This arrangement was made to replace the aging police aircraft, a twin-engine Piper Navajo, which was deemed no longer fit for purpose.
The luxury jet, capable of carrying up to nine passengers in a configurable cabin, was intended for a variety of police operations. These included transporting the Police Commissioner, critical personnel, specialist teams, and dignitaries, as well as supporting regional policing and surveillance tasks.
Financial Turbulence and a Grounded Fleet
However, the plan quickly encountered severe problems. The Challenger jet was grounded for a staggering 10 months shortly after the lease began due to significant maintenance issues. During this period, WA Police was still obligated to make the full lease payments while the aircraft sat idle.
Faced with an unusable asset, police officials made the controversial decision to sub-lease the jet to another operator in a bid to recoup some costs. This move has proven financially disastrous. The sub-lease payments are reportedly far lower than what WA Police is required to pay the original lessor, creating a substantial ongoing loss.
Compounding the issue, the force has had to charter other aircraft at significant additional expense to fulfill the operational duties the Challenger was meant to handle. This has layered extra costs on top of the bad lease deal.
Taxpayers Footing a Multi-Million Dollar Bill
The financial fallout for the public purse is severe. A confidential cabinet briefing, dated May 2024, warned the state government that taxpayers could lose more than $10 million because of this single aviation contract. The briefing explicitly stated that continuing with the current lease arrangement is not in the state's financial interests.
Opposition police spokesman Peter Collier has slammed the situation, labelling it a "scandalous waste of taxpayers' money." He has called for greater transparency and accountability, demanding to know who authorised the deal and what due diligence was performed.
The WA Police Force has defended its actions, stating the lease was entered into to ensure "safe, effective and efficient air support" for its operations across the vast state. A police spokesperson acknowledged the aircraft's unserviceability and the subsequent sub-lease, framing it as a measure to offset costs while exploring long-term aviation solutions.
The scandal has prompted the state government to review the police air wing's future. Options include purchasing new aircraft outright or finding alternative leasing arrangements. For now, the luxury jet remains an emblem of a high-flying procurement gamble that has left taxpayers facing a multi-million dollar loss.
