ALL of the Far North's frontline cops are to carry taser stun-guns to counter alarming spikes in police assaults.

Police Minister Judy Spence yesterday approved the request after meeting officers and the Queensland Police Union.

The Cairns Post revealed in March last year that Far Northern police wanted tasers to protect themselves against the growing number of people who punched, kicked, bit and spat on officers.

The union's acting president, Denis Fitzpatrick, who has repeatedly called for tasers to be "on the hip of every operational cop" as an alternative to batons and firearms, welcomed the Government’s commitment.

"It's an excellent result," he said. "It's time for the Government to stop procrastinating.

"Police assaults are a serious workplace health and safety issue for our members and as we've witnessed yet again in the past few days, some people in society have no fear of authority.

"Our members have had enough of being attacked by drunken yobbos whilst not being adequately supported by
the courts."

During the early hours of Sunday evening, a 24-year-old constable was kicked in the head outside an Abbott St hotel. The attacker, 41, was charged with serious assault and the officer escaped with only minor injuries.

Earlier this month, Special Emergency Response Team officers stormed a Digger St, Cairns North flat and tasered a man who had held them at bay for almost three hours armed with an axe.

In 2007, Western Australia issued tasers to all operational police officers, a move that they credit with a 40 per cent reduction in serious assaults on police in the past 12-months.

In Queensland, tasers are issued only to specialist officers, although a trial program has issued certain senior officers from each district with the stun guns.

Ms Spence's announcement comes after police in New South Wales and Victoria had to use tasers to control Australia Day crowds.