The NSW Government has announced a historic wages offer that it says will help to recruit and retain NSW Police officers.
The offer includes a four year pay agreement, as well as a one-off payment and improvements to allowances and pay-scales.
According to the NSW Government the reform was achieved under the Government’s mutual gains bargaining framework, which replaced the former Liberal-National Government’s wages cap that drove police wages backwards.
If agreed to, it will mean the state’s police officers will now have highly competitive salaries and for the first time will be paid to stay in the NSW Police Force rather than incentivised to leave it.
According to NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, the four-year offer is a $697.6 million investment in NSW Police.
"This is a transformative, once in a generation offer for NSW Police, made possible under Labor's mutual gains bargaining policy," he said.
"This agreement demonstrates we can deliver better services to the public that the budget can afford."
Mr Mookhey said the offer will be funded by reforms to police insurance.
Using the government’s mutual bargaining framework, the Police Association and the NSW Government have agreed to:
o 19 percent base pay increase to non-commissioned officers over four years, plus allowances, accelerated pay scales and allowances which will enhance this base pay rise;
o Consolidated pay scales – a Constable will be able to reach the top level of Senior Constable within nine years, six years faster than the current system;
o Consolidation of pay scales for Senior Constables, Sergeants and Inspectors to remove overlapping pay scales, incentivise retention and to accelerate progression for current serving officers;
o Updated and improved allowances;
o Moving to a full-time equivalent (FTE) model giving the NSWPF more flexibility to offer more part-time working arrangement;
o A one-off $5,400 Leadership Retention Payment to senior police officers who undertake a leadership and wellbeing training program focused on supporting and rehabilitating injured officers;
The Police Association partnered with the NSW Government on significant reform to improve the Police Blue Ribbon Insurance (PBRI) scheme and bringing it in-house.
In 2023-24, the premium paid to a private insurer for the PBRI was almost $700 million dollars.
Police insurance had been increasing at an average annual rate of 33 per cent over the last five years.
Bringing the scheme in-house means private profits can be reinvested into the workforce, a key pillar of the government’s bargaining framework.
"This reform better supports injured officers, wraps support around them and helps them get back to work," Mr Mookhey said.
The offer also included:
• abolishing the wages cap;
• setting up a historic new scheme to pay students to study to become an officer, which has already seen applications surge by 55 per cent over the previous year; and
• two recently announced programs specifically aimed at attracting both experienced officers and regional recruits. This is part of the NSW Government’s long-term plan to rebuild essential services, including addressing the recruitment and retention crisis of frontline workers.
"It's proof our framework can deliver meaningful payrises to the essential workers who are our partners on reform," Mr Mookhey said.
"We scrapped the wages cap and we're getting pay moving for thousands of essential workers to help ease cost of living pressures."
Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism Yasmin Catley said that the offer is well deserved by officers who risk their lives each and every day.
"We are proud to have reached an agreement that recognises the difficult and dangerous work police do to keep us safe," she said.
"Officers risk their lives every day and absolutely deserve a pay rise which is why we have worked long and hard to put this offer on the table.
"NSW Police will no longer be the worst paid in Australia which is the shameful legacy of the former Liberal government.
"The offer is now being put to a vote of members and I hope they are satisfied with what the Government is offering."