NSW Police have been offered a massive pay rise. Some will take home nearly 40 per cent more

The state’s 17,000 police officers have been offered the biggest pay rise in the NSW public sector and their union says the “generational” wage increase of up to 39 per cent over four years is the highest in three decades.

Police Association of NSW president Kevin Morton on Monday afternoon recommended members accept the offer of 22.3 per cent to 39.4 per cent over four years for non-commissioned officers, saying it “far exceeds” police wage offers across Australia and was superior to what had been accepted by other public sector agencies in NSW. Under the offer, due to go to a vote on November 18, commissioned officers would receive increases of between 20.5 per cent and 27.1 per cent.

Police have been offered a massive pay deal after 14 months of negotiations.Credit: Kate Geraghty

Shadow Liberal treasurer Damien Tudehope said: “This pay rise could cost the taxpayer as much as $1.4 billion over the next four years above the current budget. What services will be cut, or new taxes introduced, to cover this cost?”

A spokesman for Treasurer Daniel Mookhey did not specify the cost of the wages deal but said it would be entirely funded by reforms to the Police Blue Ribbon Insurance Scheme. Legislation introduced to parliament in late September dramatically curtailed taxpayers’ exposure to the police compensation scheme.

Meanwhile, the state is bracing for a week of industrial action. The CFMEU is striking on Tuesday in protest against the union being placed into administration by the Commonwealth. Nurses will strike again on Wednesday over their protracted wage negotiations, and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union has signalled its intention to launch protected action on Thursday that could stop the city’s train network.

Morton said that while the union had not achieved everything it sought in negotiations that began in September 2023, the offer represented a “generational change” to the award. If accepted, 10,000 non-commissioned officers would receive a pay increase of 25 per cent or more, he said.

“Members, this offer exceeds any other police jurisdiction in the country,” he said. “This offer will see the highest pay increases achieved in the last 30 years for NSW Police. This offer outstrips what we have seen accepted by other public sector agencies.”

Morton told 2GB the union had not offered up any “conditions or cents” to obtain the wages deal.

A top-level senior constable working a rotating roster would earn more than $150,000 a year, plus 12 per cent superannuation, by July 2027, a jump of 39.4 per cent. A top-level sergeant’s salary would rise to more than $170,000 by the same point.

The offer comes as NSW Police struggles to retain officers. Its overall headcount has fallen by nearly 300 officers over the three years to 2022-23, according to the agency’s annual report. A sensitive police document leaked last week said the force was experiencing an “exceptional staffing challenge” that related to vacancies and officers not returning from long-term sick leave, estimating the figure to be about 4000 across NSW.

In late 2023, paramedics landed a significant wage deal with the Minns government. Pay rises ranged from 11 to 29 per cent, depending on the level of experience, over four years.

Earlier on Monday, Premier Chris Minns said an impasse with the nurses’ union, which is asking for a 15 per cent wage increase in the first year, could not be overcome, foreshadowing the deadlock would be thrashed out in the state’s industrial court.

“There’s only so much the government can pay,” Minns said. “It’s not my money. I don’t get it out of my personal pocket. I have to ask the taxpayers to pay for it, and I can’t tax them any more.”

NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association general secretary Shaye Candish said while the police wages offer was well deserved, nurses were “furious” that they had not received a reasonable proposal from the government, despite “historic” offers being made to other public sector workers.

“We continue to experience that the biggest public sector, female-dominated workforce is being left behind while the government says there’s no money. It’s just not good enough,” she said.

“Right now, our members will continue to take action until the government comes to the table with a meaningful offer that deals with the current state [of] disparity that we’re seeing.”

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