NTPA and Finocchiaro at odds over police retention bonus promise
Anger from the police union continues to flare over the length of a retention bonus promised by the Northern Territory government.
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Anger from the police union continues to flare over the length of a retention bonus promised by the Northern Territory government.
The NT Police Association said Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro promised on multiple occasions that the election commitment would last for five years to ensure most officers would fall into the 10, 15, 20, 25 years-plus milestone catchments.
Mrs Finocchiaro is being accused of backflipping on the commitment by limiting the promise to those who reached the specific milestones in 2025.
However a pre-election media release from the CLP stated the bonus would only last one year, but the NTPA claims Mrs Finocchiaro had agreed “on multiple occasions” that was unfair and agreed to pay the bonuses over five years.
“This bonus, promised as a measure to retain experienced officers, has proven to be nothing more than a token gesture,” NTPA president Nathan Finn said in a statement to members.
“By restricting eligibility to those reaching milestones this year, the government has turned what should have been a meaningful investment into a divisive and shortsighted scheme.
“Back in February, we publicly called on the Chief Minister to deliver the bonus as originally promised, over a five-year period.
“She denied making that commitment and has since refused to engage on this issue in any meaningful way.
“We know this decision hurts. It feels like a betrayal and in many ways, it is.”
A government spokeswoman said in a statement that the NTPA had called for a police retention bonus and “the CLP backed it”.
“We will deliver on that election commitment, with retention bonus payments commencing in July for all milestones reached so far in 2025,” she said.
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