NT Police finalise pay boosts for two years after enterprise bargaining agreements

A fight between Territory coppers and coin-counters has been finalised. See what NT police have won in their latest pay agreement.

Public Employment Minister Paul Kirby confirmed to estimates on Tuesday that NT Police had signed a consent agreement. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

Cops on the beat have won their stand-off with the Territory government, finalising their salary negotiations and securing a review into fatigue management.

Public Employment Minister Paul Kirby confirmed that NT Police had signed a consent agreement, bringing to an end a 16-month standoff with the cops.

Mr Kirby said more than 80 per cent of police voted in favour for the agreement, which includes yearly 3 per cent raises across all ranks for the next two years.

A 4 per cent raise was also backdated to June last year, with additional bonuses for Superintendents.

“The police consent agreement is completely costed and it’s our commitment to get the pay rise and back pay to our hardworking police as soon as we can,” Mr Kirby said.

The Northern Territory Police Association said the consent agreement was signed off by rank-and-file officers in late April, but they had faced a “frustrating” wait for it to be finalised.

NTPA President Nathan Finn said it had been a “challenging period hindered by the NT government’s insulting public sector pay freeze”.

Public Employment Minister Paul Kirby confirmed to estimates on Tuesday that NT Police had signed a consent agreement. Paul Kirby Pic: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“The NTPA fought hard to secure adequate salary improvements and a number of important industrial entitlements,” Mr Finn said.

“Our negotiating team remained committed to pursuing an Agreement that would recognise the sacrifice and dedication of our hardworking members and remain competitive with other jurisdictions.”

Mr Finn celebrated the commitment to the development of a Fatigue Management Policy over the next 12 months as a major victory in the process.

“It’s disappointing that, to date, this has not been a priority for the department,” Mr Finn said.

“The NTPA looks forward to working with the senior police executive to ensure our members’ mental health and wellbeing is paramount.”

The agreement, which was signed two weeks ago, will remain in effect for two years, until June 2025.

The pay battle has resulted in police securing an agreed salary structures and leave agreements, while also protecting against cops burning out from long shifts.

The consent agreement set limits on police shifts, which cannot exceed 12 hours, or force an officer to work more than seven continuous shifts.

NTPA President Nathan Finn said it had been a “challenging period hindered by the NT Government’s insulting public sector pay freeze”. Picture: Supplied

“A roster shall not require a member to work in excess of 40 hours per week,” it said.

Police agreed to time-and-a-half payments for any overtime, with additional bonuses on weekends and public holidays.

In estimates last week, Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services Finance Director Paul Kelly revealed police had logged 159,000 overtime hours in the financial year to March.

Mr Kelly said police overtime cost $12.8m, compared to $4.9m for fireys and $622,000 in emergency service extra hours.

Under the 2023 agreement, cops on night shifts were given a 15 per cent base salary bonus, while detectives and Territory Response Group teams were given a 5 per cent allowance on their salary.

Dog squad handlers were also given pay bumps to care for their canine companions while off-duty.

Auxiliaries on the booze beat as PALIs were given an allowance worth 30 per cent of a base member’s hourly pay, while school cops were given a 5 per cent allowance.

The agreement made specific emphasis on restoring police’s work-life balance, setting up the “right to disconnect” got Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs members.

“Other than in emergency situations, genuine welfare matters or where extra duty or shift change notifications are required, Officer’s in Charge (and) managers should ensure that members are not contacted outside of rostered hours and that their periods of leave and rest days are respected,” it said.

The agreement made specific emphasis on restoring police’s work-life balance, setting up the “right to disconnect” got Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs members. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Katherine officers were also given an extra week’s holiday bonus under a “retention incentive”, which was available to officers with more than three-years service in the remote station.

Pay and leave incentives were offered to cops based in 45 remote stations, with additional bonuses for those based in Wadeye, Kintore, Lajamanu, Warekurna, Maningrida, Papunya and Yuendumu.

The agreement also confirmed married cops in remote stations would receive an additional $1690 per annum as part of a Spousal Honorarium Payment.

The agreement also laid out leave for parents, those out on worker’s compensation, compassion and kinship obligation leave, as well as arrangements if members needed time off to go through their gender transition.

Police who are themselves were victims of domestic, family and sexual violence were also supported through paid, flexible work options.

While celebrating the victory, Mr Finn also voiced frustrations that there would be a delay to back payments until the end of July.

“Our concerns around the delay of certification of the Agreement, and back pay, has been raised directly with the Public Employment Minister Paul Kirby,” he said.

It is understood that part of the delay was due to the NTPA’s representative, Ray Murphy, was promoted as an acting Local Court judge, meaning he had to be replaced before it could be signed off.