14 November 2024

NSW is 'actively poaching' Canberra's police officers, union says

| James Coleman
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Policeman standing next to police tape

ACT Policing is currently negotiating a pay rise with the Federal Government, but nothing like that is being offered to NSW Police, the Australian Federal Police Association says. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

Police officers in NSW are set to receive at least 22 per cent extra pay over the next four years in what the state government has described as a “historic generational change”.

So, if you’re an ACT police officer, why wouldn’t you jump the border?

NSW Premier Chris Minns announced the new pay offer on Tuesday (12 November), arguing it was needed to curb the number of officers quitting the force.

He said the number of officers leaving the state’s police force has “more than doubled” in recent years, from more than 500 in 2018 to 1286 in 2022. He puts the blame on wage caps imposed on government agencies during the Liberal-National terms of government.

“As a result of that, the NSW Government has negotiated a historic generational change for wages and conditions,” he said.

The pay deal is expected to cost $697.6 million, funded by reforms to police insurance.

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The breakdown is yet to be revealed, but the Police Association of NSW expects all non-commissioned officers to receive increases of between 22.3 per cent and 39.4 per cent over the next four years, provided the offer is accepted.

Or, to put it another way, the salary of a level-three senior constable will jump from $107,600 to $146,600 by mid-2027, up $39,000.

The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) says it stands in “jarring contrast” to what the Federal Government is offering officers within the Australian Federal Police (AFP), which also includes ACT Policing.

This deal equates to an 11.2 per cent increase over three years – 4.5 per cent in the first year, 4 per cent in the second year and 2.7 per cent in the third year – with some adjustments to allowances and sick leave as well.

“When you look at the NSW deal, it’s tough to see what the Albanese Government is offering AFP officers as anything short of blatant disrespect,” AFPA representative Alex Caruana said.

Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) president Alex Caruana. Photo: Albert McKnight.

He says the difference between the two becomes even more stark when you add in changes to the pay scale for NSW officers.

“The additional part NSW Police get is compressed advancement, so they’re able to get from a junior constable to a sergeant much quicker, so when you factor that in … they’re 40 per cent better off.”

Mr Caruana said it’s quite clear the premier is “actively poaching” from jurisdictions like the ACT.

“Our AFP and ACT Policing members are such big-ticket items for other police forces – they’ve got the training, the knowledge and other skill sets that others don’t have – and when you’re offering a considerably better pay deal, it’s very easy to lure them across,” he said.

“Would you prefer to live in Canberra or go to Coffs Harbour for four years and earn $40,000 extra a year?”

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When asked on ABC radio about officers crossing to NSW, ACT Policing Chief Police Officer Scott Lee said, “Certainly, I’m concerned”.

“I don’t want any of our people to leave ACT Policing – I value all of our people, and we’re doing what we can to attract and retain more people in policing,” he said.

CPO Lee was also confident “there are some other factors” to keep officers working in the AFP and ACT Policing beyond salary, including “the lifestyle we have here in the ACT”.

“We’ve had members who have joined us from other police forces around the country, including from NSW.”

The vote on the AFP’s 11.2 per cent pay rise closes this Friday (15 November).

The new ACT Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Marisa Paterson, is batting for an increase.

“Police do an amazing job in our community. While this negotiation is a matter for the Federal Government, the ACT Government is eager to see police negotiate a fair pay increase,” she told Region.

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Police in ACT deserve a better wage, it’s a thankless job the least we can do is pay them what their worth.

It is about time the ACT had its own independent police force answerable to our laws, our parliament and our citizens. The ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia without its own force. The ACT’s agreement with the Commonwealth delivers police services to our city through the AFP. The ACT paid the AFP around $202m last year to provide policing services to our city for four years and is set to expire in September 2026.

A key recommendation from a 2020 Assembly committee report into ACT policing made 38 recommendations including the need for our city to have its own police force. The report also highlighted the lack of oversight the minister has in the day-to-day operations of ACT policing making ministerial responsibility possibly near impossible.

ACT Policing falls under federal jurisdiction and is exempt from the ACT’s Integrity Commission. This is unacceptable and does not provide the proper legal oversight for our police that ACT residents would expect.

Over the past years we have seen the media and leading members of the legal fraternity questioning the ethical standards of ACT Policing and its leadership. Criticisms have included senior police officers lacking knowledge and training, entrenched police sexism and bullying, lying under oath, failing victims of sexual assault, leaking of confidential information to the media in a high-profile rape case, a lack of transparency in internal investigations and rewarding of bad behaviour.

In another high-profile case reported in the media yesterday officers were again found guilty of using heavy handedness in making an arrest. The video footage of the arrest is confronting to watch. The judge recommended it be referred for another internal police investigation with its findings now unlikely ever to be made public.

I am looking forward to our government tearing up its contract with the AFP and employing our own force answerable to our city and its citizens!

@Jack D.
I read Minister Paterson passing the buck to the Feds over “a fair pay increase”, but I didn’t read anything from her which even remotely suggested the ACT government is considering “tearing up its contract with the AFP”.

Do you have some insider information, Jack D?

Gregg Heldon9:07 pm 13 Nov 24

I am proud to say that I was an AFP employee for 13 1/2 years. I helped save lives. It’s not perfect as an organisation but probably better than anything the ACT Government could muster. An organisation that, time and time again, is anti Police, though its reduction of resources towards ACT Policing and making it the worst paying Police organisation. Morale is as low as the pay at present.
The officers on the ground do a good job. If NSW Police didn’t think so, they wouldn’t be recruiting ACT officers.

Unlikely it will ever happen, the cost for an independent police force would be double to triple what the ACT pays now

And you should be proud too, Gregg. If most people knew the sorts of things officers face day-to-day in performing their duties, there’d be more appreciation. How many reading this would be comfortable attending a domestic violence incident, a suicide, or be a first responder to a horrific car accident? Same could be said for Fire & Rescue and Ambos.

I don’t understand why there isn’t better wage and benefits alignment with other state forces. Surely the work and risk is much the same?

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