Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment

Bulletin 4 - Police Force Consent Agreement 2025 negotiations - 18 July 2025

Offer to be put to the vote

On 27 June 2025, we issued bulletin 3 with an offer.

Following further negotiations, we have agreed on some changes to the offer and are pleased that the Northern Territory Police Association (NTPA) has agreed to put it to a vote of its membership.

The bulletin sets out the full details of the offer below.

Why this offer should be supported

We believe this is a fair and reasonable offer because it:

  • retains our strong competitive position by keeping the Northern Territory’s remuneration package (including the housing allowance) at the top nationally from constable to senior sergeant and second for superintendent as shown in attachment A PDF (35.0 KB). This comparison was prepared jointly with the NTPA and using agreed methodology
  • the salary increases are above the predicted consumer price index (CPI Darwin) over the life of the new proposed agreement. This comes of an already strong base of increases outstripping CPI in the past, as shown in attachment B PDF (33.3 KB)
  • supports attraction and retention, and builds on previous agreements which assisted in reducing attrition rates over the past 4 years from around 11% in 2021 to 2022 to an estimated 6% for 2024 to 2025
  • provides certainty in salary increases over the 4 year period of the agreement where current indicators show a further declining CPI over the same period.

When will the first salary increase apply from?

If this offer is accepted, the first salary increase will apply from 30 June 2025.

Details of this offer

The details of this offer are as follows:
  • removal of our proposal to vary the housing entitlement for Darwin to gain the NTPA’s support for this offer
  • four-year term commencing on 30 June 2025 with an expiration date 12 months after the final salary increase. This will provide certainty and secured terms and conditions over the period
  • salary increases of 4%, 4%, 3% and 3%. This offer provides an average 3.5% per annum and a compounding salary increase of 14.7% over 4 years. This offer places the NT Police remuneration package (including the housing allowance) at the top in Australia from constable to senior sergeant, and 2nd for superintendent
  • increase the rate of overtime for ‘overtime with prior notice’ from time and a half to double time (except for a public holiday, which will remain at double time and a half) (clause 31, overtime) PDF (333.5 KB)
  • clarify “continuation of shift” means the completion of tasks allocated during the ordinary rostered shift and does not include a rostered overtime shift, recall to duty overtime situation, or an agreement to remain on duty for an additional task for example, prisoner transport, crime scene guard, or to undertake a shift or part of a shift due to the absence of a member in the oncoming shift (clause 31, overtime) PDF (333.5 KB)
  • include a provision in the personal leave clause to ensure members are not disadvantaged by the inclusion of the definition of “personal leave year” which applies from 9 June 2023 (see "Incorporation of other agreed matters" below) (clause 45, personal leave) PDF (256.6 KB)
  • increase the period of personal leave members may access without documentary evidence to the greater of 4 rostered shifts or 40 hours in any personal leave year (clause 45, personal leave) PDF (256.6 KB)
  • reduce the time before higher duties can be paid from 40 hours to one shift (clause 16, higher duties allowance) PDF (235.4 KB)
  • for the general policing allowance (clause 17(f)) PDF (197.1 KB), detectives allowance (clause 18(f)) PDF (194.1 KB), tactical operators allowance (clause 19(d)) PDF (194.3 KB) and school Based policing allowance (clause 28(c)) PDF (198.2 KB):
    1. increase the period the allowances are payable for while on personal leave without documentary evidence in any year from 2 days to the greater of up to maximum of 4 shifts or 40 hours per personal leave year
    2. increase the period the allowance is payable for while on personal leave with documentary evidence from 2 weeks up to a maximum of 120 hours, and while performing ‘light duties’ due to a non-work-related medical condition
    3. inserting ‘documentary evidence’ in lieu of ‘medical certificate’ which will expand the evidence that can be provided to include statutory declarations as well as medical certificates from registered health practitioners.
  • significantly increase the additional freight allowance payable under clause 56(g)(vi) PDF (279.1 KB) from $500 to $3,000 for singles, and $1,000 to $5,000 for members with dependents, and provide a mechanism for the Commissioner of Police to approve a higher amount where warranted
  • include a new “no disadvantage” provision to allow the commissioner of police to approve an allowance for members who are permanently stationed at an isolated location, who are required by the NT Police Force to undertake temporary duties at a locality where isolated policing entitlements do not apply, who maintain their household at their permanently stationed locality, and are financially disadvantaged by the loss of any isolated policing entitlements (clause 56, isolated policing incentives) PDF (279.1 KB)
  • significantly increase the relocation expenses payable under clause 74(c) PDF (132.4 KB) from $1,000 to $2,500 for singles, and $2,000 to $5,000 for members with dependents
  • amend the recognition of prior service provisions (i.e. a gap in employment between periods of service with NT Police) for rank and higher duties to recognise prior service with NT Police where the break in service does not exceed 3 years (clause 16, high duties) PDF (235.4 KB)
  • include New Zealand (NZ) Police as a recognised employer for the purposes of recognition of prior service for long service leave purposes and to recognise any NZ LSL credits at the NZ rate of LSL accrual (i.e. 3 weeks per 10 years of service) (clause 42 & 43 long service leave) PDF (219.1 KB)
  • during periods of long service leave approved at half pay, any personal leave granted in lieu will be taken at half pay (clause 42 & 43, long service leave) PDF (219.1 KB))
  • where a member has been absent from work on workers compensation for a continuous period exceeding 26 weeks, recreation leave accrued during each 26 week period will be cashed out if, at the commencement of that 26 week period, the member’s recreation leave balance is greater than the 2 year recreation leave entitlement (clause 46, worker compensation leave and entitlements) PDF (200.3 KB)
  • for consistency, amend the general policing allowance, detectives allowance, tactical operators allowance and school based policing allowance eligibility provisions by changing current ‘year’ references (calendar year, financial year) to ‘any personal leave year’ (clause 17, general policing allowance PDF (197.1 KB), clause 18, detectives allowance PDF (194.1 KB), clause 19, tactical operators allowance PDF (194.3 KB), and clause 28, shcool based policing allowance PDF (198.2 KB)).

Incorporation of other agreed matters

The agreement will also be varied to formalise inclusion of the following matters, that were agreed to or arising from bargaining from the 2022 certified agreement:
  1. including special category locations (Jabiru, Adelaide River, Batchelor) into clause 62 PDF (229.0 KB), to enable these locations to access electricity, gas and annual pest control at no cost to the officer; date of effect 30 June 2022
  2. including at clause 56(e)(i) PDF (279.1 KB) ‘special category – 12%, to ensure officers gazetted to Jabiru, Adelaide River and Bachelor receive the higher rate of 12% general policing allowance; date of effect 30 June 2022
  3. include the definition of “personal leave year” in clause 45(d) PDF (256.6 KB), effective from 9 June 2023
  4. reinstating payment of the consolidated allowance for the first 4 shifts in a personal leave year (noting it has continued to be provided) (clause 15, consolidated allowance) PDF (228.8 KB); date of effect 30 June 2022
  5. for consistency, amending ‘calendar year’ to ‘every 12 month period from date of commencement in clause 45(f) PDF (256.6 KB) to align entitlements to a personal leave year. If a member would be disadvantaged by the transition, the date of effect will be from the first anniversary that falls on or after the commencement of the new agreement.
  6. amending clause 56(f) PDF (279.1 KB) to enable the retention of 7% special location allowance for members at the rank of senior sergeant and below permanently stationed at Tennant Creek or superintendents permanently stationed at a specified isolated policing group location who undertake relief duties or training at other locations; date of effect 30 June 2022.
  7. including provision that varies the rate of higher duties for a superintendent who acts as commander in clause 123.2 of Police Arbitral Tribunal Determination 1 of 2011 to 5% of the top salary increment of a superintendent; date of effect 30 June 2022 (clause 16, high duties allowance) PDF (235.4 KB).

What happens if the offer is not accepted?

  • We have provided three offers, all of which were improved once considered by the NTPA and have been above the wages policy, which governs our bargaining position. The wages policy takes into consideration what is reasonable and affordable for public sector remuneration and specifies that costs above 3% per annum are to be funded by real, bankable, productivity offsets and work practice reform initiatives. We have been able to identify offsets and reform initiatives with NTPA through our negotiations.
  • If the offer is not accepted, the government maintains its option to refer the matter to the Police Arbitral Tribunal for arbitration. If this occurs, options to pursue productivity and efficiency changes to employment terms and conditions to fund any additional costs above the wages policy will need to be considered.

More information

Read the NTPS Enterprise Bargaining Policy 2025-2028 (wages policy).

If you have any queries regarding the bargaining process, email employee.relations@nt.gov.au.

Nicole Hurwood
Commissioner for Public Employment

Martin Dole
APM  A/Commissioner of Police