Police Pay Freeze

I congratulate the leadership of the Police Association in voluntarily proposing and agreeing in-principle to this 18-month pay freeze.

This agreement is in line with the position the Government held after concerns were raised by the Upper House – a pay freeze of 18 months with no freeze to increments.

If this agreement is endorsed by their members, we will be able to quarantine frontline policing from the additional budget savings measures required if the pay freeze is not agreed to.

The Liberal Government is determined to fix the Budget mess and we are looking forward to seeing all unions’ savings proposals, noting that only a full 18 month pay freeze across the public sector will deliver the $50 million in savings needed to prevent additional job losses.

We thank the Police Association for their constructive and mature approach in difficult budget circumstances.

We would urge all unions to follow their example and put their proposals forward to Government so we can assess the level of savings.

The Liberal Government is getting the Budget back on track and fixing the State’s finances.
Peter Gutwein, Treasurer