Police officers have labelled their latest pay offer a "kick in the guts", "farcical" and an "absolute joke". The 4 percent pay increase is still below inflation, which is currently 4.7 percent, while in September last year, inflation was 5.6 percent. The rejected pay offer has also led to fears of a brain drain across the ditch, with Cahill saying Australian recruitment lines would've been "red hot since our members heard of this offer last Friday". This includes "work to rule", which would see officers refuse to work overtime and ensure they take all mandated breaks. "Yet they insult these very officers by intentionally failing to backdate the pay offer that has been delayed by politics and government processes, not officers."

Source: Stuff March 12, 2024 08:41 UTC