'Political shots': Minister accuses police union during pay talks

The police minister is accusing the police union of taking inaccurate “political shots” at the Government after it criticised the Government‘s financial choices. 

The Police Association said negotiations for constabulary pay rises had come to a “standstill”, but minister Mark Mitchell said the association should focus on good faith bargaining. 

The association has told its members that police bosses are offering a 2.5% general wage increase for constabulary and a $1500 gross lump-sum payment for eligible managers, such as inspectors. 

The association is seeking a 3.1% increase for both cohorts. 

While both parties have agreed on several other issues, the topic of general wage increases has resulted in an impasse which will now be resolved in the private disputes process – final offer arbitration. 

Association president Steve Watt said he understood police were only able to operate in the parameters set by the Government. 

“Police and the government are in an extremely tight fiscal environment. And the police have a certain budget in which they need to cover not only the wages of the workers but also the operating costs for the entire police.” 

“The Government has options. For example, they chose to fund landlords with a few billion dollars. They could have taken some of that and placed that into the police wage negotiations. 

“It’s not necessarily that the Government doesn’t have money. It’s more about their prioritisation of their spending.” 

Responding to Watt’s claims, Police Minister Mark Mitchell said Watt “should keep his focus on good faith bargaining, instead of taking political shots that are not accurate.” 

“This Government has had to make incredibly tough choices. But Police has benefited from sustained investment in its core cost pressures, in every single one of our budgets - three years of the previous Government saw very little investment into their much needed core operations.” 

“Effectively Police were broke,” he said, " We immediately injected 120m in Budget 2024 to stabilise the situation and then a further $120 million in 2025, as well as $55m in Budget 2026 for cost pressures." 

Mitchell said that was alongside further investment in the frontline including new resources, equipment, and personnel, as well as the Government’s “broader efforts to reduce the cost of living. Interest rates are much lower than they were and rents are stabilising”. 

“There is of course more work to be done, we will do that, and I’d advise the association to do theirs.” 

Police bosses and the Police Association will have an opportunity to restate their positions after final offer arbitration wraps up on Friday afternoon. 

Police Association president Steve Watt is suggesting the Government could be spending more on police officers rather than landlords. Photo / New Zealand Police Association 

Mediation between the parties began at the start of May for the collective agreement expiring at the end of June. 

Watt said the association always hoped to come to an acceptable resolution during negotiations. 

“Unfortunately, during the mediation process we were unable to come to a resolution and the mediator then referred us to the facilitated bargaining process.” 

Watt said that process had helped both parties reach agreements on a range of issues, including increases to the 10-hour minimum break between shifts, one-year collective agreements, improved wellbeing provisions and enhanced career support. 

“However, when it came to the crunch, which essentially for most employees is the general wage increase, we’re unable to get agreement on that,” he said. 

Watt also hoped to introduce employer-funded vision and hearing checks every two years for constabulary members. 

He said both parties will have an opportunity to restate their position after final offer arbitration concludes Friday at 4pm. 

“For example, the general wage increase could go up or down from either party or there could be other conditions that they want to change, and then the arbitrator makes a final determination on those positions.” 

New Zealand Police said it would not comment while the process was still underway. 

Jordan Dunn is a multimedia reporter based in Auckland with a focus on crime, social issues, policing and local issues. He joined Newstalk ZB in 2024 from Radio New Zealand, where he started as an intern out of the New Zealand Broadcasting School.