Federal government offers public servants nine per cent pay rise

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 07:02 · Archive

The Australian federal government has proposed a nine per cent pay rise for public servants over three years, below union demands for fifteen per cent.

The federal government proposed a nine per cent pay rise for federal public servants over three years on Tuesday. The offer includes a 3.2 per cent rise from March 2027, followed by three per cent in the following year and 2.8 per cent in 2029. The government said the rises are above projected inflation of 2.8 per cent in 2026/27 and 2.4 per cent in 2027/28.

Unions have rejected the offer. The Community and Public Sector Union, the largest union representing the public service, wanted a fifteen per cent pay increase and had indicated willingness to forgo some conditions to achieve it. That demand was ruled out by the government as unrealistic. CPSU national secretary Rebecca Fawcett said members 'want to see pay that keeps up with the cost of living, which recognises the essential work they do every day'.

Public servants have vowed to vote down the pay offer. Jeff Lapidos, Australian Services Union branch secretary representing Australian Taxation Office workers, said employees would 'overwhelmingly vote to reject the pay offer', calling it 'a pay offer that holds ATO employees in contempt'. If the government does not return with what unions consider a 'realistic' offer, Lapidos said the union would ask the Fair Work Commission to determine the pay rise, though he ruled out industrial action.

How it is being reported

• Unions livid with Labor over public servant pay offerPublic servants have been offered a pay rise of nine per cent over three years by the federal government, below union demands of a 15 per cent increase.Perth Now · 13 Oct, 06:24
• Unions livid with Labor over public servant pay offerPublic servants have been offered a pay rise of nine per cent over three years by the federal government, below union demands of a 15 per cent increase.The West Australian · 13 Oct, 06:24

In this story: Australian federal government · Community and Public Sector Union · Australian Services Union · Australian Taxation Office · Rebecca Fawcett · Jeff Lapidos

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