Police officer salary Victoria: award coverage vs enterprise agreement rates

Police officer salary Victoria: enterprise agreement sets the floor

When researching a police officer salary Victoria, it is important to understand that sworn police officers are not covered by a modern award. Instead, their pay and conditions are set by the Victoria Police Force Enterprise Agreement, a negotiated industrial instrument that applies to all members. This agreement establishes minimum rates that are substantially higher than the national minimum wage. For anyone comparing pay floors, the enterprise agreement is the relevant benchmark, not the award system that covers most other Australian employees.

Legal minimum vs enterprise agreement

The national minimum wage, set by the Fair Work Commission, is the absolute legal floor for all employees in the national system. From 1 July 2026, the adult rate is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week (casual $33.05 per hour). However, this rate only applies to award-free and agreement-free employees. Police officers in Victoria are covered by a registered enterprise agreement, which overrides the national minimum. The Victoria Police website states that recruits are paid $61,187 per annum from week one at the academy, and after swearing in as a Probationary Constable the salary rises to $84,060 per annum plus allowances. These figures are well above the national minimum, confirming that the enterprise agreement sets a much higher pay floor.

Salary progression and allowances

The Victoria Police website outlines a clear progression path. After completing the Diploma of Policing, a Constable advances to First Constable with a salary of $90,399 per annum plus allowances. Further progression depends on role, duties, and performance under the enterprise agreement. In addition to base salary, police officers receive shift penalties, overtime payments, and various allowances. The ordinary hours are 80 per fortnight (40 per week), but officers also accrue time off in lieu of the 38-hour week. Superannuation is paid on top of salary at the legislated guarantee rate (12% from 1 July 2026) into the Emergency Services Super Fund. These extras mean total remuneration can be significantly higher than the base annual figures.

Comparison with national minimum and average earnings

Even the lowest police salary – the recruit rate of $61,187 per annum – equates to about $1,176.67 per week, which is above the national minimum weekly wage of $1,004.90. The Probationary Constable rate of $84,060 per annum gives a weekly equivalent of $1,616.54. For context, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported in May 2026 that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings averaged $2,083.70 per week. While the police base salary sits below that average, the addition of allowances, penalties, and overtime can close the gap. Police officers also receive nine weeks of recreation leave per year, which is well above standard entitlements.

Award coverage versus agreement coverage

It is a common misconception that all employees are covered by a modern award. In reality, many public sector roles, including police, are governed by enterprise agreements. The Victorian Public Service Enterprise Agreement 2024 covers some related roles such as Police Custody Officers and Court Registrars, but sworn police have their own specific agreement. For award-free employees who are not covered by any agreement, the national minimum wage applies. However, if a modern award does cover a role, the minimum rate in that award (which from 1 July 2026 increased by 4.75%) must be paid. The key takeaway is that the pay floor for a police officer in Victoria is the enterprise agreement rate, not the national minimum or any award rate.

For more details on how minimum wages are set across different systems, see Which minimum wage applies and How the figures work. If you are comparing rates for other occupations, our Rate tables provide award and national minimum figures.

Note: The figures in this guide are based on publicly available information from the Victoria Police website and the Fair Work Commission. Individual salaries may vary based on experience, location, and specific duties. Always refer to the applicable enterprise agreement for precise entitlements.