Police pay well ahead of others

Press, 1 February 1986, Page 2

Police pay well ahead of others

PA Auckland The new polite pay rates announced this week put constables fresh from training school well ahead of the income earned by other young people starting their careers, the “New Zealand Herald” reported yesterday. Under the new police salary deal, probationary constables finishing a 24week training course will receive a comprehensive salary of $31j321. The total includes payments for overtime, penal time, and night work on top of the basic rate of $21,474.

A “New Zealand Herald” survey found that a constable’s new compre-

hensive salary was equivalent to that of a senior solicitor or the deputy principal of a secondary school, and more than $13,000 ahead of people starting teaching or legal careers. Of the occupations surveyed, only young doctors, after six years at medical school, earn more than first-year constables. As a first-year house surgeon, a newly-regis-tered doctor receives a basic salary of $24,200 and with overtime the annual salary is $38,000 to $40,000. Other occupations surveyed were: • Lawyers: After four years at university a firstyear law clerk in a city firm earns about $15,000 (minimum award rate $9791). The Law Society says a lawyer would need at least five years experience to earn $31,000.

• Accountants: Three years obtaining a bachelor of commerce degree leads accountants to a salary of about $15,000. Someone who becomes a company’s accountant after ~ .leaving ... university., can •'earn $22,000 to: $23,000. An accountant? would need to be working ? for about five years to earn $31,000. • Teachers: A typical secondary schoolteacher with«a4hree-year degree and .a year at training college starts on $19,496./ The Post-Primary? Teachers’ Association says it.-? would take a deputy f principal or even a princi- • pal with 10 years teaching experience to reach, $31,000. • Niirses: “ After a

three-year course a nurse can expect to earn a minimum of $19,635 in the first year without overtime.

• Armed Services: The lowest ranks receive $11,891 a year, plus subsidised board and food, and some free services. • Bank tellers: A school-leaver who becomes a teller after six months to a year in a bank earns about $lO,OOO a year in Auckland and Wellington and $9500 in country areas. The “Herald” said most professional groups were guarded about comparing their group’s training and salaries with those of the police. All agreed that the police had a dangerous and difficult job which they did well, and deserved to be well paid..

A number said that although the police started off earning more, police pay did not increase at the same rate as professional rates. Professional people would earn more over all in their working life.

A leading Auckland barrister, Mr .'? Peter Williams, described the new police ■ rates as' excesive, when compared with the training and qualifications required for lower-paid professional careers.

The president of the Post-Primary . Teachers? Association, Mr Tony. Steele, said a secondary schoolteacher could bfe In the absurd., position ; of teaching am 18 year old who could earn far. more than the teacher after a 24-week police training course.